After a blizzard forced the Vikings/New York Giants game of Dec. 11 to be rescheduled to Dec. 12, snow collapsed the roof of the Minnesota Metrodome, forcing the game to be relocated to Detroit’s Ford Field.
The next game on the Vikings’ schedule was moved to the University of Minnesota campus, where the Vikes faced off against the Chicago Bears on a sheet of ice in a snowstorm.
Winter whacked the Vikings again this weekend, as a fierce Nor’easter threatened to dump a foot of snow on Philadelphia, the site of Sunday night’s scheduled Vikings/Eagles game. The NFL announced on Sunday afternoon that the game would be postponed until Tuesday.
In announcing the postponement, NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said on NFL.com that “the uncertainty of the extent of tonight's storm and its aftermath” forced the league to reschedule, despite the fact that no snow had yet fallen on Philadelphia.
The blizzard was fierce, indeed: the storm paralyzed New York City and parts of New Jersey with snowfall. Philadelphia, however, got only about a foot of snow, which is half of what fell in New York and New Jersey.
Pennsylvania governor Ed Rendell was vocally opposed to the postponement, making his opinion clear in an interview on a local CBS affiliate.
“This is football; football’s played in bad weather,” Rendell told KYW-TV in a report on its website. “I think the fans would have gotten there, the subways work and the major arteries are still open, and other fans would have stayed home—but you play football regardless of the weather.”
Rendell went on to say that the delay would be a “serious handicap” for the Eagles, who have a shot at winning the NFC East. With the delay, the Eagles will have only four days to prepare for their game against the Dallas Cowboys next Sunday.
Not everyone agreed with the governor. Eagles coach Andy Reid said the team was okay with the decision.
"We're organized and prepared for this, and we completely support what the league did from a safety standpoint for everybody," Reid told NFL.com.
"Hey, at least it's another couple of days to heal," Vikings running back Adrian Peterson told NFL.com. Peterson missed the previous game with a knee injury.
Vikings defensive end Jared Allen refused to let the delay get him down. “We have to remain together as a team and keep a positive mind frame,” he said. “It's important to be a professional and be ready to play on Tuesday night."
Eagles quarterback Michael Vick shared his upbeat attitude on Twitter: “Just a few more days to get ready!"
The good feelings weren’t unanimous. Eagles wide receiver DeSean Jackson tweeted, "It's only snow!!!! Let us play… It must b alot of fun… I'm ready let's get it on!!"
