Storm prompts Saints to cancel
The Saints canceled their home preseason game set for Saturday against the Cardinals because of the potential for Hurricane Ida to batter Louisiana’s coast with wind as high as 140 mph by Sunday.
After initially moving kickoff up by seven hours, the Saints announced the subsequent decision Friday night to cancel the game after consultation with city officials in New Orleans, Gov. John Bel Edwards, the National Weather Service, the Department of Homeland Security and the NFL.
Ida struck Cuba on Friday, showing hallmarks of a rapidly intensifying storm that could speed across warm Gulf waters and slam into Louisiana as a Category 4 hurricane Sunday, the National Hurricane Center warned.
In other Saints news, the team reportedly selected Jameis Winston to succeed Drew Brees as the starting quarterback for their regular-season opener against the Packers on Sept. 12.
Winston had been in competition for the starting job with Taysom Hill. It will mark the first regular-season starting assignment for Winston since the end of the 2019 season with the Buccaneers.
Mahomes sharp in Chiefs’ victory
Patrick Mahomes was nearly perfect, throwing for 117 yards and two scores in his only two chances with the ball, leading the host Chiefs to a 28-24 victory over the Vikings in their preseason finale.
Mahomes finished 8-for-9 with the only miss a throwaway with nobody open. His counterpart, Kirk Cousins, wasn’t nearly as effective for the Vikings. He led them to a field goal on his first offensive series but went three-and-out on each of the next two, finishing 5-for-7 for 57 yards.
Ehlinger goes down with knee injury
Rookie Sam Ehlinger was knocked out of the preseason finale with a knee injury, delivering another hit to the Colts’ depth at quarterback, in a 27-17 win over the host Lions.
Ehlinger is competing with second-year pro Jacob Eason to possibly take the team’s first snap in two weeks when the season opens. Ehlinger was hurt in the first half after going 3-for-3 for 63 yards, including a 60yard pass after escaping a sack. Eason was 10-for-14 for 74 yards.
Mayfield gets preseason tuneup
Baker Mayfield will get a tuneup game after all. Browns coach Kevin Stefanski surprisingly said that Mayfield and some “select” starters will play in Sunday night’s nationally televised exhibition finale against the Falcons.
Not wanting to risk injuries, Stefanski had kept his starting quarterback and the majority of his starters on the sideline for the team’s first two preseason games.
“We’re making decisions individually based on who needs to get some reps, making those decisions based on these practice reps ... based on game reps,” Stefanski said.