Broncos-patriots Weather Forecast Could Present Big Challenges

It's going to beryllium acold and apt snowy connected Sunday astatine Empower Field astatine Mile High erstwhile nan Denver Broncos big nan New England Patriots successful nan AFC title game. With nan crippled kicking disconnected astatine 1 p.m. MDT, nan somesthesia is expected to beryllium 16 degrees pinch a 60% chance of snowfall astatine nan clip of penning this story.

The precocious connected Sunday is forecast to beryllium 19 degrees, pinch 12 MPH winds retired of nan north. Gear up for immoderate title shot upwind if you're attending nan game.

The Patriots are coming disconnected a crippled past week astatine Foxboro, wherever bitterly acold temperatures and snowfall were nan bid of nan day. The section astatine Gillette Stadium was bedewed and slick, which led to immoderate difficulties holding onto nan shot for some nan Patriots and nan Houston Texans.

Broncos caput coach Sean Payton doesn't sound concerned astir Sunday's upwind forecast, though. If rainfall were portion of nan forecast, he mightiness beryllium a spot much connected edge.

“I deliberation it’s impacted much by rain. Really, acold is relative," Payton said connected Friday. "So we woody pinch nan elements, though, and we’re utilized to playing successful acold upwind here. We’re utilized to playing successful bully weather. I deliberation it’s comparative erstwhile you talk about, like, Cincinnati Bengals playoff cold, which I deliberation was nan all-time coldest crippled successful our history. We’ll beryllium prepared for that.”

Payton has coached successful cold, snowy playoff games before. The upwind has been beautiful bully for nan Broncos passim this mild Rocky Mountain winter, but it's astir to return a small move for nan worst correct erstwhile nan squad is astir to play its astir important crippled of nan past decade.

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Patriots Coming Off a Snow-Game Win

Perhaps nan upwind conditions will power nan crippled plan. Payton says nan Broncos will beryllium prepared for nan weather, and he's not conscionable talking astir having manus warmers and coats ready, agelong johns on, and heaters by nan benches.

Bad upwind could put a small spot much unit connected Jarrett Stidham erstwhile it comes to handling and throwing nan shot successful his first commencement successful much than 700 days. The dream was that moving backmost J.K. Dobbins would beryllium cleared to play this week, but he's been ruled out, truthful Payton is going to person to fig retired really to manufacture a crushed onslaught without him, particularly successful snowy weather.

Last week astatine Foxboro, location were 74 passes attempted betwixt nan Patriots and Texans. New England backmost Drake Maye attempted 27 passes, completing 16 for 179 yards and 3 touchdowns, pinch 1 interception. He besides put nan shot connected nan crushed 4 times, losing 2 fumbles.

Texans backmost C.J. Stroud didn't fare astir arsenic well, throwing 4 first-half interceptions and finishing pinch a completion percent of 42.5%. Coming from Houston, it did not look that nan Texans were prepared for nan inclement weather.

Then again, pinch really often nan Patriots turned it over, possibly they weren't fresh for it either. But they are a spot much knowledgeable playing successful nan snowy cold, entering this crippled astatine Mile High, and that could beryllium an advantage for nan Patriots.

However, nan crippled will still beryllium played successful nan bladed aerial of Mile High successful what's judge to beryllium an highly dispute situation for nan Maye and nan Patriots. We've seen Maye return attraction of business successful 2 location playoff games, but we're yet to spot really he performs connected nan road, fto unsocial against a defense for illustration Denver's.

The Patriots are 0-4 against nan Broncos successful Denver successful nan playoffs. It's not going to beryllium easy to flip that book against nan Broncos astatine home, moreover without Bo Nix successful nan lineup.

Perhaps nan upwind forecasts will displacement and nan Broncos and Patriots will debar nan worst of nan snow. But those Broncos fans headed to nan stadium, beryllium judge to bundle up and beryllium prepared to beryllium acold and wet, possibly.

If nan Broncos tin grind retired a triumph successful uncomfortable weather, they'll punch a summons to Super Bowl 60 successful Santa Clara, California. The upwind astatine Levi Stadium would beryllium a invited alleviation from nan Rocky Mountain winter.

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