Rodgers: Green Bay weather gives us advantage

Heading into December’s slate of NFL games, the Green Bay Packers find themselves a game in front of the Detroit Lions for the NFC North division lead.

At 9-3 and coming off an impressive win over the previously hot New England Patriots on a cold evening in Green Bay, the Packers are in position to grab the division title, particularly with two of their remaining regular season games being at Lambeau Field.

One of those games, the last of the season, is against the Lions, a team that has bested the Packers earlier in the season.

The Packers, led by super quarterback Aaron Rodgers, are also fighting for home field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs. Playing in those frigid Green Bay temperatures, and especially field slick from snow and ice, gives the Packers’ offense an advantage, says Rodgers, even against other cold weather teams.

“It doesn't really matter what team comes in; there’s an advantage based on the footing and the weather,” Rodgers said this morning on ESPN’s Mike and Mike. “I’ve always found in the cold weather, it’s a little bit more difficult to rush the passer. And, the footing favors the offense because, much like on an icy field or a wet field, an offensive player knows where he’s going. You have a slight advantage there.”

We all know that from our days playing backyard football in the snow, right?

If you were running with the ball, you could easily put a move on a defender, who would have to react to your movement, and then slip right on his keister. Anyone who has experienced the joy of football in the snow with their buddies has more than likely been on both ends of that scenario.

OK. Back to Rodgers. He briefly mentioned the effect cold temps can have on the ball, saying “the cold weather does some different things to the football, and if you’re not used to that it can bother you a little bit.”

I was hoping Professor Rodgers would delve in how the elasticity of the ball decreases in the cold. It would have been great to get a cold-weather quarterback’s insight into how the frigid temps affect his grip and the flight of the ball.

Hey, you know what. Maybe I’ll give him a call.

Stay tuned.

-- RAINOUT --

Titans say let it snow

Associated Press

So, the Tennessee Titans are hoping for a blizzard Sunday when they venture a mile high into the sky to face the Broncos in Denver.

You know, because Peyton Manning simply stinks in cold and inclement weather.

Well, as my friend Corky used to say, the Titans can hope in one hand and @#$% in the other and see which one gets full faster.

Oh sure, the weather is going to be hellacious in Denver Sunday – the forecasts is calling for a high of 20 and a low of 6 with a chance of snow – but the mediocre 5-5 Titans are going to need more ammunition than a little cold and snow to stop Manning and the Broncos’ industrial strength offense.   

“Hopefully it’s a big snowstorm and it will give us a great chance to win,” said Titans coach Mike Munchak.

Yeah, because when it’s not-freezing cold outside, the Titans are like a raider in the autumn winter wind. 

They’ll knock you ‘round and upside down and laugh when they’ve conquered and won.

Oh, wait. I must be thinking about another team.

According to a story in The Tennessean, the baby blue-clad boys from Nashville have been outscored 89-21 in the last two games they’ve played when temperatures have dipped below freezing at kickoff. The last was a 55-7 trouncing from the Packers nearly a year ago in Green Bay.

But, Munchak wasn’t talking about freezing cold. He said “snowstorm.”

Ok, let’s hop into our mental time machine and think back to when we last saw the Titans play in snow. Oh, yeah. It was 2009 when the Super Bowl-bound Patriots dropped the Titans 59-0. Tom Brady threw six touchdowns.

Good luck, Titans. Don’t let the snow fort door hit you on the can on your way out of Denver.

-- snow --

Get the tuck out

The NFL rule that made Al Davis scream at the top of his lungs, "Mother tucker… MOTHER TUCKER!!!" is no more.

Ok, it's doubtful Davis ever yelled those words, but there is no doubt the "Tuck Rule," as it came to be known, played a significant role in NFL history, most notably on a snow-covered field in Foxboro, Mass., during the 2002 AFC Divisional Round playoff game between the Oakland Raiders and New England Patriots.

You know what happened, so there's no need to go over the details.

If Davis were still with us, he'd be elated, but probably still cursing, to know NFL owners, at their annual meeting in Phoenix, voted 29-1 Wednesday to eliminate the controversial and, if you ask me, stupid rule. Apparently 29 NFL owners also deemed the rule stupid, for lack of (read: laziness of trying to find) a better word.

