The winner of the Pittsburgh Steelers-Buffalo Bills Super Wild Card Weekend showdown will be at a disadvantage for the divisional round. Whoever wins Monday's postponed game will play on Sunday, which means a short week of preparation with a trip to the AFC title game at stake.
Buffalo will host the Kansas City Chiefs next Sunday if they defeat the Steelers. Pittsburgh will face the Ravens in Baltimore next Sunday if it is able to upset Buffalo.
How could the schedule change impact next weekend's Divisional Round? ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/2lajd2n5FF
— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) January 14, 2024
Adverse weather conditions compelled the NFL to move the Steelers-Bills game from Sunday at 1 p.m. to Monday at 4:30 p.m. The game could, however, be pushed back until Tuesday if weather issues persist. A further postponement would obviously create a larger disadvantage for either Buffalo or Pittsburgh moving into next week.
While wind isn't expected to be as severe, the temperature will be colder on Monday and Tuesday in Buffalo as compared to Sunday. The highs for Monday and Tuesday are currently set at 21 and 19 degrees, respectively, while Sunday's high is expected to reach 27 degrees. The chance of precipitation is also expected to decline.
The current situation is similar to what the NFL dealt with during the COVID-19 pandemic. No one knows this better than the Steelers, who were forced to play three games in a 12-day span late in the season. The condensed schedule played a role in the Steelers' losing in the first round of the playoffs that season after an 11-0 start.
After a walk through on Sunday, the Steelers are slated to depart for Buffalo at 3 p.m. ET, with the hope of facing the Bills the following day.
