NFL fans were treated to a brilliant snow game in Buffalo on Sunday night, as the Bills and 49ers went head-to-head in freezing blizzard conditions.
Western New York was battered by lake effect snow throughout the weekend, but fans and staff managed to dig out 23 inches of the white stuff to get the game on as planned.
And it did not disappoint as fans took to social media to share their love for the conditions – from the warmth and comfort of their homes.
For fans inside the stadium it was a slightly different experience, as social media clips emerged of them climbing to their seats through layers of snow, wrapped in coats and scarves for the big game.
Throughout Saturday and Sunday, volunteers arrived at the stadium to earn $20 a hour and some free hot drinks for their efforts in helping to clear snow from the field.
The conditions eased in the hours before kickoff as officials removed the tarp from the field, but shortly before the game began the snow began to fall heavily.
Ray Davis dives into the end zone for the first touchdown on a snowy night in Buffalo, New York
Khalil Shakir is tackled to the ground by 49ers’ Matthew Wright during the first quarter
Fans clambered through piles of snow to reach their seats on a freezing night in Orchard Park
That led to ‘magical’ conditions for the start of the Sunday Night Football showdown, as both teams battled through the blizzard to try and score.
‘How can you look at the snow in an NFL game and honestly say you want to tame that by putting a roof over it? Where’s your soul?,’ one fan wrote.
Another added: ‘This is the perfect, aesthetically pleasing game,’ while one said: ‘Snow football rules!’
The Bills raced into an early lead in the game against San Francisco, much to the delight of the hardy home crowd, who celebrated by throwing snowballs onto the field.
Ray Davis scored the first touchdown of the game by diving into the end zone and landing in the snow, before James Cook added another with his own snowy celebration.
From there on out, it became the Josh Allen Show. Buffalo’s superstar quarterback truly showed off his dynamism by scoring three touchdowns for the Bills – each in a different way.
First, he completed a passing touchdown to Mack Hollins – who had turned heads with his bizarre arrival outfit – dressed as a mad scientist, but without any shoes.
A San Francisco 49ers fan felt a long way from home at Highmark Stadium on Sunday night
A grounds crew member blows snow off the field during a timeout in Sunday Night Football
The Bills players had some fun in the snow after James Cook scored the team’s second TD
The Bills paid fans $20 an hour to come down and help them clear snow from the field
Then, in one of the more brilliant plays of the year, Allen found wide receiver Amari Cooper open in the slot.
But when faced with stiff defense from the 49ers, Allen ran over and Cooper flipped the ball back to his quarterback.
Allen then snagged the ball, and in a moment of brilliance, managed to dive his way into the end zone for a touchdown to go up 28-3 in the third quarter.
San Francisco managed to get a touchdown of their own – with a rush from Isaac Guerendo to make it 28-10.
Guerendo was part of a committee of running backs who stepped in after starter Christian McCaffrey went down with a knee injury and did not return.
After the game, Niners head coach Kyle Shanahan revealed that the injury was to McCaffrey’s PCL – and that it could be a potential season-ending injury.
This comes just weeks after McCaffrey had been reinstated from the injured reserve list after dealing with bilateral Achilles tendonitis.
49ers running back Christian McCaffrey (23) left the game with a potential season-ending injury
Bills quarterback Josh Allen dives into the end zone after catching his own touchdown pass
Allen became the 12th player in NFL history to run, pass, and catch for a TD in the same game
Allen and head coach Sean McDermott make snow angels, celebrating their AFC East title
The last of the Buffalo touchdowns was also scored by Allen – who rushed it in from eight yards out to make it 35-10, giving the game its final score.
In the process, Allen became the first quarterback in NFL history to run, pass, and catch for a touchdown in the same game.
He became the 12th overall player in NFL history to accomplish the feat, the fifth player in the NFL since 1970 to do so, and the first to record a touchdown each way, incidentally, since McCaffrey did it for San Francisco in 2022.
The three others who can say they did the same since 1970 are San Diego Chargers running back LaDanian Tomlinson in 2005, New England Patriots wide receiver David Patten in 2001, and Chicago Bears legend Walter Payton in 1970.
With this victory, the Buffalo Bills became the first team this season to lock up their division as they claimed the AFC East crown with five games to go. They’ve become the first team to clinch their division that early since the 2009 Indianapolis Colts.
It’s the fifth straight season that Buffalo has claimed the AFC East title – a franchise record.