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Indianapolis Colts tight end Jack Doyle, centre, celebrates in the end zone during the second half of an NFL football game against the Buffalo Bills. Jeffrey T. Barnes
strange days

Blizzard bowl as Bills beat Colts in 'Snowvertime'

The arctic conditions affected most aspects of play, forcing both quarterbacks to keep passing to a minimum.

LESEAN MCCOY PLOUGHED his way to the end zone for the winning touchdown in overtime as the Buffalo Bills beat the Indianapolis Colts in a blizzard-hit NFL game on Sunday.

McCoy’s winning score was the final act of a surreal encounter which saw both teams battling it out in thick snow after a severe winter storm enveloped New Era Field.

Players skidded and slid throughout the contest as snow continued to fall heavily in the early exchanges, making it difficult to see the opposite ends of the stadium.

The scoreboard and play clocks were almost invisible through the snow in the first quarter.

The arctic conditions affected most aspects of play, forcing both quarterbacks to keep passing to a minimum.

“It was crazy,” Colts quarterback Jacoby Brissett said of the conditions.

“I never played in this in my life or played in the snow. Every time it snowed, I was in the house. It was definitely a different experience.”

Running backs and receivers struggled to keep their footing in the conditions while place-kicking was a lottery.

One extra-point attempt from veteran Adam Vinatieri in the fourth quarter required several Colts players to dig out a runway in the snow to help the Indianapolis kicker make a successful 43-yard effort to tie the game.

Vinatieri’s leveller was reminiscent of his famous effort for the New England Patriots in their snowy play-off battle against the Oakland Raiders in 2001.

Ultimately though, Vinatieri’s bending effort was in vain as McCoy somehow kept his balance to ice the game in overtime for the Bills, sealing a 13-7 win.

“Being a Pennsylvania kid, I played in the snow before,” McCoy said. “You knew it was going to be one of those games where we were going to run the ball and pound it.”

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