Hey, if you’re reading this, congratulations! You’re likely in the fantasy playoffs! Or you are a big fan of weather. Either way, you are a winner in my book. We learned some valuable lessons last weekend, namely, Joe Burrow and Josh Allen don’t care about snow. Looking ahead, you will see a lot of talk about cold temperatures (spoilers, sorry). Now, how much does cold weather impact a game? Let’s take a look back at some cold games and the final scores:
Jan 13, 2024: Chiefs vs Dolphins. -4F (wind chill of -27F), Final Score, 26-7.
Jan 10, 2016: Seahawks vs Vikings. -6F (wind chill of -25F), Final Score 10-9.
Jan 20, 2008: Giants vs Packers. – 1F (wind chill of -23F), Final Score 23-20.
So there are some fantasy points to be had, but none of those games turned into barnburners. Keep this in mind for the week ahead. Enough preamble, let’s get to it!
Buckle up, it’s Week 15 time, baby!
Sunday Early Afternoon Games
Cleveland Browns @ Chicago Bears
HIGH impact. Hey, let’s start with the coldest game of the week. Game-time temperatures will be around 14 degrees. Combine that with expected wind speeds in the low teens (gusts into the upper teens), and the wind chill will be around -10. With temperatures that cold, expect lower scoring overall (see above!). The good news is that no snow is expected.
Baltimore Ravens @ Cincinnati Bengals
HIGH impact. On to our next cold game! Similar to Chicago, no snow is expected. However, game time temperatures at around 15 degrees. Again, combined with winds in the high single digits, will result in a wind chill of around -6 degrees. The same rules apply as above; there will be scoring, but it will likely be limited.
Los Angeles Chargers @ Kansas City Chiefs
HIGH impact. Another cold game? Sure, why not? I guess the good news is that it’s not as cold as in other games, but we’re still expecting game-time temperatures around 22 degrees. Combined with the high single-digit winds, it’ll result in wind chill around 8 degrees. No snow is expected, just the cold temperatures to impact this game.
Buffalo Bills @ New England Patriots
MEDIUM impact. There will likely be some snow before the game, but expect most of it to be gone by game time. Any additional snow will be fairly light. Temperatures and winds will also be a factor. Winds will be in the high single digits, temperatures will be in the upper 20s, and combining those two factors will result in a wind chill in the high-teens. At least it isn’t negative?
Washington Commanders @ New York Giants
MEDIUM impact. Game-time temperatures will be in the high 20s. Winds in the mid-teens. You see where this is going. Wind chill will be in the high teens. So another cold game. Those wind speeds are looking stronger than some of the other games, so keep that in mind for kickers.
Las Vegas Raiders @ Philadelphia Eagles
MEDIUM impact. Winds and temperatures will again be an issue. Temperatures will be in the high-20s, and winds will be in the mid-teens with gusts up to the mid-20s. Wind chill is calculated to be around the mid-teens (depends on the wind speed). Don’t be surprised if the running game for both teams gets featured quite a bit.
New York Jets @ Jacksonville Jaguars
LOW impact. Ah, Florida, thank you for not being chilly. I think by default this has to be the “GOOD WEATHER GAME OF THE WEEK”. Sunny skies, temperature in the low-70s, with winds in the low-teens (along with occasional gusts into the low-20s).
Sunday Late Afternoon Games
Green Bay Packers @ Denver Broncos
LOW impact. No impacts here. Sunny skies, temperatures in the mid-60s, and light winds. Start all your studs.
Tennessee Titans @ San Francisco 49ers
LOW impact. I’m starting to like this afternoon’s slate of games a lot more. Sunny skies, temperatures in the upper 50s, and light winds. No issues here, start all the usual suspects.
Indianapolis Colts @ Seattle Seahawks
MEDIUM impact. Expect some light rain and some slightly increased winds throughout the game. Most of the rain will be blocked by the stadium (great designing fellas!), but expect to see some on the field. Winds will be in the high single digits. Not enough issues to bench anyone you would normally start, just be aware of the rain.
Monday Night Game
Miami Dolphins @ Pittsburgh Steelers
MEDIUM impact. What better way to wrap up this weekend of cold games? No snow expected, but the kick-off temperature will be in the low 20s. Winds will be in the high single digits, resulting in a wind chill in the low-teens.
Best of luck to your team in the week ahead!