Super Bowl XLVIII – The Best Bet in Bad Weather
Super Bowl XLVIII is set for February 2, 2014 and ever since the game venue was announced there’s been a lot of concern about the weather for the NFL’s championship game. The 2014 Super Bowl will be held at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey which is the home field of both the New York Giants and New York Jets. This makes it the first Super Bowl in history to be held at an outdoor venue in cold weather. As a result, the weather could play a much greater factor than usual in setting the odds for Super Bowl betting in Las Vegas. The kickoff temperature will almost certainly be the coldest in Super Bowl history and there’s a distinct possibility for snow on the field if not falling during the game.
The potential for cold weather and snow has overshadowed discussion about which teams will be playing in the big game. he league waived the ’50 degree’ requirement this year and NFL commissioner Roger Goodell insists that if Super Bowl XLVIII goes well that he’ll consider other cold weather venues for future games. But what about the contenders to play in the game this season? Of the eight remaining teams some would benefit greatly from playing outdoors in bad weather while others would be at a distinct disadvantage.
Ironically one team that plays in a city synonymous with snow and cold weather could be at a disadvantage. The Denver Broncos have seen their share of snow throughout the history of their franchise but there is concern about starting quarterback Peyton Manning’s less than impressive record in adverse weather. Manning—who spent most of his career playing indoors in Indianapolis—is just 4-7 in games with a kickoff temperature below 32 degrees. In those games he’s thrown only three more touchdowns than interceptions. Successful cold weather teams are typically those who run the ball effectively and play good defense—neither of those qualities are Denver strengths.
Teams that do play good defense and run the ball effectively include the Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers. In fact, despite their California base no team may be better suited for bad weather than the 49ers with a power running game and stout defense. A couple of upstart teams also have the traits outlined above—Carolina has a mobile quarterback in Cam Newton and a stout defense. The San Diego Chargers aren’t known for their running game or defense but both have improved under first year head coach Mike McCoy.
While the Niners may have the best ‘theoretical’ makeup for success in cold, snowy weather no team can match the New England Patriots’ legacy of on field success during wintery weather. Quarterback Tom Brady has time and time again proven to not only be capable in the snow, but dominant. That’s one of the things that makes New England a dangerous ‘dark horse’ team—Brady’s ability to play well in bad weather is unrivaled among his NFL quarterback peers.
The reality is that as far as the game itself is concerned cold or even snowy weather is no big deal. NFL teams routinely play in adverse weather conditions and frigid temperatures. What many fans don’t realize is that cold and snow actually favors the offense and can produce more scoring. The conventional wisdom is that the ‘casual football fan’ wants more scoring and nothing would make the NFL happier than a shootout in the Super Bowl.
