Hurricane Isaias is set to make its presence felt far beyond the Gulf Coast this weekend, with remnants expected to soak a handful of NFL Week 5 matchups from Nashville to the Meadowlands on Sunday.
The storm strengthened to Category 3 on Friday, packing sustained winds of 120 mph, and landfall is projected between Pensacola and Destin, Fla., from 9 p.m. to midnight ET. After that, Isaias is expected to weaken into a tropical storm over Alabama.
In East Rutherford, N.J., the Browns and Jets are staring at a wet afternoon. The 1 p.m.
ET kickoff at MetLife Stadium comes with a 99% chance of rain, and forecasters expect showers to reach northern New Jersey late Sunday morning or early afternoon before lingering into Monday. Winds should hold around 12 mph, with gusts near 20 mph.
Cleveland already dealt with a long weather delay in Week 2 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Pittsburgh is also headed for a soaked Sunday. The city should stay sunny through Saturday, but the storm’s leftovers are forecast to bring rain all day Sunday when the Colts visit the Steelers at Acrisure Stadium.
Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. ET, with a 70% chance of precipitation and a high near 69 degrees.
Forecasters are calling for thunderstorms at kickoff and gusts up to 26 mph, though the flooding risk is considered low. By Sunday night, the chance of showers and storms rises to 90%.
Washington, D.C., and the surrounding area are in line for a steady dose of rain too. Light to moderate rain is expected to move in early Sunday morning, followed by waves of showers throughout the day, with models projecting anywhere from a half inch to an inch by Monday morning.
That sets up the Giants-Commanders matchup at 1 p.m. ET at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Md., where the heaviest rain is expected early in the game.
Gusts could reach 30 mph, the strongest forecast for any outdoor Week 5 game.
Nashville should see the worst of the storm pass before kickoff, but not before leaving a mess behind. The National Weather Service expects 1 to 3 inches of rain and gusts as high as 40 mph, with the heaviest rain falling before 7 a.m.
Sunday. The chance of more than 4 inches is below 10%.
Rain chances drop sharply after about 1 p.m. local time, about an hour into the 1 p.m. ET game between the Texans and Titans at Nissan Stadium.
Forecasts call for just 0.01 inches during the game. It will also be Houston’s first game this season in a true outdoor stadium.
Atlanta should have cleared out by the time the Ravens and Falcons kick off Sunday night. The storm’s wetter eastern side could bring gusts near 40 mph in spots Saturday, but forecasters expect rain and wind to move out of north Georgia by Sunday night.
Baltimore and Atlanta meet at 8:20 p.m. ET on Sunday Night Football inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Elsewhere, New Orleans sits outside the forecast cone, and the Vikings are scheduled to play the Saints at Caesars Superdome. The Panthers are on a bye.
The Jaguars face the Eagles in London. And the Buccaneers already handled the Cowboys 24-16 in Arlington, Texas, on Thursday.
In Other News...
Jayden Daniels Gives Commanders Hope With One Huge Question Still Lingering
Jayden Daniels was back on the practice field Wednesday and went through a full session after missing the last two games, a welcome sight for a Commanders team that has been waiting for its rookie quarterback to return. He is expected to play against the Giants, and Washington has moved forward without bringing in another quarterback, a clear sign of how much the offense still revolves around Daniels availability.
The bigger issue is what comes after this weekend. Daniels is set to wear a brace on his elbow, and there is still a lingering possibility that the injury could need surgery after the season, leaving the Commanders to balance short-term optimism with a much more uncertain long-term picture. For now, they have their quarterback back, but the health of that elbow remains the storyline worth watching. [Read more 🡒]
Terry McLaurin Setback Puts Two Commanders Questions Back In Focus
Terry McLaurins hamstring is back in the picture at a bad time for Washington. The wideout has missed the first two days of practice as the Commanders manage his recovery cautiously, a reminder that the issue already cost him a game once before and still needs to be handled with care as the season moves forward.
McLaurins situation also brings the bigger questions back into view for Washington, because this is not only about getting him back on the field this week. He has two years left on his contract, and the team has to weigh his health against a deal that carries major salary-cap implications without any guaranteed money remaining, leaving his future with the franchise part of the conversation whenever the injury updates start piling up. [Read more 🡒]
Jayden Daniels Return Wont End This Commanders Problem
Jayden Daniels is expected back after missing two games with an elbow injury, which should give Washington a welcome lift at quarterback and settle at least one major question entering the week. But even with Daniels trending toward a return, the Commanders are still dealing with a receiver room that looks far less certain, especially with Terry McLaurin and Stefon Diggs both out of practice because of hamstring injuries.
McLaurin already sat out a recent game, and Diggs status adds another layer of uncertainty to an offense that has had to adjust on the fly. Antonio Williams has already benefited from the added opportunity, seeing more snaps and targets, and he could be asked to play another prominent role if Washington is again short-handed on the perimeter. [Read more 🡒]