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The bizarre 2020 season isn’t finished throwing curve balls at us yet. The Athletic’s Jeff Duncan reported Wednesday morning that the NFL and the New Orleans Saints are closely monitoring the projected track of Hurricane Delta, which is expected to make landfall on the Louisiana coast this weekend.
Hurricane Delta, currently lingering over the Yucatan Peninsula, has wavered in strength but is — for now — classified as a Category 2 storm with sustained wind speeds in excess of 110 miles per hour. Forecasts have been uncertain on its exact track, wind field, or expected strength at landfall due to Delta’s odd timing and location; hurricanes are rare in the western Gulf of Mexico this late in the year, leaving few precedents to compare it to.
Duncan reports that while multiple options are on the table, a “last resort contingency” would see the Saints evacuate New Orleans on Thursday and fly to Indianapolis, the site of the annual NFL Scouting Combine. He adds that the team has already reserved a block of 150 hotel rooms and a chartered flight in case they have to bug out, which will be determined Thursday, and that players have already been told to make plans for their families should they be out of town.
Indianapolis is a preferred destination because of familiarity — the Saints coaching staff works there each February for the combine, and the team has already relocated to Indianapolis once before due to Hurricane Gustav in 2008 — and geographic proximity. They could take a direct flight back to New Orleans once Hurricane Delta has passed on, which is also the case for the Chargers traveling from Los Angeles.
While the Chargers’ new SoFi Stadium is available (they share it with the Rams, who are playing in Washington this week) playing at a neutral site like the Colts’ Lucas Oil Stadium would be preferred to losing a home game for the Saints altogether. In this scenario, at least both teams have to travel. And for their part, the Colts are visiting the Cleveland Browns this week, making their home venue available.
But it’s early, and Hurricane Delta could very well come and go as just a Category 1 storm days before Monday night’s kickoff. Opposing wind shear and seasonal cold fronts could weaken it, but it’s unknown yet to what degree. The Saints are obviously taking the situation seriously, and so should you. If you’re anywhere close to Delta’s projected track, make your plans now.
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