What you need to know for Steelers vs. Bills AFC wild-card game

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What you need to know for Steelers vs. Bills AFC wild-card game

Bill Hartlep | Monday, January 15, 2024 10:31 a.m.

A Pittsburgh Steelers fan clears snow from his row of seats before an NFL wild-card playoff football game between the Buffalo Bills and the Pittsburgh Steelers, Monday, Jan. 15, 2024, in Buffalo, N.Y.

It’s cold. It’s snowing. It’s windy. Get ready for playoff football on a Monday afternoon in Buffalo.

The Pittsburgh Steelers and Buffalo Bills will kick off their AFC wild-card game at 4:30 p.m.

Workers armed with shovels, plows and dump trucks continued to clear snow from inside and outside Highmark Stadium on Monday morning with tens of thousands about to descend upon Orchard Park, N.Y., a day after the game’s originally scheduled time.

Game day morning in Orchard Park.

We still need shovelers to help get Highmark Stadium ready for today’s Super Wild Card game: https://t.co/adRvOZA3dm pic.twitter.com/wKtJ5K6hHg

— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) January 15, 2024

Bills fans working around the clock this morning to get the stadium ready for today’s game

pic.twitter.com/wGe2bkiAr5

— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) January 15, 2024

Here’s the current situation inside Highmark Stadium.

WE SEE THE FIELD! pic.twitter.com/uo1v7pahci

— Emily Giangreco (@EmilyGiangreco) January 15, 2024

Here’s what you need to know ahead of Monday’s elimination game:

Football-friendly forecast?

More than 3 feet of snow has fallen this weekend in and around the Buffalo region, forcing New York officials to initiate travel bans throughout Erie County. Winds gusting up to 65 mph made visibility nonexistent and added to the difficulty in traveling to Highmark Stadium for a playoff game, thus forcing state and NFL officials to move the game from Sunday to Monday.

Good morning and happy gameday from Buffalo where IT IS STILL SNOWING.

We’re about 9 miles from the stadium and this is what it looks like. pic.twitter.com/EVpR3CxeeA

— Emily Giangreco (@EmilyGiangreco) January 15, 2024

Conditions remain challenging Monday, though the travel ban has been lifted. There is a high of just 21 degrees with winds in the 25-35 mph range and a possibility for an additional 3 to 6 inches of snowfall. The real feel temperature will be around 9 degrees.

GAMEDAY IN BUFFALO‼️#HereWeGo | @OurFordStore pic.twitter.com/9c09OJoW0M

— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) January 15, 2024

If you are going …

Good luck.

Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz warned fans planning to attend Monday’s game that parking will be limited in some areas because of continued snow removal.

Important info for those going to the game:

????Parking lots do not open until 12:30 pm.

????Main roads are good but exercise caution while driving due to cleanup still ongoing.

❄️Gates open at 2:30 pm, many seats/bleachers will be snow covered.

⛄Dress warmly, it will be cold!

— Mark Poloncarz (@markpoloncarz) January 15, 2024

Parking lots open at 12:30 p.m., and gates to Highmark Stadium open at 2:30.

If you are curious as to how things look right now, you can always check in on the Buffalo Bills Stadium Webcam. Here’s a look at the live feed:

He also said drivers should continue to be cautious while navigating the roads around western New York, though crews worked through the night treating the roadways.

Here’s the current situation at Highmark Stadium.

Sunny conditions, not snowing, parking lot cleared and it looks like more shovelers are showing up to help as well.

Determination to get this place ready for 4:30pm kickoff. The streets coming in were also plowed. pic.twitter.com/waz3fRAySS

— Emily Giangreco (@EmilyGiangreco) January 15, 2024

Tickets are available on the resale market for as low as $55. You might need a makeshift shovel to find your seats, however.

Be prepared to sit on piles of snow. Being told to only shovel walk ways pic.twitter.com/tsuHGPEWOr

— Nick (@bflobadsanta) January 15, 2024

How to watch

The scheduling change did create quite a viewing experience for sports fans on this Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

The Steelers-Bills will be broadcast at 4:30 p.m., with Jim Nantz, Tony Romo, Tracy Wolfson and Jay Feely on the call on CBS.

In the final game of Super Wild-Card Weekend, the Eagles and Buccaneers will kick off at 8:15 p.m. on ESPN.

KDKA-TV will air the BetMGM Steelers Kickoff pregame show at 11:30 a.m., and the Extra Point postgame show will follow the game on KDKA+.

Tweets by C_AdamskiTrib

On the radio, fans can listen to coverage on the Steelers Radio Network, with pregame programming starting at 12:30 p.m. on 102.5 FM and 970 AM. Bill Hillgrove, Craig Wolfley, Max Starks and Missi Matthews will have the call.

A Monday #NFLPlayoffs doubleheader. pic.twitter.com/bhvqhv2oUX

— NFL (@NFL) January 15, 2024

And, for Pittsburgh hockey fans, the Penguins moved up their start time to 1 p.m. for Monday’s game against the Kraken at PPG Paints Arena.

Wanna bet?

There’s still time to put a wager on the game. BetMGM set the over-under at 36.5 as of this morning, and FanDuel has it set at 38.5. The Bills are favored by 10 points by both sites.

Some of the more popular prop bets involve a Josh Allen anytime touchdown (-105) and a Najee Harris anytime TD (+190).

IT'S OFFICIALLY SUPER WILD CARD GAME DAY!!!@FDSportsbook | #PITvsBUF pic.twitter.com/vE1bThA3Ey

— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) January 15, 2024

What’s next for the winner?

We all know that the loser of this matchup will be packing their lockers Tuesday morning and entering the offseason.

The winner will get a trip to the AFC divisional round.

If the Steelers win, they will play at Baltimore at 6:30 p.m. Sunday on CBS.

If the Bills win, they will host the Chiefs at 6:30 p.m. Sunday.

Next weekend’s divisional playoff schedule: pic.twitter.com/X7zE1tVelA

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 15, 2024