NFL Team Practices at Snowy Stadium on Tuesday

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Spencer Ostrow | Last updated Dec 24, 2024 9:21 PM ET

It’s late December, and Week 17 of the 2024 NFL season is here. Freezing temperatures are being felt at stadiums across the country as teams gear up for their last two games of the regular season.

One venue that has seen snow is Gillette Stadium, the home of the New England Patriots. The Patriots, who are 3-12 and last in the AFC standings, are getting ready for their Saturday home matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers (9-6).

On Tuesday, the Patriots took to the field for practice. But instead of using their normal practice fields, they moved their preparation to the stadium.

Snow was piled up along the sidelines, and one end of the stadium seats was covered in white.

A snow covered Gillette Stadium pic.twitter.com/wwaDkQEdI0
— Sophie Weller (@sophieewellerr) December 24, 2024

Snow isn’t expected during Saturday’s 1:00 p.m. ET kickoff or throughout the game.

However, temperatures are projected to hover in the high 30s, which is much colder than the Chargers are used to out in Los Angeles. This is setting up to be the coldest game Jim Harbaugh’s team has played all season.

The Patriots enter the game on a five-game losing streak, with an offense ranked 30th in scoring, averaging just 17.3 points per game. However, rookie quarterback Drake Maye has shown steady growth as the season has unfolded.

Meanwhile, the Chargers are dealing with mounting injuries. Despite their defense ranking No. 1 in points per game allowed (18.3), they have struggled in recent weeks, surrendering 40 and 27 points in back-to-back games.

With a win, the Chargers will clinch a playoff berth.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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