The Divisional Round of the 2023 NFL Playoffs is upon us. Eight teams remain in the field and will be in action this weekend, and four will advance to their respective Conference Championship games. The field features some of the best teams from the regular season, and we are sure to have some exciting contests throughout Saturday and Sunday, despite the current spreads and odds.
How Will Weather Affect This Weekend’s NFL Games?
🚨🚨WEATHER ALERT🚨🚨
THERE IS SNOW FALLING IN BALTIMORE.
STROUD vs. LAMAR. #RAVENS–#TEXANS SHOULD BE A FUN ONE.
— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) January 19, 2024
As per usual for playoff football at this time of the year, weather is going to be a factor. We already saw it last week, when wildly low temperatures played a part in the game between the Chiefs and Dolphins, and the Buffalo Bills were forced to postpone their Wild Card game against the Steelers due to heavy snow in the Orchard Park area.
How will the conditions affect the NFL games that are played on Saturday afternoon and evening? We take a look at the weather reports for both Baltimore, Maryland and Santa Clara, California:
Houston Texans @ Baltimore Ravens – 4:30pm
Partly cloudy skies. Winds 10 to 20 MPH.
Game Time Temp: 26 degrees
The skies should be partly cloudy on Saturday afternoon during the game, but that doesn’t mean that Mother Nature won’t be a factor. The Baltimore area was hit with a snow storm on Friday, which delivered about 4 inches of fresh powder to M&T Bank Stadium the day ahead of the contest.
The accumulation won’t be enough to keep fans out of the seats (see: Buffalo), but the weather will still have an effect on the game. The temperatures are expected to be in the mid-20s for kickoff, with winds hovering around 15 MPH.
It will likely be the visiting team that is most adversely affected. The Ravens have experience with cold weather NFL games playing in the AFC North, but the Texans play in Houston and under the cover of a dome. CJ Stroud and company only had just one “cold weather” game during the regular season, a 19-16 win over the Titans under cloudy Tennessee skies and a temperature of 48 degrees.
The last time the #49ers and Packers met in the playoffs was two years ago, where they had a classic 4th quarter ⬇️
📺: Packers vs 49ers, Saturday 7:30p ET on FOX pic.twitter.com/UZn0q95ciW
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) January 18, 2024
Green Bay Packers @ San Francisco 49ers – 8:15PM
Steady, light rain. Winds 10-15 MPH.
Game Time Temp: 52 degrees
Weather will be a factor for the game between the San Francisco 49ers and Green Bay Packers, as well.
They don’t get snow in Santa Clara, California, but the forecast calls for a weekend of precipitation. A steady rain will begin in the Bay Area on Friday evening, and will last all the way until Monday evening. For kickoff, there will be a “steady, light rain” with heavier showers accumulating late. Winds will be variable at 5-10 MPH.
It conditions shouldn’t have much of an effect on the game as far as an advantage is concerned. Both teams are used to playing in adverse weather, though the Packers are generally more apt to cold temperatures.
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