The Patriots and Texans' AFC divisional matchup should make for interesting viewing. Both sides are helmed by young quarterbacks who have racked up an impressive list of accolades in their still burgeoning career. Drake Maye and C.J. Stroud figuring to be headline names when the two teams come to blows at Gillette Stadium
Yet, they might not be the biggest storyline on Sunday afternoon. The contest should prove compelling for a number of factors. New England and Houston boast two of the NFL's finest defenses and two of the league's most charismatic coaches.
The prospect of watching two hard-nosed sides joust for a spot in the AFC Championship game is certainly a compelling sight. It's only right, then, that the two teams will take the field in less-than-ideal conditions.
Snow could be on the forecast when the Patriots and Texans traipse into Foxborough, Mass. Here's a look at how the weather could impact Sunday's match.
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Patriots-Texans weather updates
(All times Eastern)
Friday, Jan. 16
2:00 p.m.: Snow looks increasingly likely to have a part to play in Sunday's proceedings, although the extent by which it impacts the contest remains to be seen. CBS News' forecast mentions three possibilities. The first would see the center of the prospective storm carry westward and hit Boston and other parts of southern New England. The second would bring the center of the storm east of mainland, although it would be close enough to affect Foxborough. The final involves the storm missing the coast entirely.
CBS News reported that the second scenario is the most likely, with 2-4 inches of snow expected to touch down on Foxborough.
1:00 p.m.: There are a pair of light snow systems that could bring a coating across the Gillette Stadium plains. WCVB 5's chief meteorologist Cindy Fitzgibbon reported that light snow showers should materialize during the pre-dawn hours of Saturday morning. She forecasts that 1-3 inches worth of snow will be dumped atop the ground in southern New England.
The weather should make for slippery conditions on the roads, although temperatures should remain above freezing.
8:00 a.m.: Early updates appear to indicate that the weather should hold up for this one. It will be cold -- it rarely isn't in Foxborough this time of year. But snow should be minimal, with Accuweather reporting that there is a 79% chance of little to no snow accumulation. That could change in the hours before the game, though.
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How cold is it in Foxborough?
Temperatures are expected to reach a high of 38 degrees on Sunday afternoon. While frigid, that shouldn't prove too dissimilar to what New England players have experienced throughout the season.