Minnesota Vikings vs. New York Jets: Sunday NFL Weather report

Grab your winter gear kids and get ready to be cold as the New York Jets head to Minnesota to take on the Vikings this week.

So if your are heading to TCF Stadium for the 1 p.m. kick off, here’s the weather you’re facing:

“Sleet likely before 1pm, then sleet likely, possibly mixed with snow between 1pm and 3pm, then snow likely after 3pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 34. South southeast wind 10 to 15 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New snow and sleet accumulation of less than a half inch possible.”

Bottom line here, this isn’t the Metrodome. This game is going to be an old fashioned mess. And I’m not talking about the temperature.

The last memory most people have of Jets quarterback Geno Smith in the snow was in 2012 for West Virginia against Syracuse at Yankee Stadium. It snowed that day too. Here’s the stats from that game: 19/28, 201 yards , two touchdowns, QBR 18.0. So, it really doesn’t bode well for the game against the Vikings.

I don’t know about the rest of you but Monday’s offensive game plan against the Dolphins was different to say the least. In a nutshell, that game didn’t give us any kind of an answer to what Geno Smith is as a quarterback. And the truth of the matter is I don’t think this game will do that either. And if you look at Smith’s career splits on ESPN.com, he’s never played a game where the temperature is below 40 degrees, which takes the Jets into unchartered waters.  The Jets are not going to open up the playbook in this one.

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If this weather is going to be as bad as this report indicates, you can’t risk throwing the ball all over the field. So, the running game is going to be a huge factor and the Jets used it quite well in the first half against the Dolphins. Running for over 200 yards in one half doesn’t happen every day.  You have to throw to keep the defense honest, just make them quick passes. Chris Ivory could have a really big game if he can get his traction.

In theory, this game should be a winnable one for the Jets: The Vikings just a little bit more offensively challenged then the Jets if you can believe it. The Vikings are 30th in overall offense, 13th in rushing offense, and 30th in passing offense.

But Vikings rookie QB Teddy Bridgewater has looked promising, and no surprise, can handle himself in cold weather. Just look at his ESPN splits

In this game, I say advantage Vikings. What makes anyone think the Jets can win a competitive game the rest of the year? They looked so bad against the Dolphins when they had the lead in that game.