The first half of Thursday night’s game between the Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers had a few snow flurries, and that was novel. It was the first snow of the NFL season.
Then, in the second half, it really turned into the first snow game of the NFL season.
The Browns and Steelers suddenly were playing in a snow globe in the third quarter. The snow started coming down harder and harder. It collected on Steelers coach Mike Tomlin’s hat and his beard as well.
The game was ugly in many ways, but the setting was beautiful for those who love football games in the snow.
The Steelers had a long drive in the third quarter when the snow really started to come down, and Russell Wilson completed a few passes even though it was tougher to see who caught them and what yard line they were at.
At the end of the drive, Chris Boswell hit a short field goal, and it was impossible to see on the broadcast if it went through. Even Al Michaels on the Amazon Prime Video broadcast wasn’t sure.
“Boswell’s kick … if you can find it … is good,” Michaels said. “I lost sight of it.”
After Boswell’s field goal Amazon turned on the virtual lines and hashmarks on the field, because it was impossible to see the actual lines and numbers on the field.
Later in the second half, Browns QB Jameis Winston had a gutsy fourth-down run, jumping into the end zone for the score. And it looked even better in the snow. That helped the Browns eventually pull off the dramatic 24-19 win.
The snow made for some fantastic images from Cleveland.
Football in Cleveland and other cities throughout the Midwest is supposed to look like it did on Thursday night.