“Coming down now,” tweeted 93.7 The Fan, accompanied by a video of rain hammering the Acrisure Stadium turf on October 6, 2024. As the Pittsburgh skyline vanished into darkness due to a citywide power outage, the stage was set for a “Sunday Night Football” showdown like no other. The Dallas Cowboys (2-2) and Pittsburgh Steelers (3-1) found themselves in an unexpected standoff – not against each other, but against Mother Nature herself.

The 8:20 p.m. ET kickoff? A pipe dream. The culprit? A celestial light show that would make even the most elaborate halftime performance look like a kid’s sparkler. The NFL, notorious for playing through almost anything short of the apocalypse, had to wave the white flag. “Gonna be a late one, yinz,” Steelers Depot reported on X, confirming the official weather delay.

But let’s dive into the puddles and talk pigskin. This isn’t just a rain delay – it’s a potential game-changer that could turn this clash of NFL titans into a slip ‘n slide spectacular. According to Kevin Roth, sports meteorologist for Rotogrinders.com, “You see an increase in fumbles and turnovers when it’s raining. In general, teams will shift their game plan when it’s raining a lot and hand the ball off more and throw the ball less – that means generally lower-scoring, and it kind of eats the clock a little bit more, as well.”

So, what does this mean for our gridiron gladiators? Justin Fields, the Steelers’ efficient quarterback who’s been a key factor in their surprising 3-1 start, might find his precision passes turning into water balloons. And Dak Prescott‘s Cowboys? They might need flippers instead of cleats to maintain their footing on what’s sure to be a soggy field.

But here’s where it gets interesting. Mark Maxwell, President and CEO of SportsWeather.com drops this nugget of wisdom: “The really, really good coaches in the NFL will make sure that the quarterback and the receivers throw wet footballs every day during practice.” Some teams even run sprinklers to recreate these slick conditions. So, which team has been secretly practicing their backstroke along with their backfield moves? That could be the key to victory in this aquatic showdown.

Keeping players out of hot water

Now, let’s tackle the elephant – or should we say, the thundercloud – in the room. Safety is no joke when Mother Nature decides to play referee. The NFL rulebook isn’t just about touchdowns and penalties; it’s got a whole playbook for “severely inclement weather.”

Remember that time in September 2020 when the Miami Dolphins and Buffalo Bills had to take a 30-minute timeout due to lightning? Or the epic two-hour pause in the Baltimore Ravens vs. Chicago Bears game back in November 2013, courtesy of a tornado watch? Yeah, the NFL doesn’t mess around when it comes to keeping players safe from nature’s blitzes.

But it’s not just about dodging lightning bolts. Playing in a waterlogged field is like trying to run through a car wash – it’s slippery, it’s messy, and it’s a recipe for pulled muscles and twisted ankles. As FOX Weather meteorologist Heather Brinkmann explains, “When it is hotter, molecules within the air move and expand. Just the opposite is true for cold air.” Translation? Cold, wet conditions can turn muscles into taut rubber bands, ready to snap at any moment.

So, as we wait for the all-clear signal, remember this: while we all love a good mud bowl, the NFL’s priority is making sure our favorite players don’t end up as lightning rods. After all, you can’t score touchdowns from the medical tent.

As the clock ticks towards the new 9:45 p.m. kickoff time, with players set to emerge at 9:25 p.m., one thing’s for sure – this game is going to be one for the weather history books. Will it be a splash hit or a washout? Only time (and the weatherman) will tell. But one thing’s certain – in the NFL, where the 12th man is the crowd, tonight, the 13th man is definitely the weather.