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If the Dolphins had beaten the Bills in Week 18, they’d be getting ready to play a wild-card game in the balmy weather of Miami, but due to their loss, they’re now headed to Kansas City for what will likely be the coldest game in franchise history. 

When the Dolphins and Chiefs kick off on Saturday night, the temperature is expected to be around 3 degrees with a wind chill approaching -30, according to the National Weather Service. If that projection holds up, then this will become the coldest game that the Dolphins have ever played in, which isn’t great news for them, considering they’ve lost 10 straight games when the kickoff temperature is 40 degrees or below (You can read more about that here).

In a bizarre coincidence, the game that currently holds the title for coldest in Dolphins history was actually played in Kansas City back in 2008 on a day where the temperature was 10 degrees at kickoff. Unless the forecast changes dramatically between now and Saturday, it’s a pretty safe bet that record is going to fall.

Although the Dolphins haven’t been able to win in cold weather, Chiefs coach Andy Reid won’t be expecting their struggles to continue on Saturday night. 

“You can’t bank on that. That’s where you get into trouble,” Reid said, via The Associated Press. “We’re not having a snowball fight.”

If the kickoff temperature drops down to 3 degrees, then Saturday’s game will become the coldest game that the NFL has seen since December 2016. 

When the week started, the expected temperature at kickoff was projected to be about 10 degrees, but that number has dropped steadily over the past three days and if it keeps dropping, the Chiefs could also set their franchise record for coldest game ever played. Back in 1983, the Chiefs played a game where the temperature was 0.5 degrees at kickoff, which currently stands as the coldest in franchise history, according to Pro Football Reference

If the forecast changes dramatically between now and Saturday, there’s an outside chance that we could see NFL history made. According to the league, there have only been four games ever where the kickoff temperature was below zero. 

Result Temperature Site Date

Packers 21-17 over Dallas (Ice Bowl)

-13 degrees (-48 windchill)

Green Bay

Dec. 31, 1967

Bengals 27-7 over Chargers (Freezer Bowl)

-9 degrees (-59 windchill)

Cincinnati

Jan. 10, 1982

Seahawks 10-9 over Vikings

-6 degrees (-25 windchill)

Minnesota

Jan. 10, 2016

Giants 23-20 over Packers

-1 degree (-23 windchill)

Green Bay

Jan. 20, 2008

If the kickoff temperature drops down to -1, then it will become one of the coldest games of all-time. 

As cold as it’s going to be for the players, it’s going to feel even colder for the fans. Not only is the temperature expected to be in the single digits all night, but the wind chill is projected to be between -15 and -30 while the game is being played, so if you’re planning on attending this wild-card showdown, you better bundle up. 

No matter what the temperature ends up being, the Chiefs probably won’t mind and that’s because they tend to thrive in the cold. In their past 10 home games where the temperature was under 40 degrees, the Chiefs have gone 9-1, including 4-0 in the playoffs.