Winter isn't here quite yet, but the Colts and Bills treated us to one of the most memorable snow games on Sunday. The "Snow Bowl" was all about what players could do with their legs rather than their arms. The Colts and Bills combined for only 156 passing yards, but veteran RB Frank Gore ran for 130 yards, while the Bills' LeSean McCoy had 156 of his own.
One of the highlights came late in the 4th quarter when Colts K Adam Vinatieri made a 43-yard extra point to send the game to overtime.
The Bills would win in OT on a 21-yard run by McCoy, but everyone knows Mother Nature was the real MVP.
This game reminded us of a few other times when the gridiron seemed like a winter wonderland. From the Snowplow game to the Ice Bowl, here are the 10 Best Snow Moments in NFL History.
Moments are ranked by game temperature.
Less than a year after his Super Bowl XXVII gaffe, Leon Lett had this miscue leading to a Miami recovery and subsequent game-winning field goal. If you thought your family Thanksgiving dinners were awkward, imagine how the Cowboys' locker room was after this one.
Brett Favre's final victory as a Packer was a memorable one. The Hall of Famer completed 18 of 23 passes for 173 touchdowns and three touchdowns in the Packers' 42-20 victory.
The conditions at Shibe Park were so treacherous that nearly 8,000 fans who had paid for their tickets chose to watch the 1948 NFL Championship from home rather than attend. The tarp on the field was so heavy from the snow accumulation, that the players had to help the grounds crew remove it before the start of the game. Steve Van Buren plowed his way to 98 yards on 26 carries, including the only scoring play of the game -- a five-yard rushing TD in the 4th quarter.
7. LeSean McCoy Goes Off for 217 Rushing Yards
Game:Lions vs. Eagles
Date: 12/8/2013
Temp:27 °F
Running in a few feet of snow is difficult, but rushing for over 200 yards in the snow is nearly impossible. LeSean McCoy ran for 217 rushing yards in the Eagles' 34-20 victory, breaking Steve Van Buren's single-game franchise record of 205 yards.
New England's kicker John Smith made the kick, but the snowplow gave the essential assist. Dolphins coach Don Shula protested the Patriots' victory, but then-commissioner Pete Rozelle, said the result could not be reversed. The Dolphins would get revenge a month later by beating the Pats, 28-13 in the first round of the playoffs.
5. Adam Vinatieri's Kicks Off the Pats' Dynasty
Game:Raiders vs. Patriots
Date: 1/19/2002
Temp:25 °F
This 23-yarder could've joined the likes of Wide Right and other infamous misses, but instead Adam Vinatieri's kick marked the beginning of the Patriots' dynasty. Vinatieri couldn't nail the second 40-plus yarder on Sunday, but he remains one of the snow game (and kicker) G.O.A.T.s.
One look at at Tom Coughlin's crimson face and you could tell the conditions were glacial. Coughlin's hue was due to the frozen tundra being -1 °F with a wind chill of −23 °F. Despite the conditions, Eli Manning and Brett Favre both threw for over 200 yards in a seesaw contest that ultimately came down to a 47-yard game winning field goal by the Giants' Lawrence Tynes.
1. Bart Starr's One-Yard Rush to Win the Ice Bowl
Game: 1967 NFL Championship
Date: 12/31/1967
Temp: -13 °F
This one-yard run by Bart Starr sealed the 1967 NFL Championship for the Packers and also got his teammates out of the -13 °F (-48 °F with the wind chill) conditions of the Ice Bowl.
