Week 1 Sunday is supposed to be the first full football feast of the season, but the weather may have other ideas for three NFL matchups.
The Bengals-Buccaneers game, Steelers-Falcons game, and Jaguars-Browns game are all on the list of contests that could get hit by rough conditions. Forecasters are calling for heavy rain and thunderstorms to threaten the Jacksonville-Cleveland matchup, which also carries a slight chance of thunderstorms. Cincinnati and Tampa Bay have only a slight chance of thunderstorms during their game, and Pittsburgh and Atlanta are in a similar spot.
That kind of setup is exactly why weather watchers are paying close attention. In a post tied to the day’s slate, Weatherstem noted that “It's Week 1 of the NFL and just like with College Football, Weatherstem provides hyper-local monitoring for NFL games.
Today, the Jaguars take on the Bengals where storms are possible. Officials will use Weatherstem's Practical Lightning Assistant to track any lightning threats.… pic.twitter.com/NYGXrgIQE0”
September is known for bringing strong storms in parts of the country, especially in southern states where thunderstorms can show up often this time of year. For fans heading to those games, the message is simple: keep checking local weather updates as the day goes on.
The National Weather Service says people should stay alert when severe thunderstorms are moving in. Fans should listen to local news or NOAA Weather Radio for watches and warnings.
If a severe thunderstorm warning is issued, the advice is to move to a secure location right away. Stay away from windows and avoid large open rooms like gyms and cafeterias.
For anyone caught outside, the safest move is to get into a sturdy building as quickly as possible. Trees are not a safe shelter, since lightning can strike them and strong winds can bring them down.
Drivers should use caution too. A vehicle is safer than standing outside, but if there’s time, the best option is still to reach a secure shelter.
Week 1 is barely underway, and Sunday adds another layer to the opening weekend: not just the matchup on the field, but the sky above it.
In Other News...
Steelers Fans Were All Saying The Same Thing About Pam Oliver
Pam Olivers Hall of Fame honor was the kind of recognition that comes with nearly three decades of NFL work at Fox, and it arrived at a time when Steelers fans had another reason to pay close attention to one of the leagues most familiar sideline reporters. During the recent Falcons-Steelers game, viewers noticed her speech sounded strained, a moment that quickly pulled focus beyond the broadcast itself and back to the veteran reporters long, demanding career.
For Steelers fans, the reaction was as much about concern as anything else, since Oliver has been open about her debilitating migraines and the way they can affect her work on some game days. She has described them as severe enough to force her to miss assignments at times, which made the on-air moment feel familiar to anyone who has followed her career closely and understood the burden she has carried while remaining one of the NFLs most recognizable voices. [Read more 🡒]
Terry Bradshaw Just Said What Steelers Fans Are Thinking About This Era
Terry Bradshaw turned a routine FOX NFL Sunday preview into a familiar Steelers talking point when he said the one coach he was most interested in watching was Mike McCarthy. With Pittsburgh making a change from Mike Tomlin, Bradshaw pointed to McCarthys previous work with Aaron Rodgers as part of what has him paying close attention to the new setup.
Bradshaw did not try to hide where his loyalty sits, either. While the rest of the panel moved through the NFL slate, the Hall of Fame quarterback made it clear he was viewing the Steelers through a fans lens, and that perspective only adds to the curiosity around how this next era will look once the games start to matter. [Read more 🡒]
Steelers QB Depth Plan Says Plenty About Their Young Passers
The Steelers quarterback room has settled into an early-season pecking order that says plenty about how the team views its young passers. Aaron Rodgers is the starter, Mason Rudolph is in the backup role, and Will Howard has been installed as the third-string option, a sign the organization still sees a lane for him even after a rocky preseason.
Drew Allar, meanwhile, is being treated more like a long-range investment than an immediate factor. The third-round pick is inactive for the season opener and appears headed for a developmental redshirt year, leaving Pittsburgh to balance short-term insurance at quarterback with patience for two prospects whose timelines do not quite match the present. [Read more 🡒]