The Redskins, for this reason, and the Patriots, understandably, abstained from voting. The Pittsburgh Steelers voted to keep the "Tuck Rule." Why, Steelers? Why?

Meanwhile, the Raiders official Twitter feed needed only 17 characters, well shy of the 140 limit, to express the team's sentiments:

Adios, Tuck Rule.
— OAKLAND RAIDERS (@RAIDERS) March 20, 2013

It was only five days ago, when speculation was the "Tuck Rule" was in danger of extinction, that the tweeting Raiders had this to say:

Tuck Rule? It’s been 11 years, 1 month and 23 days…but who’s counting? twitter.com/RAIDERS/status…
— OAKLAND RAIDERS (@RAIDERS) March 14, 2013

Slide, Reggie, Slide!

Who knew the Dolphins were a cold weather team?

Heck, through first seven games of the season, who knew the Dolphins were a team at all?

Since starting at a dreadful 0-7 and being accused of sucking for Luck, the ‘Phins have swam back to respectability by winning five of their last seven games, including a 30-23 victory over the Buffalo Bills Sunday in a snowy, picturesque Orchard Park, N.Y., where temperatures were just below freezing. (Wow, that was a long sentence.)

Miami running back Reggie Bush led his team with 203 rushing yards, a big chunk of which came on a 76-yard gallop to the end zone and capped by a slide through the end zone snow at Ralph Wilson Stadium. Teammate Brandon Marshall, who could take a few sliding pointers from South Beach’s newest resident, Jose Reyes, glided right past Bush.

“I play FIFA a lot on PlayStation,” Bush said after the game. “I felt like I did a little soccer slide right there.”

Bush’s impromptu celebration drew a 15-yard penalty.

No blubber off the Dolphins, who continue their December tour of cold Northeast states with a visit with the Patriots Saturday in Foxboro, Mass., where the forecast – yeah, I know it’s a little early for forecasts – calls for a high temperature of 36 degrees and, you guessed it, a chance of snow.

Photo: Getty Images

Note: Buffalonews.com has a great photo gallery of the snowy game.

One more thing: Someone just told me I could really increase page views to The Rainout Blog if I posted images of Bills cheerleaders dancing in the snow. I haven’t yet found a good shot, but I’ll keep checking. If you have one, send it my way, and I’ll post it on the blog.

Tebowing in the Rain? Not in the Sunday Forecast

Yep. I'm trying to capitalize on Tebow Mania, too.

Hey, you know what would be great for increasing page views to The Rainout Blog?

Rain in Denver Sunday when the Broncos host the New England Patriots, that’s what.

I’m not above capitalizing on Tebow Mania, ya know.

Alas, (I can’t believe I just wrote the word “alas”) the Sunday forecast for Denver calls for a sunny day with a high temperature around 51 and only a 10 percent chance of rain.

Crap!

Oh, well. I’ll just put Tebow’s name in the tags below and watch the page views roll up like the QB’s passing yards. Wait. I’m already at that pace. Never mind.

By the way, the above photo was taken during Florida’s 45-15 win over Florida State on Nov. 29, 2008, when 1.34 inches of rain fell on Doak Campbell Stadium  in Tallahassee. Tebow passed for three touchdowns that day.

Pennsylvania Governor Really Wanted to Watch the Eagles Sunday Night

I’m guessing it was nice and cozy in the governor’s mansion, or where ever Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell was planning to watch the Eagles game from Sunday night. I bet he had his chips, dip, a lovely beverage and his Eagles Snuggie all ready when he leaned the game had been postponed. Rendell, upset about the NFL’s decision to move the Eagles-Vikings game in snowy Philadelphia to Tuesday night for the safety of the fans, told Fox 29 News in a live interview that “fans can make their own judgments about their safety. This is football.” Rendell went on to invoke the name of Vince Lombardi, as everyone seems to do when they’ve been wronged by something as silly as a blizzard interrupting their football. You can see the entire interview on the Fox 29 website.

