Snowstorm In Buffalo Photos: Will Bills Play Sunday Vs. New York Jets? Twitter Reaction To Ralph Wilson Stadium

Update: Detroit, Toronto and New Jersey have emerged as possible alternative sites, according to ProFootball Talk. However if the game is still played in Buffalo, it will be moved to either Monday or Tuesday night.

Update: The game will likely be postponed. A source told ESPN NFL reporter Adam Schefter that the Bills might even have trouble hosting their Nov. 30 home game. However, there has been no official announcement from the Bills or the NFL.

Original Story

The Buffalo Bills and New York Jets are still scheduled to kick off their Week 12 NFL matchup Sunday at 1 p.m. EST. But a massive lake-effect snowstorm has pelted western New York the last three days, and the game’s status is presently unclear.

There is no official word of how much snow has fallen in Buffalo, but an unofficial tally of 70 to 77 inches has reportedly covered the nearby Rochester area, according to The Buffalo News. U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer is asking the White House to declare Western New York a disaster area. Eight people have reportedly died and buildings and other structures in the region have collapsed, while the forecast calls for snowfall to continue into Friday.

A driving ban is presently in place in Orchard Park, a Buffalo suburb and home to Ralph Wilson Stadium, the Bills home field. The stadium is inundated with snow and the team took to Twitter offering fans $10 per hour and game tickets to dig 220,000 out the field, the Toronto Sun reports.

The NFL announced Thursday it would “continue to work with the Bills and local authorities,” but it was also reported Wednesday by NFL Network reporter Ian Rapoport that the Jets and Bills will need to know by Friday whether or not they are playing.

In a news conference held Thursday morning, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo called an attempt to play “impractical.”

"Everybody would love to see a Bills game go forward, but I think even more, everybody wants to make sure public safety comes first," Cuomo said. "At this point in time, doing what we have to do with the driving ban and everything we just said -- staying off the roads -- would make a Bills game impractical.

"So if you ask me today, right now, my two cents would be it would be impractical to do the game because it could jeopardize public safety."

The Bills cancelled practice for the second straight day, and running back Fred Jackson said the lack of practice reps leaves the team at a “huge disadvantage.”

This is not the first instance when snow has effected the NFL's schedule. In December 2010 the roof of the Minnesota Vikings stadium collapsed under pressure from accumulated snow. The Vikings were supposed to face the New York Giants on a Sunday afternoon, but the game was pushed back to Monday night and the venue changed to Detroit's Ford Field.

Ultimately the NFL and the Bills may decide to postpone the game. The matchup is of major importance to the 5-5 Bills, who are vying for one of the two AFC Wild Card spots in the postseason. The Jets are not expected to reach the playoffs with a 2-8 record.

Western New York residents and media outlets have taken to Twitter to post pictures of how the snow that has taken over the area.