It's finally here. After eight long months of waiting for the Raiders to play meaningful football again, the time has finally come. The Gardner Minshew era/single season is finally set to begin, and Raiders fans will get their first look at what an entire offseason of work under Antonio Pierce looks like.
Unfortunately for said Raiders fans, it's looking like the weather forecast for kickoff is, to put it politely, brutal. That's sort of what happens when you have to go play in Southern California in early September, but even that context doesn't quite make up for how miserable the conditions for Sunday's game look right now.
Humidity is the Raiders' real opponent on Sunday afternoon
According to NFLweather.com, a site that does not need any more explanation, temperatures for kickoff at SoFi Stadium on Sunday are expected to be in the mid-90s. More specifically, it's forecasted to be 93 degrees at kickoff, with a humidity level hovering around 25%. The temperature's not expected to drop much at all before the end of the game, meaning that it's going to be four full quarters of humid, muggy, gross football.
The good news is that, somehow, that forecast is better than what it's looked like most of the week. As recently as Friday morning, the humidity level was predicted to be around 45%, which would have been a different level of insufferable entirely. At this rate, it might even be pleasant by the time kickoff rolls around. Given that SoFi Stadium is just a giant expensive fish bowl, I sort of doubt it, but you never know.
So get ready for lots of on-field TV shots of thermometers and misting fans on Sunday. The Raiders certainly aren't going to be phased by playing in the heat, but maybe wear your white Raiders jersey if you've got a ticket? Or your trendy Raiders tank? Probably not the best day for full body paint, but do what you've gotta do.