The Eagles-Vikings game will be played at 8 p.m., Tuesday night at Lincoln Financial Field. It will be the first Tuesday night NFL game since 1946.

In the meantime, snowy weather caused some minor problems for teams that did play On Sunday. After the Patriots spanked the Bills, the team had to take a bus to Rochester, N.Y. for the night. And the Jets, fresh off of blowing a lead and eventually losing to the Bears, were forced to stay the night in Chicago.

UPDATE: I just read that Gov. Rendell provides commentary after Eagles games, so maybe he would have been at the game and not at wrapped up in a Snuggie at the governor’s mansion. But, I’m guessing he’s not in the booth for each Eagles home game. If anyone has any information about the Rendell’s commentaries, send me an e-mail.

A Snowball's Chance in Jail

Much attention has been given to the huge snow boulder Shaun Ellis of the Jets tossed into the stands at Qwest Field Sunday, but how about the snowball Todd Kobus took in the puss while being escorted from Gillette Stadium? Hilarious!

Kobus is the fella who rushed onto the field in the fourth quarter Sunday and tackled the Patriots’ Junior Seau on the sideline. Kobus is now saying that he is a big fan of Seau, and meant only to give the linebacker a hug. Whatever the motive, Kobus has been charged with trespassing and assault and battery. Police said Kobus was intoxicated. No kidding! Boston’s Fox 25 has video on its web site of Kobus being led off the field under a shower of snowballs. Enjoy the show.

Above photo: AP Photo/Boston Herald, Matthew West

White (Sunday Before) Christmas

I’m an idiot.

Of course, if you’re a regular here, you already know that. My latest blunder involves my fantasy football team. Sure, I’m in the championship game, so I must have been doing something right, right? But where I went totally wrong was benching Payton Manning this week in favor of Matt Cassel. Manning tossed for 368 yards and three touchdowns last night in a win over Jacksonville. This Sunday, Cassel will be tossing snowballs.

When the Pats host the Cardinals Sunday, temperatures will be in the 30s and there is a good chance of snow and a wintery mix. Someone on the radio this morning – I don’t remember who – said the conditions could be similar to the Tuck Rule game. (That was a fun game to watch… until the @#$%& Patriots won on a totally bogus, @##$%&&* rule.) Patriots kicker Steve Gostkowski is preparing for whatever conditions arise (or fall) while the Pro Bowlers’ wife is preparing for the warmth of Hawaii. Meanwhile, the Warm-Weather Birds may be a little nervous about leaving the cozy, warm confines of their home dome.

The Panthers play the Giants in the wind tunnel that is the Meadowlands Sunday night in a super important game for both teams. The game forecast calls for temps in the 20s and single-digit wind chill. There’s also a chance for snow and freezing rain. (I’m trying to work in an Earth, Wind and Fire reference, but I’m just not that talented.)

Snow possibilities also are forecasted for Seattle on Sunday where the Jets hope to not allow their playoff chances melt like a snowman at August training camp. Remember when Brett Favre used to be the cold-weather king? I’m not sure that’s the case these days. I think he’d rather be playing indoors and wearing purple.

The Dolphins are staring at back-to-back cold weather games, starting this week in Kansas City where the high temperature is expected to top out at 9 degrees with winds reaching 18 to 24 mph and gusts as high as 33 mph. A week from Sunday the Dolphins travel to play the Jets in what could be a cold, night contest if the game is flexed into primetime, which could happen if the game is to decide the AFC East title.

"Cold weather can be used as an excuse," said Miami and former Jets quarterback Chad Pennington to the South Florida Sun Sentinel. "Both teams have to play in it. I did it for eight years. It's really a mind-over-matter type of thing. Cold weather, that's what football is really all about."

It still hurts a little inside to say “former Jets quarterback Chad Pennington.”

Perhaps the coldest game of the week will be Monday night in Chicago were the low temperature is predicted to be 2 degrees when the Bears and Packers kick off.

How Pats Fans Are Killing The Number 19

I don’t know about you, but I’m sick of seeing Patriots fans flashing the number 19 everywhere they go, such as this rally Sunday as snow fell to the Gillette Stadium turf. I hope the Patriots lose by 19 points. I hope Tom Brady throws for only 19 yards. I hope Patriots fans brush upon their math skills and know the answer to 19 minus 1.
Go Giants!

