Snow is in the forecast for the northeast—a lot of it. At these times I, being the sports enthusiast that I am, always want to go play some football in the snow. I want to be just like the professionals—though usually with different results (like injury).
Whenever there’s a snow-covered game in the NFL, it generates attention. Here are the five most memorable, whether it was because of the weather or not. FYI, I’m going to only include games that have been played since the Super Bowl started in 1967.
5. Patriots vs. Dolphins; Dec. 12, 1982: The only score on a snow-covered field in New England occurred in the fourth-quarter between these two AFC East rivals when the Patriots asked the snow plow driver to come on the field and clear out a space to kick a 33-yard field. He did and the Patriots won 3–0 despite Miami coach Don Shula’s objections.
4. Eagles vs. Vikings; Dec. 15, 1968: The Eagles lost to the Vikings 24–17 in Philadelphia, but the real story was how their fans “welcomed” Santa Claus with a chorus of snow balls during the halftime show. Ever since then the city of brotherly love has developed a reputation as having some of the worst sports enthusiasts.
3. Cowboys vs. Dolphins; Nov. 25, 1993: Leon Lett, who infamously had the ball stripped from him just before he reached the end zone during Super Bowl XXVII, was again at the center of this debacle. During a rare snow storm in Texas, the Cowboys, leading 14–13 on Thanksgiving, blocked Miami field goal kicker Pete Stoyanovich’s 40-yard attempt with just seconds remaining. While most of the Dallas players made sure to stay away from the ball, Lett tried to pick it up in the snow and fumbled it, and Miami recovered at the one-yard line. The Dolphins promptly kicked a game-winning field goal as time ran out.
2. Patriots vs. Raiders, Jan. 19, 2002: Better known as the ‘Tuck Rule“ this controversially-altered divisional round game was largely decided when officials reversed an apparent Tom Brady fourth-quarter fumble (after being hit by Charles Woodson) and enforced the ”tuck rule,” thus making it an incomplete pass. New England then kicked a field goal to force overtime and won it 16–13.
1. Packers vs. Cowboys; Dec. 31, 1967: The “Ice Bowl” was the NFC title game played in frigid Green Bay. Temperature at game time was 13 below zero with a wind chill of 48 below. Technically, it wasn’t snow that was covering the field, as much as it was a sheet of ice. The Packers won 21–17 after Bart Starr ran a quarterback sneak for a touchdown with just seconds remaining and the temperatures dropping.
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