The Houston Texans plan to have their scrimmage for Thursday, although Hurricane Laura could have a say in the matter.
The Category 3 hurricane had sustained winds of 115 mph as of 7:00 a.m. with a potential for 140 mph later Wednesday. Laura is expected to be a Category 4 when it makes landfall late Wednesday evening or early Thursday morning.
Currently, coach and general manager Bill O’Brien and executive vice president Jack Easterby are looking at two different models on Laura’s projections.
“Now I’m looking at a European model and I’m looking at this other model and I’m like which model do you, I don’t even — one looks like it’s headed toward Louisiana and we’re on the west of it,” O’Brien said.
If Laura continues with a more easterly path as it relates to Houston, then the city should not feel any effects from the storm.
O’Brien and Easterby are working with team president Jamey Rootes and others to ensure they make the safest, smartest decision.
“We’re on top of it and we’ll make a call when we have to make the call,” said O’Brien. “I think this one is different than (Hurricane) Harvey, right.”
The concern with Laura, according to O’Brien is the wind, not the flooding, as was the case with Harvey in August of 2017. The wind factor could have an impact on the team’s practice bubble at Houston Methodist Training Center if Laura indeed moves that far west.