Weather report for 2024 NFL Wild Card Round

A number of wild finishes in Week 18 led to a slew of riveting matchups in the 2024 Wild Card Round, including a couple of head-to-head battles between franchise players and their former teams. With inclement weather expected to play a factor in a number of games, you can count on more shocking finishes during Wild Card Weekend.

Below YouBet provides a full weather report for Wild Card Weekend and outlines a few betting angles to consider for games likely to be impacted by snow, rain, or wind.

Cleveland Browns at Houston Texans

Game time: Saturday, 4:30 p.m. ET
Location: NRG Stadium, Houston, Texas
Weather forecast: High 67, low 42, mostly sunny (retractable-roof stadium)

The action will kick off on Saturday, with veteran Joe Flacco and the fifth-seeded Cleveland Browns on the road to face standout rookie C.J. Stroud and shocking AFC South winner Houston. NRG Stadium is an open-air stadium with a retractable roof, but with sunshine in the forecast and moderate temperatures, neither team should be affected too much by the weather.

Best bet: We expect the Cleveland Browns (-2) to win outright on the road.

Miami Dolphins at Kansas City Chiefs

Game time: Saturday, 8:15 p.m. ET
Location: Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
Weather forecast: High 8, low minus-9, cloudy, 10-20 mph winds

Former Kansas City receiver Tyreek Hill left last year's Super Bowl winner for warmer pastures in Miami in 2022. He'll return to the home of the team with which he won a Super Bowl in 2020, and his welcome will be especially bitter with the wind chill potentially reaching negative-30 degrees.

In what could go down as one of the coldest NFL games in history, Kansas City will try to beat down on the league's No. 1 offense, and the passing game may be severely limited for both teams.

Look for the run game to take center stage on Saturday, which will give Miami the upper hand. The Dolphins rank sixth in rushing yards per contest (135.8 YPG), while the Chiefs average 104.1 yards on the ground.

The Dolphins are also top 10 in rushing defense, but Kansas City ranks 18th, with 113.2 yards per game allowed. Raheem Mostert missed Weeks 17-18 with knee and ankle injuries and is likely to return Saturday, but backup De'Von Achane has been a more than suitable replacement in his absence (107 rushing yards at Baltimore in Week 17 and 56 yards and a touchdown on 10 carries in Week 18 versus Buffalo). 

In Kansas City's shocking 20-14 defeat to the Las Vegas Raiders at home on Christmas Day, Raiders backup running back Zamir White gashed Kansas City's defense for 145 rushing yards. Miami's run game will get the job done.

Best bet: Take Miami to cover as a 5-point dog and consider the Over on Achane's rushing yards as well.

Pittsburgh Steelers at Buffalo Bills

Game time: Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
Location: Highmark Stadium, Orchard Park, New York
Weather forecast: High 23, low 13, 90% chance of snow with gusty, 25-35 mph winds

On Sunday, Wild Card Weekend continues with the Pittsburgh Steelers in search of an upset over the second-seeded Buffalo Bills, the largest favorite of the opening round (-9).

A winter storm watch has been issued for the game, with the potential for a foot of snow. Like the Dolphins-Chiefs game, anticipate plenty of ground-game action. The Bills and Steelers rank 15th and 19th, respectively, in run defense. Offensively, Buffalo has been superior on the ground (130.1 YPG), but Pittsburgh running back Najee Harris has come on strong in the last three games with Mason Rudolph as the starter (78 yards vs. Cincinnati; 122 yards vs. Seattle; 112 yards vs. Baltimore).

Best bet: Back the Over on 58.5 rushing yards by Harris.

Green Bay Packers at Dallas Cowboys

Game time: Sunday, 4:30 p.m. ET
Location: AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas
Weather forecast: High 61, low 16 (retractable-roof stadium)

On Sunday afternoon, Mike McCarthy's No. 2 seed Dallas Cowboys will host the team McCarthy coached to a Super Bowl title, the Green Bay Packers, inside AT&T Stadium, a retractable-roof dome.

The Cowboys are a seven-point home favorite and currently own a 16-game home win streak. Quarterback Dak Prescott has been playing at an MVP level this season and will go head to head with Packers QB Jordan Love, who will make his playoff debut.

Best bet: The Cowboys have been dominant at home all season; take them to cover as a seven-point favorite.

Los Angeles Rams at Detroit Lions

Game time: Sunday, 8:15 p.m. ET
Location: Ford Field, Detroit, Michigan
Weather forecast: High 14, low 3 (domed stadium)

Matthew Stafford and Jared Goff meet for the second time since Stafford's blockbuster trade to Los Angeles for Goff and a handful of draft picks. The Lions went 12-5 this season and won the NFC North for the first time in franchise history. It was Detroit's first divisional title since the 1993 season, when the Lions were a member of the NFC Central.

The Rams won the Super Bowl at the end of the 2021 season, Stafford's first year with the team. With injuries to start the 2023 season, the Rams got off to a rough start but have been one of the hottest teams in the second half of the season.

Best bet: Detroit has turned the tide on its long forlorn franchise, but the Rams and Stafford will pull off one of this weekend's upsets. Back the Rams outright (+140).

Philadelphia Eagles at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Game time: Monday, 8 p.m. ET
Location: Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Florida
Weather forecast: High 75, low 65, thunderstorms likely

The final game of Wild Card Weekend is a Monday night matchup between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

While the temperature will be warm on Monday night, there is rain in the forecast, which could help the Bucs pull off an upset of last year's Super Bowl runner-up Philadelphia, who has struggled mightily down the stretch of the 2023 season.

The Bucs own the fifth-best rushing defense in the league (95.3) but rank fourth to last against the pass (248.9). However, Philly's pass defense is even worse (252.7 yards allowed).

Jalen Hurts and company could be in for trouble on Monday, and they'll be heading into a road matchup lacking confidence after they just dropped the ball against the New York Giants while playing their starters in Week 18.

Best bet: Bucs QB Baker Mayfield is out to prove himself as a former No. 1 overall draft pick-turned journeyman. Bucs will cover (+3) at home.