This isn’t sports related, but it’s snow related… and very cute.

Don't write on the windo... ah, never mind.

Opps! I Missed It

I missed it yesterday, but I bet you savvy sports/weather enthusiasts did not. In case you did miss it, here's a link to Wednesday's USA Today story about teams like the Browns, Jaguars and Patriots utilizing their "snow-plow" running backs during Sunday's winter storms. "Jamal (Lewis) did an awesome job," Browns left tackle Joe Thomas told USA Today. "He was perfect for this kind of weather. He kept his shoulders north and south, put his head down and just knocked guys over. He carried the pile." Lewis carried the ball 35 times through the snow for 163 yards in the Browns 8-zip win over Buffalo.

Pats Fans Are Perfect Snow Tossers

I know I said the post below was my last of the day, but I just discovered SI.com has an excellent photo gallery featuring shots from Sunday's bad weather action. In addition to the snow games in Cleveland, Pittsburgh and Foxborough, SI's gallery has shots from the evening's game in Giants Stadium, where winds swirled around the huge stadium. Is that why G-Men receivers dropped 12 passes? Of course not. The drops had to be Eli's fault. I hear wind was heavy, too, in Carolina for the Panthers' upset win over Seattle. I try to keep this blog visual, so I didn't mention the windy games because, well, wind is not very visual. Ok, that's it. I'm officially finished for the day.

One more thing: If we learned anything from Sunday's weather games, it's that Patriots' fans like to toss snow in the air like 8-year-old girls. What's up with that?

Happy Anniversary Snow Plow

I don't know how I missed this, but Wednesday, Dec. 12, marked the 25th anniversary of the infamous snow plow game in New England. You remember this, right? The Patriots were lining up for a field goal on a snow-covered field when out of no where, Mark Henderson, a convicted felon who was out of state prison on work release, drove a snow plow onto the field to clear a path for Patriots kicker John Smith. The Patriots' lefty kicker punched the game-winner through the uprights to give New England a 3-0 win over the Miami Dolphins. Don Shula was ticked.

Freeze Frames

As predicted the weather in Foxborough Sunday was horrible for the Jets – Patriots game. The pregame visuals were great, including the Weather Channel dude appearing on ESPN providing a live weather report from a beach somewhere near Foxborough. However, the best in-game visuals came out the winter wonderlands of Cleveland, where the Browns slid by the Bills, and Pittsburgh, where the Steelers melted like a snowman in a greenhouse to the warm-weather-based Jacksonville Jaguars. I may chime back in later with some weather details on each game, but for now here are some uber cool photos from those games. Enjoy!

Browns 8, Bills 0 in Cleveland


Jaguars 29, Steelers 22 in Pittsburgh


Patriots 20, Jets 10 in Foxborough


And now for something completely different:
Chargers 51, Lions 14 in Sunny San Diego

The Snow Has Arrived

The forecasted bad weather has arrived for today's Spy vs. Spy game in Foxbrough. Check out this photo captured at 9:26 a.m. from a Web cam inside Gillette Stadium. I don't know about you, but I'm rooting for an upset. J-E-T-S, Jets! Jets! Jets!

Speaking stadium snow captured by Web cams, Lambeau Field is banketed with white stuff this morning. Alas, the Packers are playing in the controlled climate of, uh, that dome in St, Louis, whatever it's name is. I'm rooting for the Packers, and especially Brett Favre, who is leading my fantasy team into the playoffs today.

Graham Ready To Boot Patriots

Jets punter Ben Graham likes kicking in bad weather games. Good because Gang Green will need him plenty Sunday against the Patriots in Foxborough where forecasters are calling for a snowing, windy, cold-as-a-polar-bear's-butt day. “I’ve seen the forecast and I’m looking forward to punting out there today to get a feel for it,” Graham said to NewYorkJets.com before practicing in the freezing rain Wednesday. The Aussie punter also gave readers and aspiring cold-weather punters some inside info on how to handle the wintry conditions.

