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Bills quarterback Josh Allen. JAMIE GERMANO / USA TODAY NETWORK

Could snow prevent Bills from traveling for Browns game?

By Zac Wassink | Last updated 11/18/22

It seems relocating Sunday's clash between the 3-6 Cleveland Browns and 6-3 Buffalo Bills may not guarantee the game occurs this Sunday.

NFL insider Josina Anderson took to Twitter Friday to explain that the paralyzing snowstorm that caused the league to move Sunday's Cleveland-Buffalo matchup to Ford Field, home of the Detroit Lions, potentially could prevent the Bills from making it to Detroit for a Sunday afternoon kickoff:

League source on #Bills/ snow: "This is a major impact. There's currently a travel ban. Still waiting to hear on timing of today's zoom meeting...Snow is coming down hard right now. I don't know what's the contingency if everyone can't make it to the airport or we can't fly out."
— JosinaAnderson (@JosinaAnderson) November 18, 2022

Looking at the current hourly forecast in Buffalo on weather.com--they say snow is supposed to keep falling until noon Saturday. There's a window from 12-6pm (as of now) where snow subsides, but winds are expected to reach up to 23mph in that interim & hover near that thereafter.
— JosinaAnderson (@JosinaAnderson) November 18, 2022

As things currently stand, postponing Sunday's game to the midweek is not on the table because the Bills are scheduled to play at none other than the Lions on Thanksgiving Day:

The other thing a league source wondered is if the #Bills would be delayed returning to Buffalo after game in Detroit. While snow is currently forecasted to stop early Sunday am, temps are currently expected to hover below freezing at 25-27 degrees--relative to road conditions. https://t.co/afePIlkea3
— JosinaAnderson (@JosinaAnderson) November 18, 2022

When I asked if there was any thought to the Bills just staying in Detroit, given TNF is there after they play the Browns...I was told their current understanding is that the #Bills would return...not to mention it's Thanksgiving wk & folks want as much time around family.
— JosinaAnderson (@JosinaAnderson) November 18, 2022

As Steve Coulter of NBC Sports Boston pointed out, Buffalo residents have experienced "thundersnow" during the November winter storm:

Very rare thundersnow in Buffalo, NY: pic.twitter.com/Ps4fZEe8iV
— philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) November 18, 2022

It was previously said roughly three-to-six feet of lake-effect snow could fall on the Buffalo region before Sunday at 1 p.m. ET. Kevin Patra of the NFL's website noted Friday morning that The Weather Channel has dropped that figure to a slightly more-modest four feet of snow.

Also on Friday morning, the Bills canceled their practice due to the weather. Head coach Sean McDermott later announced the Bills still hope to travel to Detroit on Saturday even as their plans held a to-be-determined status.

"We want to head out tomorrow as close to the normal time as possible," McDermott said while speaking with reporters. "However, again, seeing what's happening around us right now, just want to make sure that all the staff and players' families are safe and dug out before we want to try to get out of here, just so everyone's mind is in the right spot, knowing that their families are all safe."

Neither the Browns nor the Bills have a gap left on the schedule before Week 18. Buffalo enjoyed its bye back in Week 7, while Cleveland was off earlier this month.

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