FOXBORO, Mass. — Ask Bill Belichick a weather-related question days before a game and know you’re fighting a losing battle.
A reporter tried again Wednesday morning because extreme cold is forecasted for the New England Patriots’ matchup with the Kansas City Chiefs in Sunday’s AFC Championship Game.
Belichick shot it down, as usual.
Here’s the full exchange:
Q: Bill, the forecast for Sunday is temperatures in the single digits, wind chill below zero. How does that impact preparations for the game and perhaps —
BB: Yeah, we’re getting ready for the Chiefs. Whatever it is it is.
Q: Do you mind playing in severe cold?
BB: I’d love to play in a championship game. Schedule it wherever you want. We’ll be there.
Q: Does it change the play-calling? Does it make it harder to throw?
BB: I don’t know. It’s Wednesday. We’ll see what happens Sunday night. Right now, we’re getting ready for the Chiefs.
Q: Do you mind playing in severe cold?
BB: pic.twitter.com/Aji8lNp6Mh
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) January 16, 2019
Both the Patriots and Chiefs played in cold-weather games in the divisional round Sunday. The temperature at kickoff in the Patriots’ win over the Los Angeles Chargers was 26 degrees. It was 32 degrees at kickoff when the Chiefs beat the Indianapolis Colts.
The Patriots beat the Chargers 41-28, while the Chiefs won 31-13, so the cold certainly didn’t seem to impact scoring. It is supposed to be much colder this Sunday, however. Current forecasts have the high at 9 degrees, while the low is 8.
If anyone is prepared for extreme cold, it’s a team that plays and practices in New England.
