The 2024 NFL Playoffs kick off this Saturday and Mother Nature decided to wreak havoc and throw a wrench into the plans. Over the past few years, the NFL Playoff weather has been relatively calm, but that will change in a big way this year. The Dolphins vs Chiefs AFC Wild Card game will be heavily affected by freezing temperatures and adverse conditions.
The question becomes, how should the NFL Playoff weather impact Dolphins vs Chiefs predictions?
Dolphins vs Chiefs NFL Playoffs Wild Card Weekend Preview
NFL Playoffs 2024 — Wild Card Weekend
Miami Dolphins (11-6, 4-4 Away) vs. Kansas City Chiefs (11-6, 5-4 Home)
Date: Saturday, January 13, 2024
Time: 8 p.m. EST
Venue: Arrowhead Stadium — Kansas City, MO
Coverage: Peacock
NFL Playoff Weather Forecast for Dolphins vs Chiefs Wild Card Weekend
Wind Chill Warning Will Play a Role
As weird as it may sound, both teams and fans alike should consider themselves lucky. Kansas City has been under a winter weather advisory for a few days, but that should clear up by Friday at noon. The area received about two inches of ice and snow going into midday Friday. Unfortunately, Kansas City is not out of the clear.
From 6:00 pm CT Friday until 12:00 pm CT Tuesday, Kansas City has been placed under a Wind Chill Warning from the National Weather Service. The area affected isn’t just the immediate area surrounding Aroowhead, it reaches large parts of Missouri and Kansas as well.
During that time, the area will likely only see about two inches of snow and ice. Unfortunately, the wind gusts could reach up to 45 miles per hour. That will cause the wind chill to dip to as low as -35 degrees Fahrenheit. At that temperature, frostbite can occur on exposed skin in as little as 30 minutes.
NFL DFS Weather Impacts for Dolphins vs Chiefs
At cold temperatures, extremities including fingers start to lose feeling pretty quickly. Anybody from the Midwest or Northeast can tell you how quickly that can happen even when you’re just shoveling your driveway. At temperatures that low, it’s going to be extremely hard to move the ball offensively.
Cold hands are going to make it harder to catch and hold on to the football. For a team like the Kansas City Chiefs that already have a hard enough time holding on to the ball, that could be incredibly problematic. While running back Isiah Pacheco has only fumbled once this season, it could be harder for him to hang on if any of Miami’s defensive players go to punch the ball out while he’s trying to find a hole.
For players on the Miami Dolphins who have little to no experience playing in the cold at all, this game will be quite the culture shock. The main player that will be affected is Dolphins’ quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. He has thrown 14 interceptions this year as it is and now he will have even more trouble gripping the football. Now, with the ball being harder to catch and plenty of passes likely bouncing off of receivers, it seems almost guaranteed he’ll throw at least one interception.
Another big issue for Tua this season has been fumbling. Tagovailoa has 13 fumbles this year. If defensive tackle Chris Jones or any of Kansas City’s linebackers come screaming at him, he’s going to have a hard time keeping that football. With a raucous Arrowhead crowd and miserable conditions, this Dolphins vs Chiefs matchup could turn into a nightmare for Miami real fast.
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NFL Playoff Weather Impacts on Dolphins vs Chiefs Predictions
While many NFL fans would love for this game to become a shootout, it’s likely going to be a grit-and-grind type of game. For those of you who like to play daily fantasy or bet on sites like Underdog Fantasy, this game makes it much easier to place parlays.
With this type of weather, it seems almost a given that the game will be full of turnovers. Feel confident picking on both Tua and Patrick Mahomes to throw at least one interception. It also seems like a given that Tua is going to lose a fumble.
While it will be difficult for him, it’s hard to take the lower on any props for a player as dynamic as Dolphins’ receiver Tyreek Hill. His speed alone makes him as good a bet as any to turn a simple slant into a house call. The same goes for Chiefs’ tight end Travis Kelce who should feast in this type of weather. While it’s going to be harder to move the ball, Kelce is a master at finding the soft spots in zone coverage and being a safety valve for Mahomes. Expect Mahomes to look his way plenty of times underneath for chunk yardage. It feels safe to bet on both players to hit the over on the receiving yards props.
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