BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Logan Eschrich came to Buffalo to witness the snowstorm, and he stayed for the shoveling on Sunday.

The experienced storm chaser couldn’t resist when he saw the Buffalo Bills asking fans to help clear out the snow from Highmark Stadium for their postponed playoff game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, which was rescheduled for Monday.

Unable to reword.

“It was completely impossible to play under those conditions. Our view of the next row down was barely visible. Sadly, the situation has not improved,” Eschrich explained during a phone interview with The Associated Press in the afternoon. “We were able to make some progress with shoveling, but not much.”

He reported that the bleacher seats were completely covered in snow and warned that it was dangerous to make the short two-block journey to the stadium from his overnight campsite.

“I am extremely pleased that the travel ban was implemented,” stated Eschrich, an employee of Live Storms Media who traveled 16 hours from Alabama in hopes of capturing footage of tornadoes. “It is not safe for anyone to be out here.”

The area of Buffalo, where the Bills play at Orchard Park, was primarily inactive due to a travel restriction caused by a hazardous lake-effect storm that started on Saturday and was forecasted to continue until Sunday evening.

The projected snowfall for the storm was between 1 and 3 feet, with the most accumulation expected in Orchard Park.

The impact of the storm is predicted to decrease by Sunday evening, according to the National Weather Service. Their Monday forecast includes a possibility of snow showers in the morning, with a maximum temperature of 19 degrees Fahrenheit (equivalent to minus-7 Celsius). However, the powerful wind may make it feel more like minus-5 (or minus-21 in Celsius).

New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced on Sunday that she anticipated the game to begin as planned, as the storm was expected to pass and allow for roads and the stadium to be cleared of snow. The decision to postpone the game to Monday was made by Hochul and the NFL the day before due to concerns for public safety.

On Sunday, the Bills team and staff stayed at their homes. The Steelers arrived later in the afternoon after travel restrictions were lifted at the Buffalo Niagara International Airport and in northern parts of Erie County.

Eric Wood, who used to play center for the Bills, remembered his initial encounter with a lake-effect storm in Buffalo back in November 2014. This storm has become known as “Snowvember” and brought down about 7 feet (2.1 meters) of snow in Orchard Park over four days. As a result, the Bills’ scheduled home game against the New York Jets had to be relocated to Detroit.

Seven players from the Bills team had to be rescued by snowmobile in their neighborhood and taken to the team’s facility before being driven to the airport.

Wood, who hails from Cincinnati, described the whiteout conditions as unlike anything they had encountered before. They expressed that without firsthand experience and understanding of the snow’s impact, it is difficult to fully grasp the potential consequences that can occur in a brief period of time, sometimes without warning.

In December 2017, Wood encountered lake-effect snow once again. A storm arrived just an hour before the game began, resulting in whiteout conditions at the stadium during the match against Indianapolis. Despite the efforts of the stadium crew to clear the snow with blowers, they struggled to keep up with the constant snowfall.

The playing field was completely covered in snow, causing Colts kicker Adam Vinatieri to slip and miss a 43-yard field goal as the clock ran out. Buffalo ultimately won 13-7 in overtime thanks to LeSean McCoy’s 21-yard touchdown run. In celebration, Bills players created snow angels and threw snowballs.

Wood reminisced with a chuckle about the times when fans enjoyed watching us slip and slide across the field. However, playing in those conditions was not always enjoyable, unable to move and feeling cold.

Today, this is a treasured recollection for Wood, partially due to the fact that the victory aided in the Bills breaking a 17-year dry spell from the playoffs.

According to former Buffalo Bills special teams standout Steve Tasker, the snowy weather typically benefits the team playing at home.

Tasker stated that it is not simply being able to train in challenging conditions that prepares one for playing on difficult days. Rather, it is immersing oneself in those conditions that truly prepares one. He added that when players arrive from places like Miami or Houston, the harsh reality of the conditions hits them immediately.

Tasker mentioned that the Steelers are used to competing in chilly conditions, which should balance out any potential advantages on Monday.

It is guaranteed that Tasker, who is also a member of the Bills’ radio broadcast team, will appreciate his spot in the cozy radio booth, after experiencing the fun of playing in challenging weather conditions like Wood.

“I am content with where I am,” Tasker chuckled. “I wouldn’t give it up for anything.”

The Bills have announced that WR Gabe Davis will not be playing due to a knee injury, and LB Tyrel Dodson is listed as questionable with a shoulder injury. To fill these spots, the Bills have promoted WR Andy Isabella and LB A.J. Klein from their practice squad.

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Source: wral.com