On punting in windy conditions: “If it’s windy, you have to drop the ball a little lower so the wind doesn’t affect the ball when you’re dropping it to your foot. But I’ve had some of my best games in the snow, the wind and the rain. I’m looking forward to it just like every game. It’s always a good challenge going up there to play, no matter the situation both teams are in.”

On relying on long-snapper James Dearth to communicate the condition (wet or dry?) of the ball: “It doesn’t become too much heavier. The snappers tell you how the ball is going to be because they get their hands on it in the beginning. They know if the wax has been completely rubbed off or if the rain will affect it.”

While Graham and the Jets practiced outside Wednesday in freezing rain, the Patriots sought the warm comforts of an indoor practice as snow fell at Gillette Stadium. Weenies!

The Patriots cheerleaders practiced in the same location. Tom Brady scanned the group, picked out the prettiest girl, clapped his hands twice and said, "Bathe her and bring her to me." (Ok, I made up that part of the story.)

You probably already know this but the line has dipped from 27 points in favor of the Patriots to 24. This is no doubt a result of the weather forecast. I'm no Vegas insider, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see the line go under 20 before kickoff Sunday.

Because of the Spygate incident, many are calling for (hoping for) New England to run up the score on the 3-and-whatever Jets. Since the forecast was announced, I haven't heard any more of those those Patriots-will-score-70 picks. Most everyone now is limiting the undefeated Patriots to about 55. I don’t think the game is going to be a blowout.

My prediction is the Brady will slip on the icy field and the Jets will score a safety. Brady will be forced to leave the game with an injury and will not return. Later, in the fourth quarter, Mike Nugent will squeeze in a field goal and the J-E-T-S pull off the biggest upset in football this year, winning 5-3 over the Patriots.

Snooooooow Perfect!

Love them or hate them, the New England Patriots are a perfect team this year. At 13-0, it's unlikely the Pats' unblemished record will be tarnished this weekend in the Spy vs. Spy game at home against the hapless Jets. Gang Green certainly will not be able to stop New England's offense, but Eric Mangini's club is hoping to get a little help from the weather in Foxborough where currently there is a heavy snow warning and early forecasts for Sunday are calling for snow, ice, lots of wind and a high temperature of 35 degrees. But if the Jets are counting on horrid weather conditions to help stop pretty boy Tom Brady and the Patriots, they better fix their eyes on lots more illegally-obtained video tape. The Boston Globe today gives us word that the Patriots are a perfect – there's that word again – 9-0 in snow games since 1978 with some thanks, of course, going to a convict and a tuck. Here's the list:

• Dec. 4, 2005 -- 16-3 win over the Jets
• Jan. 16, 2005 -- 20-3 playoff win over the Colts
• Jan. 18, 2004 -- 24-14 playoff win over the Colts
• Dec. 14, 2003 -- 27-13 win over the Jaguars
• Dec. 7, 2003 -- 12-0 win over the Dolphins
• Jan. 19, 2002 -- 16-13 overtime playoff win over the Raiders
• Dec. 4, 1983 -- 7-0 win over the Saints
• Dec. 12, 1982 -- 3-0 win over the Dolphins
• Dec. 10, 1978 -- 26-24 win over the Bills

Patriots Rock Like A Hurricane, Jets Just Blow

If you don't believe the 2007 version of the New England Patriots could be the best team ever, then you're either irreversibly clueless or a disillusioned Jets fan. After Tom Brady put up video game numbers on the Cowboys Sunday, there is legitimate reason to believe this team, cheating or not, could run the table all the way through the season. A few weeks ago, Steve Czaban, on his nationally-syndicated radio show called the Patriots – and here's where this post gets sort of weather related – a Category Five super team. It's beginning to look more and more each week like The Czabe may be right. This morning he compared the Pats season thus far, and all the hype and build up surrounding the team, to Hurricane Katrina. That may be taking the analogy a bit too far, but New England looks like a strong, unstoppable force that is turning the rest of the NFL to unrecognizable rubble. And this is coming from a disillusioned fan of the Jets, who, at 1 and whatever, look like a tropical depression.