PHILADELPHIA — Snow didn’t fall on Lincoln Financial Field until the third quarter of the divisional round playoff game, but the snowstorm that hit the Philadelphia area progressed through Sunday afternoon.
The grass was easily visible during the first half of the Eagles’ 28-22 win over the Los Angeles Rams, starting to turn white as the game progressed. Midway through the third quarter, the field was covered in white as inches of snow accumulated on the ground. Add in the whirlwind victories, freezing temperatures and blowing snow, the game was a memorable one for the Philadelphia Eagles fans in attendance.
For players actually participating in the game, not so much.
“I wouldn’t wish this on my worst enemy,” Eagles wide receiver AJ Brown said afterward. “It wasn’t fun. It wasn’t fun at all. Tough match, tough conditions, but I made the most of it.”
One Eagles player even took the playing conditions even further, comparing the playing surface to a foreign surface that wasn’t so appealing.
“The shit just kept getting higher and higher,” Eagles passer Josh Sweat said of the snow accumulation. “Did you all see me cleaning my damn cleats with every step? I don’t really slide like that. But it was… I’d rather play on that shitty pitch in Brazil again before I play on that again.
Conditions weren’t ideal for players at multiple positions on the Eagles’ roster, showing just how tricky the elements were as snow fell in powder form throughout the second half. Play in the NFL is already a difficult task, especially at a high level.
Add inches of snow to the equation and the job becomes even more difficult.
“It was tough,” Eagles cornerback Darius Slay said. “That’s the hardest… because you don’t know what you want to do – especially playing my position. I don’t know what the other position is, but playing corner in that kind of weather? You have to get there and beat the receiver to win the course. It’s already difficult to win (the course) in good conditions.
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Only a few players seemed positively affected by the snow. Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford was one of them, although he committed a fumble as snow fell heavily on the playing surface. Stafford was 13 of 22 for 169 yards with a touchdown by the moves on to the fourth quarter – when snow has wreaked havoc on the stadium.
“When the snow was there, we thought, OK, maybe they won’t try to throw the ball as much,” Slay said. “The staff was throwing the shit out of the ball. He doesn’t care about the conditions. It just needed to snow on him and let everyone (play on the field dry.) He was throwing that (ball) today. ”
Blocking defenders was also a challenge with inches of snow on the ground. Landon Dickerson has never played in an on-snow game before, but he won’t forget the experience either way.
“It was kind of figuring out (if) you kind of change your steps,” Dickerson said. “Your feet get a little slippery, so the way you walk and the way you move changes a little bit.
“When it started to pile up and stick to the ground, you could see the difference. … We had to get up and run and get a quick stop on some plays and it’s like maybe it’s not the best plays to run right now…We’re constantly discussing what we can do to make adjustments?
Although the snow was not an ideal experience for the players, it was still memorable. This will go down as one of the highlights in Eagles history, due to the weather and the stakes.
This town still talks about Steve Van Buren’s touchdown in the driving snow to win the 1948 edition. NFL Championship. “Snow Bowl II” will have the same effect in Philadelphia.
“I wish I could take a picture in my head of everything that happens on that field,” Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter said. “I hope they have good photos that I can remember so I can send them to my grandmother and my mother. It was a lot of fun.”
