With Rams-Bears’ frigid forecast, what are the coldest playoff video games in NFL historical past?

Attending Sunday’s Los Angeles Rams-Chicago Bears divisional spherical sport at Soldier Field in Chicago gained’t be for the weak. Accuweather’s night forecast within the Windy City has a projected low temperature of two levels with an actual really feel of minus-23, in addition to some flurries to high it off. Winds are anticipated to high 20 mph, with gusts of as much as 44 mph. Accuweather even wrote that “it’s a necessity to bundle up for the football game.”

Cold-weather video games like these have develop into synonymous with playoff soccer in January. However, they’re set to develop into much less frequent within the coming years. Ten NFL groups already name domed stadiums residence, and with the Tennessee Titans, Cleveland Browns, Washington Commanders and Kansas City Chiefs all transferring indoors, that quantity is projected to rise to 14 by 2031. If you embody the Chicago Bears’ proposal to construct a domed stadium, that implies that half of the league would play in a climate-controlled setting.

The groups transferring inside are among the prime candidates for frigid playoff video games, as Kansas City and Cleveland have hosted among the coldest video games in NFL historical past. Many groups that at present play exterior aren’t liable to subfreezing temperatures.

Assuming that all the above groups certainly transfer to domed stadiums, there shall be simply eight NFL out of doors venues situated in cities with January common lows beneath 30 levels: Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pa., Empower Field at Mile High in Denver, Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass., Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis., Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., New Highmark Stadium in Buffalo, N.Y., and Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati.

In different phrases, NFL followers have purpose to cherish each cold-weather sport greater than ever. Ahead of the single-digit temperatures in Chicago on Sunday, let’s have a look again at among the coldest games in NFL playoff historical past.

1. Dec. 31, 1967, Dallas Cowboys vs. Green Bay Packers, Lambeau Field

Temperature: minus-13 levels with wind chill of minus-48

The “Ice Bowl” remains to be the coldest playoff sport in NFL historical past. These two historic franchises performed for the NFL championship in Green Bay in an epic showdown. Hall of Fame Packers quarterback Bart Starr ran within the go-ahead landing on third-and-goal with 16 seconds left, securing a three-peat for Green Bay. Starr someway threw for 191 yards and two touchdowns within the sub-zero circumstances.

2. Jan. 10, 1982, San Diego Chargers vs. Cincinnati Bengals, Riverfront Stadium

Temperature: minus-9 levels with wind chill of minus-59

With a visit to the Super Bowl on the road, this AFC Championship Game was often known as the “Freezer Bowl.” San Diego noticed practically a 90-degree temperature change between playoff video games, after beating the Miami Dolphins in 80-degree climate within the prior spherical. The warm-weather workforce turned the ball over six instances, together with 4 fumbles, as Ken Anderson and the Bengals rolled to a 27-7 win. Cincinnati fell to the San Francisco 49ers within the Super Bowl.

3. Jan. 10, 2016, Seattle Seahawks vs. Minnesota Vikings, TCF Bank Stadium

Temperature: minus-6 levels with wind chill of minus-25

As US Bank Stadium was being constructed, the Vikings performed exterior in 2014 and 2015 at Minnesota’s TCF Bank Stadium. With the brutal winter of the Twin Cities, there was potential for a traditionally chilly sport, and the Vikings cooperated. As the No. 3 seed, the NFC North champs hosted the No. 6 seed Seattle Seahawks within the wild card spherical, their first residence playoff sport open air since 1976. Trailing 10-9, Vikings kicker Blair Walsh missed a would-be game-winning 27-yard area objective, including to an extended record of heartbreaking playoff losses for the franchise.

4. Jan. 24, 2024, Miami Dolphins vs. Kansas City Chiefs, Arrowhead Stadium

Temperature: minus-4 levels with wind chill of minus-27

Another warm-weather workforce bought caught with a brutal draw. Miami needed to handle painful circumstances whereas going through Patrick Mahomes and the defending champs. Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa struggled in uncharted territory, finishing 51 p.c of his passes and ending with a 63.9 passer ranking. Meanwhile, Mahomes shrugged off a cracked helmet, throwing for 262 yards and speeding for 41 in a 26-7 win.

5. Jan. 20, 2008, New York Giants vs. Green Bay Packers, Lambeau Field

Temperature: minus-4 levels with wind chill of minus-24

Everyone remembers Eli Manning and the Giants’ astonishing upset of the undefeated New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLII, however what in regards to the victory that bought them there? New York took down Brett Favre and Green Bay within the fifth-coldest playoff sport ever, 23-20. After New York’s Lawrence Tynes missed a 36-yard area objective to win it on the finish of regulation, he redeemed himself with the successful kick in extra time. Coach Tom Coughlin’s beet-red cheeks are the lasting picture of this sport.

6. Jan. 15, 1994, Los Angeles Raiders vs. Buffalo Bills, Ralph Wilson Stadium

Temperature: 0 levels with wind chill of minus-32

Buffalo entered the 1994 playoffs coming off three straight Super Bowl losses. At a stadium that simply closed its doorways two weeks in the past, the Bills hosted the Raiders of sunny Los Angeles within the first spherical. With a game-time temperature of 0 levels, L.A. held its personal, however Buffalo’s fourth-quarter TD cross from Jim Kelly to Bill Brooks was the distinction in a 29-23 victory. The wind chill of minus-32 levels is the third-lowest in playoff historical past. The Bills reached the Super Bowl for a fourth straight time and misplaced for a fourth straight time, arising brief in opposition to the Cowboys.