Both New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Erie County Exec Mark Poloncarz this morning "cautioned against" the Bills playing Sunday's game against the Jets at Ralph Wilson Stadium as Western New York "heads into the third day of the historic lake-effect storm," according to Tiffany Lankes of the BUFFALO NEWS. Cuomo said, "If you ask me today ... my two cents is it’s impractical to do the game." Poloncarz added that he "could not assure the Bills the county could provide emergency personnel and sheriff’s deputies at the stadium Sunday." Poloncarz yesterday said, “I’m sorry Buffalo Bills, we have a major emergency in this community. That’s more important than a football game.” Lankes notes Orchard Park, where Ralph Wilson Stadium is located, "has been under a driving ban," but some Bills fans "were still planning to travel ... to assist with the cleanup of the 220,000 tons of snow from the stadium." The Bills yesterday "announced that they would pay $10 an hour, and give free game tickets to anyone who showed up to shovel the stadium" (BUFFALONEWS.com, 11/20). State officials today said that "by the time the storm ends tomorrow, some areas in Buffalo could end up with more than seven feet of snow." Cuomo said, "Everybody would love to see a Bills game go forward, but I think even more, everybody wants to make sure that public safety comes first." In Rochester, Joseph Spector reports NFL execs indicated that the league is "continuing to work with the Bills and local authorities to determine whether the game can be played on Sunday" (DEMOCRATANDCHRONICLE.com, 11/20). An NFL official said that there is "no set deadline to move the game" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 11/20).
BUSINESS AS USUAL? In Buffalo, Vic Carucci reports the Bills as of yesterday were "proceeding as if they will face" the Jets as scheduled at 1:00pm ET on Sunday. Bills Senior VP/Communications Scott Berchtold said that any change to that plan "would be for the NFL to decide" (BUFFALO NEWS, 11/20). However, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports Cuomo's comments today “tells you the gravity of the situation” and it is increasingly "looking like it is going to be extremely difficult to play this game on Sunday." A similar situation occurred in '10 when a Giants-Vikings game was moved to Detroit after snow caused the Metrodome roof to collapse. That game was rescheduled for a Monday night, and Schefter noted it "would not be surprising if we saw something happen like that in this particular case." He said, "People are going to have a difficult time getting there to Buffalo, parking there, cleaning out the stadium. They have a whole city to take care of, in addition to a football game. There are a lot of people that need the help of the city right now and everything that goes into that." There is "so much snow to clear out” of Ralph Wilson Stadium, and it “will be very difficult to do that” in time for the scheduled kickoff (“SportsCenter,” ESPN, 11/20).
LOOKING AT POSSIBLE OPTIONS: The N.Y. Post's Mark Cannizzaro cited a source as listing the "contingencies" the NFL is considering for Jets-Bills is "moving" the game to either Detroit, Pittsburgh or DC and playing it on Monday night. Paul Pabst, the producer of "The Dan Patrick Show," noted CBS is "looking at options" for the game, including moving it to Toronto, "playing Monday or Tuesday night or playing at Jets" (TWITTER.com, 11/20). But Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio said the idea of relocating the game "somewhere else, I don’t think. is acceptable to anyone.” Florio: "They’re exploring the possibility of moving it to Sunday night, Monday night or Tuesday night. ... Trying to figure out, first and foremost, the safety of everyone involved" (“The Dan Patrick Show,” 11/20).
