Packers vs. Saints location: Why Week 1 matchup was moved to Jacksonville, Florida

The New Orleans Saints are facing the Green Bay Packers in Week 1. The game was scheduled to take place at the Superdome in New Orleans, but Hurricane Ida changed that. While the stadium did not suffer major damage, the city lost power and is in the process of getting back on its feet in the aftermath of the Hurricane.

This has led the NFL to move the game to a neutral site. The Saints had been practicing in Dallas at AT&T Stadium, but the NFL worked with representatives from both teams on selecting a new location. The NFL ended up selecting TIAA Bank Field as the location of the game, which is the home stadium of the Jacksonville Jaguars who are on the road in Houston for their Week 1 matchup.

The relocation makes one significant change, other than forcing the Saints to travel for their home game. They will no longer be playing inside a climate-controlled dome. They’ll be playing in the outdoor stadium in Jacksonville. There should be no significant weather issues, but it will be a little warmer with a little more breeze.

The Saints remain the “home” team and DraftKings Sportsbook has the Packers favored at -3.5. The game is set to kickoff at 4:25 ET.