Snowstorm forces Steelers-Payments playoff recreation to Monday

BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Payments’ wild-card spherical recreation in opposition to the Pittsburgh Steelers has been rescheduled to Monday at 4:30 p.m. ET from Sunday at 1 p.m. ET to prioritize security within the area due to an incoming snowstorm. The sport will nonetheless be broadcast on CBS.

The transfer was introduced at a information convention held by New York Gov. Kathy Hochul on Saturday afternoon. The choice got here after conversations with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, emergency response groups, Payments management and the NFL.

“Now, you might even see clear skies [Sunday] morning, however do not be fooled,” Hochul mentioned. “The bull’s-eye of the storm is predicted to hit noon Sunday afternoon proper in the course of the scheduled Buffalo Payments recreation. … [The game will] proceed to be performed at Highmark Area proper in Orchard Park. It is all a part of our important efforts to maintain New Yorkers, motorists and followers protected from this wildly unpredictable storm.”

Hochul mentioned she started conversations with the NFL on Thursday to debate choices due to the climate. She mentioned this was not a call reached due to enjoying circumstances, however as an alternative for the protection of everybody within the space, and that the change in date and time will give crews time to clear the roads.

“As most know, there are tons of of deputies, from not solely the sheriff’s workplace, however others that help on recreation day. They have to be helping in the course of a snowstorm, serving to these in want, not directing site visitors at a soccer stadium,” Erie County govt Mark Poloncarz mentioned. “… None of us wish to see that many autos on the highway tomorrow morning making an attempt to get to a soccer stadium figuring out that the circumstances are going to be as unhealthy as they’re.”

A winter storm warning is in impact for Buffalo and surrounding counties, together with Orchard Park in Erie County, the location of the stadium, till 7 a.m. Monday. Greater than a foot of snow — and as a lot as 3 ft — is predicted within the Buffalo space, in keeping with AccuWeather, and with winds probably as excessive as 65 mph. Snowfall at charges of two to three inches per hour is predicted to start round 6 p.m. Saturday, creating challenges to clear the roads. A journey ban can also be being put in place starting at 9 p.m. Saturday. The journey ban might be reevaluated at 6 a.m. Sunday.

The forecast induced the over/below complete on the sport to maneuver dramatically in the course of the week at sportsbooks. The full opened at 42.5 at ESPN BET and bought as little as 33.5 on Saturday earlier than being pulled off the board with the sport moved to Monday. It reopened at 38.5 on Saturday.

The Payments have been 10-point favorites on Saturday at ESPN BET.

Winter climate nonetheless may very well be an element Monday, with forecasts calling for snow and windy circumstances. Hochul mentioned they “anticipate a really completely different climate dynamic” with wind speeds projected to be decreased.

The Steelers had not left Pittsburgh earlier than the choice was reached to alter the timing of the sport.

The Payments had a house recreation in November final season in opposition to the Cleveland Browns moved due to excessive snow and wind in order that assets wouldn’t be diverted from the Buffalo neighborhood. The sport was performed at Ford Area in Detroit.

Saturday night time’s playoff recreation in Kansas Metropolis between the Chiefs and Dolphins can also be coping with excessive climate because the temperature is predicted to drop as little as minus-5 levels.

That recreation just isn’t being postponed, nonetheless. “There are not any public security journey issues for attending to the stadium for followers, the golf equipment, stadium personnel or public authorities,” an NFL official instructed ESPN’s Marcel Louis-Jacques.

The final time a playoff recreation was moved due to climate, the NFL modified the time of the Steelers’ 2016 divisional-round recreation in Kansas Metropolis from 1:05 p.m. ET to eight:20 p.m. ET. The Steelers gained 18-16.

The Buffalo Sabres are nonetheless scheduled to host the Vancouver Canucks at 4 p.m. Saturday in downtown Buffalo.

ESPN’s Brooke Pryor and David Purdum contributed to this report.