Pittsburgh’s Monday night game against the Miami Dolphins was the kind of contest some fans enjoy watching, with the elements wreaking havoc with the condition of the field and sometimes the outcome of the game. In the end, the Steelers managed to pull out a 3-0 win against what usually should be an overmatched Dolphins squad. I can remember a Steelers-Dolphins game from many years gone by that was a virtual deluge in Miami. Poor weather conditions often lend an air of unpredictability to a NFL game.
Having grown up in Western New York, a person becomes used to wild, unpredictable weather, especially snow. Heading to what was once known as Rich Stadium after mid-November could often prove most interesting. Beyond snow squalls there were the heavy, 50-MPH wind gusts off of Lake Erie. I even remember a few hearty souls from Pittsburgh who took in a wind-whipped Steelers-Bills game in 1986. A game with said 50-MPH winds that propelled black garbage bags to circle high above the stadium like vultures ready to strike their prey. Yes, wild weather can add character and flavor to a NFL game, not to mention numbed hands and feet if a person isn’t dressed properly.
Snow, rain, wind, sleet, dogs and cats, whatever Mother Nature can throw into the mix on a football game-day adds to the experience more than it detracts...even if the score ends up only 3-0.
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