NFL Week 3 Games Face Potential Impact from Tropical Storm Ophelia
Lorenzo Reyes is back with his picks and predictions for NFL Week 3 games. However, this week, there is a new factor to consider: Tropical Storm Ophelia.
Tropical Storm Ophelia, which became a named storm in the Atlantic Ocean on Friday, could heavily impact some NFL games on Sunday, possibly bringing heavy winds and rain onto fields and stands. As tropical storm conditions were expected to begin along portions of the East Coast on Friday, the National Hurricane Center warned of a danger of life-threatening storm surge, high surf, rip currents, and heavy rainfall across the Mid-Atlantic, from North Carolina to New Jersey. The storm effects could continue through the weekend as the storm moves north.
If the current forecast holds up, three NFL games slated to start Sunday afternoon could be impacted. These games are: New England Patriots at New York Jets, Buffalo Bills at Washington Commanders, and Indianapolis Colts at Baltimore Ravens.
The current forecast predicts that sustained winds will decrease by the time the games kickoff, but it could still create conditions that are not ideal for teams and fans. John Feerick, senior meteorologist at AccuWeather, believes that the Bills-Commanders and Colts-Ravens games should avoid the worst of the storm, with “the worst of the rain” expected on Saturday night.
Feerick also mentioned that conditions might not be favorable at MetLife Stadium for the Jets and Patriots game. He said, “If there’s a game that’s potentially more impacted by rain and potentially a windswept rain, it’s probably the Patriots-Jets game on Sunday.” He added, “Certainly things can still change between now and then.”
Fans and teams will have to keep a close eye on the weather updates leading up to Sunday’s games, as the impact of Tropical Storm Ophelia remains uncertain. Stay tuned for further updates on how the storm might affect the NFL Week 3 matchups.