The long slog of the regular season has ended, and the NFL Wild Card playoffs have arrived. In January, NFL weather always looms as a potential game-changer. We’ve seen heavily affected games in recent years, such as when offenses were stuck in neutral in Green Bay for Packers vs. 49ers last year. Here is our complete NFL Wild Card weather report.
Keep in mind these forecasts are always subject to change. Monitor potentially impactful situations as the week goes on to see how forecasts evolve.
Seattle Seahawks At San Francisco 49ers
This game could see Biblical-type rains as massive storms continue to hit the West Coast. More than 500,000 homes lost power in the most recent one, which caused the area to be littered with flood warnings from the National Weather Service. Saturday’s forecast calls for an 80% chance of rain with “steady” showers in the afternoon. Given this game is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. local time, that would exactly coincide with its time window.
One would think the 49ers would be a bit better equipped to handle such a situation. They run the ball at the seventh-highest rate in the league (48.14%), while the Seahawks rank 22nd there at 40.71%. Geno Smith has had a tough enough time passing on the Niners. He managed just 435 yards in two meetings, on 74 attempts (5.9 YPA).
The market has already begun to move on the under. After opening at 43.5 at DraftKings Sportsbook, the number has dipped to 42.5 pretty much across the market at the time of writing. Expect more movement toward the under if the forecasts persists.
NFL Wild Card Weather: 60 F, potentially heavy rain, winds 10 to 15 mph
Miami Dolphins At Buffalo Bills
These teams played a slightly snowy affair just a few weeks back in Week 15. This time, the air looks likely to be clear, although it will still be pretty cold.
Sometimes, bettors anticipate warm weather teams like the Dolphins to struggle in cold temperatures. But, Miami played a pretty strong game in December, particularly on offense with 29 points and an impressive 7.1 YPP. Of course, it remains to be seen who will suit up at QB.
NFL Wild Card Weather: 34 F, 5% chance of precipitation, winds 5 to 10 mph
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Baltimore Ravens At Cincinnati Bengals
Another cold one, although this one involved two cold weather teams. Again, the temperatures should be right around freezing, but with light winds in the forecast, passing games shouldn’t be too terribly affected.
This game could potentially feature two quality QBs if Lamar Jackson return from injury. Given the pretty favorable passing conditions considering the time of year, don’t be surprised if this total moves up from the modest 43.5 early number.
NFL Wild Card Weather: 33 F, 10% chance of precipitation, winds about 5 mph
LA Chargers At Jacksonville Jaguars
This game will be a bit cold by Florida standards (not far above freezing in the evening), but the conditions should be pretty favorable for two potentially high-volume passing games.
One thing to keep an eye on is the wind. Earlier in the day, 10 to 20 mph winds are in the forecast. Those should settle to 5 to 10 mph, but if that changes, it could affect these quarterbacks. Trevor Lawrence notably sailed a couple of throws including a crucial red zone attempt in the Jaguars‘ narrow win last Saturday.
NFL Wild Card Weather: 35 F, 4% chance of precipitation, winds 5 to 10 mph
Dallas Cowboys At Tampa Bay Buccaneers
No surprise that the forecast calls for pristine Florida conditions here. Unlike the Saturday game taking place farther north, offenses in Tampa should enjoy warm weather and light winds.
That’s great news for two QBs who have struggled for much of this season. Cowboys QB Dak Prescott in particular has gotten some rough press recently with many quoting his poor record on grass fields outdoors. He fired three more Turnover-Worthy Plays according to PFF in a Washington roadie. That brought his season total to seven in just four such games.
NFL Wild Card Weather: 54 F, 6% chance of precipitation, winds about 5 mph
