The Week 12 contest between the Buffalo Bills and New York Jets will now be held at Ford Field in Detroit on Monday night at 7 p.m. ET, according to Tom Leyden of WXYZ in Detroit. Kickoff was originally scheduled for 1 p.m ET Sunday at Ralph Wilson Stadium, but a massive snowstorm in Buffalo this week caused the NFL to relocate the game.
Bills vs. Jets will be played Monday night in Detroit
Due to the snowstorm in Buffalo, the Bills and Jets will play Monday at Ford Field.
Kevin Hoffman-USA TODAY Sports
With snowfall in western New York reaching 6 feet and more expected later Thursday and Friday, the NFL was concerned about the public's safety in the extreme weather conditions. The Lions visit the New England Patriots Sunday, so their home field was available this weekend. Not only is Ford Field an indoor stadium, but Detroit is also a relatively short trip for Bills and Jets fans, making it a reasonable solution.
Moving the game to Monday means the Bills can hold practice, which they have been unable to do during the week because of the snowstorm. The Bills can start practicing at the Lions’ facilities Friday, according to Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports. The game will air on CBS in the New York City and Buffalo markets.
Although it's rare for NFL games to switch sites due to weather, it's not without precedent. Two Minnesota Vikings homes games had to relocate to other stadiums after the weight of snow caused the Metrodome roof to collapse in 2010. The first also took place in Detroit, where the Vikings played the Giants in Week 14. They then hosted the Bears at the University of Minnesota's TCF Bank Stadium in Week 15.
The Bills are scheduled to play the Cleveland Browns in Buffalo on Nov. 30, but due to the estimated 4 feet of snow in Ralph Wilson Stadium, it's possible that game could be moved as well.
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