Chargers-Patriots might end up being a snow game
Tom Brady of the New England Patriots stands on the sideline in the fourth quarter against the Tennessee Titans on October 18, 2009. The Patriots defeated the Titans 59-0. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
By Matt Dolloff, 985TheSportsHub.com
It’s January in Foxborough, so two things are certain. The New England Patriots are hosting a playoff game, and it’s going to be cold.
There might even be a little extra coming from Mother Nature this Sunday. The early forecast for Foxborough at Weather.com calls for a high of 30 degrees and 3-5 inches of snow.
The weather is about as fluid as it gets when it comes to news reporting, so it could turn out that the Patriots and Los Angeles Chargers end up playing a snow-free game in Sunday’s AFC Divisional Playoff at Gillette Stadium. But the added element of the snow would most certainly make the game more intriguing and aesthetically pleasing.
This wouldn’t be Philip Rivers’ first cold-weather game in Foxborough. The Chargers lost to the Patriots 21-12 in the 2007 AFC Championship Game, which had a game time temperature of 23 degrees. Rivers went 19-for-37 for 207 yards, no touchdowns, and two interceptions for a passer rating of 46.1 – but at the same time, he was playing on a torn ACL in that game.
There are plenty of interesting angles in this matchup, with or without the weather. But you’d have to think that snow would play in the Patriots’ favor. The coldest game the Chargers have played this season was in Week 15, when they beat the Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium and the game time temp was 39 degrees.
Either way, the weather is officially a storyline worth following for this game.
Matt Dolloff is a digital producer for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Have a news tip, question, or comment for Matt? Follow him on Twitter @mattdolloff or email him at matthew.dolloff@bbgi.com.
