The Saints may be looking to close their offseason quarterback competition when the Cardinals come to town Saturday night for the two sides’ preseason finale. But it remains to be seen if the 8 p.m. ET game will proceed as scheduled. As ProFootballTalk reported Thursday, the Saints are not committed to taking the field this weekend in the event Tropical Storm Ida presents severely inclement weather.
“We are monitoring Tropical Storm Ida and will have more definitive information tomorrow (Friday) morning, from which we can make the safest decision possible relative to the game on Saturday,” the Saints said in a statement. “We are in touch with city officials, the National Weather Service, Homeland Security and the NFL.”
CBS News reports that Ida was upgraded Thursday afternoon to a tropical storm, adding that Ida is expected to “make landfall as a powerful hurricane on the Gulf Coast.”
Forecasters are predicting rapid organization and strengthening as it approaches the Gulf Coast, likely threatening Louisiana at or near major hurricane strength on Sunday … There is a general consensus now that this system is likely headed for the Louisiana coast. When exactly it arrives will depend on where it makes landfall — the further west, the longer it will take. The window now appears to be narrowing in on Sunday through Monday.
It’s possible the NFL could move the Saints-Cardinals game earlier Saturday, as only the Bills and Packers are scheduled in the afternoon window, at 1 p.m. Four different games, meanwhile, are slated for Friday night.