Don’t miss the Bills v. Ravens Sunday, from 6 p.m., on RDS and RDS.ca
Sunday evening, as an exclamation point to the lineup of NFL playoff games this weekend, the Buffalo Bills await the Baltimore Ravens firmly in what will be a battle to finish between the two main candidates for the regular season MVP award.
The duel between Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson is the event to watch, and the bravest in the New York area will need to arm themselves with warm boots and well-lined clothing since the mercury will be dropping due to a front cold over the next few days.
According to AccuWeather, at the start of the match the mercury will be close to 0 degrees Farenheit with the wind factor. For us in Quebec, it’s around -18 degrees Celsius with a cool breeze to freeze the players’ cheeks under their helmets.
As the game begins after sunset, the temperature will drop even further until the fourth quarter.
“The temperature makes a big difference for us,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said after practice this week. I can attest, it’s very cold this week and we’re trying to avoid being outside for too long. »
As a result, the Ravens practiced indoors this week with completely frozen fields outside instead of attacking Highmark Stadium head-on with good liners.
Baltimore is not exactly a sunny destination, but the cold hits the Ravens less hard during the season and this factor will give an advantage to the Bills, used to colder games or in snow. Additionally, Ravens Stadium is heated on the surface to prevent slippery conditions during cold snaps.
-On the Buffalo side, we face the elements and the fans have fun in the snow, come what may.
“We’re ready for a war,” added Ravens tight end Mark Andrews. We’re going to accept everything and prepare for the cold. »
Clothing-wise, quarterback Lamar Jackson already wears a liner under his helmet during outdoor matches during the fall. We bet that the cold in Buffalo will cause him some problems even if his work with his legs seems unaffected by the hard surfaces.
One thing is certain however, Jackson will not wear gloves despite a harder ball and a gripping wind.
“I tried,” he admitted, “but it’s terrible. I know that about Teddy Bridgewater” (Editor’s note, a former NFL quarterback).
Playoff football is always a little more special when the cold and snow take over the field. Sunday evening, fans will be served on our airwaves.
