By Ty B
I’m normally a very even-tempered guy, however there’s just something about some Bills fans’ sudden flipflop on football weather that really grinds my gears.
For the past 25 years, no matter the weather, Bills fans continued to pack the Ralph without a playoff win. The wind, rain, and snow could not deter #BillsMafia, but it was rather seen as just a rallying call to show their true colors.
Think back to the end of the 2016 season. It was January 3rd and the Jets had a win-and-in scenario. The Bills were 7-8 with nothing to play for, but pride.
I remember the snow-filled lots that morning and the snow ball fights that ensued amongst #BillsMafia. The stadium was sold out as Bills fans went absolutely nuts for no reason other than to disappoint Jets fans while enjoying their team for one last time that season. Buffalo won 22-17 as fans partied like they won the Super Bowl.
Now, with one playoff win in 25 years in their belts, some fans are complaining that the Bills may have to play in snow. Others are going as far as calling for the Ralph to get a roof.
First off, the factor those fans should really be worried about is wind and not snow.
The effect of wind/wind gusts is the most significant weather variable affecting QB performance. The effects are fairly slight for avg wind speeds from 0 mph up to about 15 mph, but above that threshold, the difference in fantasy points is about 12% less. In games with winds over 20 mph, the negative effects are more significant, with ~17% fewer fantasy points per game.
‘Football Weather’-Diving Into The Effects of Weather on NFL QB Performance by Josh Mancuso
Essentially what Josh Mancuso found after diving into NFL weather data from 1985 to 2016 is that precipitation has a negligible effect on quarterback performance. The data sets were so widespread for each type of precipitation that no conclusion could be drawn until the wind was isolated.
Once that data set was separated by wind speeds, it was easy to see the trends. When the wind was below 15 MPH there was no effect, but once it hit that threshold it began to cause issues for QBs.
Now that we have that out of the way, let’s check the weather report:
So people are afraid of *cleans glasses* less than one inch of snow.
We already know that the snow likely wouldn’t effect the QB play, so let’s check the real factor. Wind: 13 MPH. Yeah, I’m not worried about the weather. Besides, isn’t that the reason you go out and draft a guy like Josh Allen?
You get a rocket-armed QB with large hands to be able to perform in games like these. Take the Packers for example.
Aaron Rodgers put up four touchdowns through the air en route to a 40-14 beatdown of the Tennessee Titans just a few weeks ago. Rodgers finished 21/25 for 231 yards to go along with the four touchdowns.
Try telling A-a-ron that the snow is going to stop him.
But back to Josh Allen, I keep seeing comparisons of JA17 to a sports car or more specifically a Ferrari. What kind of Ferrari do you know of that can run through a defensive lineman? What Ferrari do you know that can jump a linebacker?
Josh Allen has power, flair, speed, confidence, and the determination to be great. Josh Allen is not a Ferrari. Josh Allen is Grave Digger and unfortunately for the Baltimore Ravens, who terrorized Allen during his first NFL appearance, not even the weather can stop their funeral Saturday night. Bills by a Billion, shoutout Brother Bill!
