At least, that's what the fans from up north might tell you.
The Bills are back in Miami tonight to face off against the Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium. And again, just like last year, they'll be playing under the stars.
This marks the second consecutive season that the NFL has spared the Bills from the searing Miami sun — that same sun that made the team from almost Canada feel like overcooked lobsters during their visit in 2022.
And you can bet that's not a coincidence. Join us as we take a break from the Tyreek Hill drama and return to the thrilling days of
Too Hot to Snap
On September 25, 2022, the Dolphins eked out a 21-19 victory over the Bills in a game that saw Buffalo players falling out like extras from Saving Private Ryan: gasping for air, flopping on the ground like beached salmon, and generally looking like they were fighting for their lives.And Bills fans demanded to speak to a manager.
Or, as one of the above put it on that day, a clear OSHA violation that called for case workers and paperwork.
Backing up for context, there's a reason the Dolphins renovated Hard Rock Stadium to keep the home team in the shade while roasting their opponents in direct sunlight. Conveniently — because it was planned that way — just as a 1 p.m. kickoff takes place, it's common to see the Dolphins sitting in the shade while the opponents roast under the broiler on the opposite side.If players suffer heat exhaustion and it affects their performance on the field, doesn’t that violate OSHA standards rather than act as home field advantage when they don’t provide shade for visiting teams? #BillsMafia
— Beth from Buffalo (@buffalo_beth) September 25, 2022
This is what's called "home-field advantage," and the Dolphins do it exceptionally well, especially in early-season games when the heat turns the turf into a surface not unlike a bed of coals.
But what's sauce for the goose sucks for the gander. Bills fans welcome teams into their frozen home turf all damn winter long, as temperatures plummet so low you'd think they're playing at the South Pole. Back in '22, it wasn't two months later that Bills fans were throwing snowballs at Dolphins players on the bench — literally, an actual crime.
Frostbite. Cool! But heatstroke? Bills fans demanded a special counsel.Bills fans: The sunshine in Miami is an OSHA violation.
— Ryan Yousefi (@RyanRYousefi) December 18, 2022
Also Bills fans: https://t.co/BJOjnBGZTl
The heat did take a toll on several Bills players during that 2022 showdown. Wide receiver Isaiah McKenzie, tight end Dawson Knox, and tackle Spencer Brown all struggled with heat-related illnesses. Players went down with cramps like clockwork.
Even Josh Allen, the Bills' quarterback, felt the effects." Breathing was tough sometimes. We had some really, really long drives," Allen whined after the game, looking like he'd just run a marathon through the Sahara.
Bills players weren't the only ones having a hard time that day. One fan in a backward Josh Allen jersey tossed his Buffalo wings and passed out against a ramp wall — an iconic image that will go down in Bills-Dolphins rivalry history.
One day, our children will own the NFT.
Ayoooo #BillsMafia come get your mans 😭😭😭 #FinsUp pic.twitter.com/e2yep5I3K6
— JoeRobbie (@JoeRobbie_) September 25, 2022
Never Again?
Tonight, however, is destined to tell a story many degrees removed from that hilarious day in 2022.That's because in its infinite wisdom — or maybe to avoid the headache — the NFL again scheduled the game for the evening, sparing the Bills and their fans a day 'neath the Miami sun. As the teams prepare to kick off under the nighttime sky, Bills fans can breathe a sigh of relief: No need to dial 911 on the sun this time.
