This is worth monitoring: the Los Angeles Rams may be without star wide receiver Cooper Kupp to start the 2023 season, which would be a massive blow for them during their continued Super Bowl hangover. And his absence could have long-reaching implications for the New Orleans Saints and their fans.
Right now, the Saints and Rams are scheduled to meet in Week 16 — on Dec. 21, a Thursday night. For the first time this season the NFL is testing a flex system for Thursday night games to get poor matchups out of prime time in favor of a better game. The Saints voted to approve the move earlier this year after getting a look at their schedule.
Buy Saints TicketsThat flex protocol does have a few steps involved. For one thing, only two Thursday night games may be flexed in total, and only those between Weeks 13 and 17 are eligible. Additionally, the league office must give both teams 28 days’ notice before flexing the game. In this case, that deadline falls on Nov. 23 (Thanksgiving Day). If the game were flexed out of the Thursday night slot it would instead be played on Sunday, Dec. 24 (Christmas Eve).
So that’s something any Saints fans with tickets or plans attending the game should keep in mind. They’ll have a month to make travel arrangements, but that’s still asking them to navigate some of the busiest airports in America during the most chaotic travel window of the year during the holiday season. Maybe circle those dates on your calendar if you’re interested, just to be safe.
But why is Kupp so important? There aren’t many load-bearing players like him around the league. He averaged 11 targets per game last season despite dealing with an injury. The Rams are still paying the price for going all-in on their Super Bowl win a few years back, and Kupp is one of three players the average fan can name left on their roster along with Matthew Stafford and Aaron Donald.
The Rams are hoping to be competent at best this season with a couple of playoff teams dominating the NFC West, and losing their best weapon on offense for any length of time could doom their ambitions. If that means we get to enjoy some schadenfreude at L.A.’s expense while seeing the Saints play on a normal travel week late in the season (as opposed to a shorter one, having been scheduled to host the New York Giants the previous Sunday), well; we’ll take it. Maybe keep an eye on Rams games early this season.
