The Giants and Commanders are set for a Thursday night NFC East matchup, but the weather may end up being part of the story at MetLife Stadium.
Reports from the stadium already point to rough conditions, with heavy rain falling in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The Athletic’s Dan Duggan said, “It is currently pouring at MetLife Stadium with some thunder and lightning mixed in.”
That lightning matters. The NFL will stop a game if lightning is within 10 miles of the stadium, which means there’s a real chance this one could be delayed before kickoff or even once play gets underway.
Accuweather.com is calling for rain to stick around for the full game, with the heaviest stretch expected in the first hour before things ease up a bit. Wind should stay manageable at around 10-12 MPH, with gusts no higher than 14 MPH.
That’s below the 15 MPH mark that usually starts to affect the ball in the air. Temperatures should hold near 50 degrees, so cold won’t be the issue.
The rain is the main concern here. Slippery footballs can lead to drops and fumbles, and that kind of weather usually pushes teams away from the passing game. If that happens, the load shifts to the ground attack, which means more chances for Giants running back Cam Skattebo and Commanders backs Austin Ekeler and Rachaad White.
With the wind expected to stay under 15 MPH, the kicking game and passing game should avoid major disruption. Still, conditions like these often drag scoring down, so a shootout doesn’t feel likely.
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