Tag: Snow

Shovelers take a break from clearing snow inside Highmark Stadium.

Shovel our snow: Bills put out another SOS

Posted on | by Field Level Media

The Buffalo Bills put out a call for snow shovelers to report to work at Highmark Stadium in suburban Orchard Park, N.Y., Friday afternoon.

The Bills will host the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday evening in an AFC divisional playoff game, days after a second round of snow swept through the area this week.

A blizzard last weekend saw the NFL and New York Gov. Kathy Hochul agree to move Sunday’s scheduled wild-card game against the Pittsburgh Steelers to Monday, and work crews were called upon to help ready the stadium then, too.

A total of 46.5 inches of snow has fallen in Orchard Park since last weekend, with 21 inches coming Tuesday through Thursday, Buffalo television station WIVB reported.

The Bills asked people willing to work to dress in their warmest winter clothing and bring their shovels to help clear the stadium, particularly the seating area, beginning at 2 p.m. ET on Friday. Once there, they can show their identification and get to work, earning $20 per hour.

No snow is expected during the Chiefs-Bills game, which is set to kick off at 6:30 p.m. ET, according to information provided to the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle by AccuWeather. The forecast calls for a daytime high of 26 degrees under cloudy skies, with temperatures falling to 18 and wind gusts up to 20 mph at night.

The wind will make the air temperatures feel between 10 and 15 degrees, senior meteorologist Tim Kines told the newspaper.

“Considering what they went through in the last game and what it could be in January, this is a pretty tranquil cycle of weather,” Kines said.

–Field Level Media

Heavy snow falls in the fourth quarter of the NFL divisional playoff football game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Buffalo Bills, Sunday, Jan. 22, 2023, at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, N.Y. The Bengals won 27-10 to advance to the AFC Championship game against the Kansas City Chiefs. Cincinnati Bengals At Buffalo Bills Afc Divisional Jan 22 370

Bills-Steelers playoff game moved to Monday due to winter storm

Posted on | by Field Level Media

The AFC wild-card game between the Buffalo Bills and Pittsburgh Steelers was moved from Sunday to Monday afternoon because of an impending storm that will bring frigid temperatures, potentially feet of snow and gusting winds.

The game between the No. 2-seed Buffalo Bills (11-6) and the No. 7-seed Pittsburgh Steelers (10-7) now is set for 4:30 p.m. ET on Monday in Orchard Park, N.Y., and will be televised by CBS. It had been scheduled for Sunday at 1 p.m.

Gov. Kathy Hochul issued a full travel ban across Erie County — where Highmark Stadium is located — beginning Saturday at 9 p.m. She declared a state of emergency on Friday.

“I’ve been in communication with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell regarding the dangerous conditions in Buffalo this weekend,” she said in a statement Saturday. “In consultation with our emergency response teams, Buffalo Bills leadership, and the NFL, the Bills game will be postponed.”

The National Weather Service in Buffalo issued a winter storm warning that took effect at 10 a.m. Saturday and runs through 7 a.m. Monday. The forecast calls for snow accumulations of 1 to 2 feet, which some localized areas seeing up to 3 feet. Winds could reach as high as 65 mph at their peak, with blizzard conditions possible.

The service said travel along snow-covered roads will be difficult, with some areas impassible and visibility near zero.

Before the postponement, the Bills put out a call for people to help shovel snow at the stadium, offering $20 per hour.

Hochul, born in Buffalo, has been known to root for the Bills.

–Field Level Media

The National Weather Service said the snow could paralyze the hardest-hit communities, including Buffalo, with periods of near-zero visibility. Snow3 3

Bills escape snowy Buffalo, arrive in Detroit to face Browns

Posted on | by Field Level Media

The Buffalo Bills made it out of wintry conditions that included more than 6 feet of snow and arrived in Detroit on Saturday night.

The Bills will play the Cleveland Browns on Sunday in the Motor City after the contest was moved from Orchard Park, N.Y., on Thursday due to the heavy snow.

The Bills said there were 77 inches of snow at their complex in the Buffalo superb of Orchard Park.

Players, coaches and staffers received help from police and helpful neighbors to make it to the team facility in Orchard Park. Some people shoveled, others provided snowblowing and many helped with transportation.

Buffalo tight end Dawson Knox displayed a video on Twitter where his neighbors were helping dig him out.

“The city of good neighbors,” Knox began. “Getting to the plane. Wow. Let’s go. Never seen anything like it.”

The Bills received police escorts to make it to the airport and reportedly departed Buffalo around 4:45 p.m. ET for the flight to Detroit.

Conditions were so bad Friday that the team canceled practice and met on a virtual basis.

The Bills visit the Detroit Lions on Thanksgiving, but they aren’t staying in the area. They plan to return to Buffalo on Sunday night and fly back to Detroit on Wednesday.

–Field Level Media

The National Weather Service said the snow could paralyze the hardest-hit communities, including Buffalo, with periods of near-zero visibility. Snow3 3

Snow postponement puts Akron-Buffalo game in question

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Officials with the Mid-American Conference will decide in the coming week whether the football game between Buffalo and Akron will be rescheduled.

The game had been scheduled for Saturday but was postponed to the forecast of major snowfall in western New York. As of early Saturday, 66 inches of snow had piled up in Orchard Park, the home of the Buffalo Bills, since Thursday.

When the game was postponed initially, there were hopes it might be played on Sunday.

“Despite the best efforts of all involved, it is not feasible to play the football game between Akron and Buffalo on Sunday,” MAC commissioner Jon Steinbrecher said Saturday. “The game has been postponed indefinitely. The safety of the student-athletes and fans is paramount. We want to be respectful of the efforts of the emergency service personnel in the Buffalo area who are working to assist those in need.”

With league play winding down, the conference will use its tiebreaker policy that addresses an uneven number of games played, if necessary, to determine which teams will advance to the MAC championship.

–Field Level Media

Michigan State linebacker Darius Snow (23) is carried off the field during the first half against Western Michigan at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing on Friday, Sept. 2, 2022.

Michigan State defense loses two key players, one for season

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Michigan State’s season-opening victory over Western Michigan was costly as coach Mel Tucker announced Monday that linebacker Darius Snow will miss the rest of the season and safety Xavier Henderson will miss substantial time.

Tucker didn’t reveal specifics about the injuries. According to reports, Snow was worked on after a teammate accidently ran into his right leg in the second quarter, and Henderson was sporting crutches on the sidelines in the second half with a brace on his right leg.

Snow had 87 tackles, including 5.5 for loss, last season. He is the son of former Michigan State and NBA guard Eric Snow and the nephew of former Spartans All-American and NFL linebacker Percy Snow, who is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame.

“Snow is going to be out for the year,” Tucker said. “I feel terribly for him. He’s worked really hard and he’s playing at a high level. He won’t be with us for the rest of the season.”

Henderson considered declaring for the NFL draft after last season before deciding to stay in school. The team captain entered this season with 233 tackles, including 13.5 for loss, to go with three interceptions and three sacks. The 35-13 victory was his 47th appearance for the Spartans.

“He’s sore,” Tucker said of Henderson, “so we’ll just have to see how he comes along with his treatments and things like that. He’ll be ready when he’s ready.”

The Spartans host Akron on Saturday.

–Field Level Media