General view of snow covered seats at Highmark Stadium prior to the game between the Atlanta Falcons and the Buffalo Bills. Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports

Bills' stadium already covered in snow with 'thundersnow' possible for game

By Adam Gretz | Last updated 12/17/22

The Buffalo Bills and Miami Dolphins are playing a massive game in the AFC playoff race on Saturday night, but the playoff implications have seemingly taken a back seat to mother nature.

Another round of lake effect snow is burying the city of Buffalo and figures to play havoc on the team.

As the Bills showed on Saturday morning, less than 10 hours before kickoff, the stadium is already buried in snow.

❄️ FOOTBALL WEATHER!! ❄️#GoBills | #BillsMafia pic.twitter.com/EEZylibXi5
— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) December 17, 2022

This has been seen as a huge advantage for the Bills, especially against a Miami team that is quarterbacked by Tua Tagovailoa who does not have much experience playing in snow or cold weather. The Dolphins have tried to downplay that this week, with Tagovailoa pointing out that it used to snow occasionally in Alabama (where he played his college football) and head coach Mike McDaniel walking around practice in a "I wish it was colder" T-shirt.

All of that sounds great, but the question they we should all be asking the Dolphins is are you ready for thundersnow?

The heaviest snow in Orchard Park today is expected between 8-11 p.m.

The Dolphins-Bills game could also feature thundersnow, the National Weather Service says.
— Andy Slater (@AndySlater) December 17, 2022

The 8-11 p.m. ET timeframe for the heaviest snow also coincides with the timeframe the game will be played in.

Miami, which won the first meeting between these two teams earlier in the season in south Florida, can pull to within a game of first place with a win and earn the tiebreaker. Buffalo is not only playing for the top spot in the AFC East, but also the No. 1 seed, a bye week, and home field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs.

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