Seattle Seahawks beat Minnesota Vikings in -21C
- Published
Fans, players and officials braved one of the coldest NFL games ever as the Minnesota Vikings lost to the Seattle Seahawks in an NFC Wild Card game.
Sunday's temperatures were -21C (-31C wind chill) at kick-off, making it the joint third coldest game in history.
Free hand warmers and coffee were given to fans in Minneapolis.
Vikings kicker Blair Walsh missed a last-gasp field goal as Seahawks won 10-9 to set up a play-off game with the Carolina Panthers.
"It's my fault. I don't care if you give me a watermelon, I should be able to put that through," said Walsh.
Vikings coach Mike Zimmer agreed: "It's a chip shot, he's gotta make it."
In Sunday's other game, Green Bay came from 11-0 down to beat Washington 35-18 and will play Arizona Cardinals.
Kansas City and Pittsburgh both won on Saturday.
Who plays who now?
Saturday, 16 January:
AFC: Kansas City at New England
NFC: Green Bay at Arizona
Sunday, 17 January:
AFC: Pittsburgh at Denver
NFC: Seattle at Carolina
How cold was it?
The coldest NFL game in terms of air temperature was 1967's 'Ice Bowl' between Green Bay and Dallas, which at kick off was -25C (-44C wind chill).
Supporters were encouraged to bring blankets and "styrofoam, cardboard or newspapers to place under their feet" to prevent prolonged contact with the concrete floor in the stands.
The Vikings said it was the coldest game in their history, beating the previous record from 3 December 1972, when the air temperature was -18C and the wind chill was -28C.
The Vikings are currently playing at TCF Bank Stadium, home of the University of Minnesota's football team, while a new stadium on the site of the Metrodome, their home from 1982 to 2013, is under construction.
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