Browns and Saints ready to Brrrrring it on at FirstEnergy Stadium for one of the coldest games in the history of the NFL

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Oh, the climate outdoors is frightful, however the Browns nonetheless plan to offer some Christmas cheer of their final house sport at FirstEnergy Stadium Saturday towards the Saints.

“No matter we gotta play in, strap up, put your further sleeves on, put on your leggings, no matter you gotta do, however you possibly can’t be nervous about that,” Myles Garrett mentioned Thursday. “You bought an opponent forward and also you’ve gotta go 1-0.”

Saints defensive again Paulson Adebo doubtless spoke for loads of gamers on either side in regards to the mindset heading into this dangerously chilly sport.

“Despite the fact that they play on the market, they’re going to be chilly as (expletive) too,” he informed reporters in New Orleans. “We’re all in the identical boat.”

Advisable Browns tales

The boat will really be extra like a cryo machine, with a game-time forecast of 12 levels, with wind gusts of about 30 mph and a feels-like temperature of minus 10, in accordance with climate.com. If that holds true, it will likely be the fourth-coldest sport in Browns historical past. The final time the Browns performed in 15 levels or colder was Dec. 10, 2009, a 13-6 victory over the Steelers.

It’s so chilly, tickets on StubHub and Ticketmaster are going for as little as $3 and $5, respectively. Circumstances are so harmful — with the specter of frostbite for uncovered pores and skin in minutes — the Browns will permit followers to carry extra objects into FirstEnergy Stadium: one thermos, 20 ounces or much less; blankets, in addition to moveable chargers and non-dry cell batteries (each no bigger than 6 inches by 3 inches by 1.5 inches) to energy heated attire. Battery packs have to be disconnected throughout safety inspection.

“That is by far be the worst or coldest in my life,” mentioned rookie defensive finish Alex Wright, who will begin instead of Jadeveon Clowney (concussion). “I simply gotta go in with the mindset, It’s not chilly, it’s not chilly, it’s not chilly. It’s not like I’m simply going to be on the market simply shivering. I’m going to be soccer in my thoughts. I’m going to be locked into the sport. So it’s not going to be an enormous deal at finish of the day. I’m simply on the market taking part in soccer.”

Wright has no plans to go shirtless in pregame warmups like tight finish David Njoku mentioned he’ll do, or sleeveless through the sport like Nick Chubb plans to do.

“Oh no, I’m carrying lengthy sleeves,” Wright mentioned. “However that simply goes together with simply with the ability to really feel good and play assured, simply not have any kind of distractions.”

Greg Newsome II, who grew up in Chicago and performed at Northwestern, has performed in frigid situations, nevertheless it doesn’t make it any simpler.

“I don’t suppose you ever can essentially put together for that,” he mentioned. “It’s positively going to be chilly, nevertheless it’s like a choice you gotta make. It’s like are you going to let it have an effect on you or are you not? That’s the one determination. Everybody likes to say you went to Northwestern, you possibly can put together for chilly. I’m chilly too. But it surely’s simply the mindset that you just go into the sport with.”

He mentioned the chilly is extra of an element on the sidelines than on the sphere.

“Once you’re on the sphere, you’re fascinated by what play they’re going to run,” Newsome mentioned. “You’re fascinated by beating your man throughout from you. So I really feel like that’s one thing you are able to do. Clearly there’s compression stuff, however me personally, I don’t suppose any of that actually works.”

Kevin Stefanski hasn’t essentially forbidden Njoku from warming up shirtless, or Chubb from taking part in sleeveless.

“We’ve educated all people if you get into these kind of video games, regardless of the distinctive a part of the sport is, you ensure you’re educating your gamers, and we’ll will do this. Finally, these guys know their our bodies.”

Stefanski has performed in not less than one sport this chilly — a 10-9 Seahawks victory over the Vikings in an NFC wild card sport on Jan. 10, 2016. Greater than 50,000 followers braved the chilly at TFC Financial institution Stadium, with a kickoff temperature of minus 6 and wind chills of minus 25. It was the coldest sport in Vikings historical past, and tied for the third-coldest playoff sport in NFL historical past.

“It was all good till my eyelashes froze,” Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman mentioned after that sport. “Then you definitely form of understand it is perhaps form of chilly out right here. I went out to heat up earlier than all people got here out and took a jog. My contact lenses nearly froze over. You may’t ever put together for that form of climate or that form of chilly as a result of it’s like sitting within the freezer.”

However Stefanski has downplayed the climate all week. The Browns nonetheless have a 1% likelihood to make the playoffs, they usually plan to go away all of it on the sphere. The 5-9 Saints have a couple of 2% likelihood to make the playoffs. They’re in a three-way tie with the Panthers and Falcons, only a sport behind the 6-8 Bucs.

“Once more, that is the nice a part of our league is you may have video games that you just get to play in several situations,” Stefanski mentioned. “Typically you play and it’s actual scorching. Typically you play and it’s windy and it’s actual chilly or no matter it’s. The reality of the matter is the situations would be the very same for each groups so it will likely be about who executes and who does their job.”

The Saints flew to Cleveland on Thursday after training in New Orleans to beat the storm, and performed a walk-through within the ballroom of their downtown resort on Friday. They stayed inside all day Friday, however loved the frosty views of Lake Erie and the whipping snow from their resort.

With most flights into Cleveland Hopkins Worldwide Airport canceled on Friday, a lot of the reporters who cowl the Saints had been caught in New Orleans and received’t be overlaying the sport in particular person.

The one one who made the journey is Ricardo LeCompte, sports activities anchor and reporter for WWL-TV, the CBS affiliate in New Orleans. However LeCompte had a head begin. His fiance, Jen Hannon, is from Wellington, Ohio, they usually headed right here final week for his or her Christmas trip. LeCompte informed cleveland.com he thinks that he and the Saints’ group reporter, Erin Summers, would be the solely two native Saints reporters within the postgame press conferences.

“It might be form of fascinating,” LeCompte mentioned. “I hope I don’t neglect an necessary level.”

LeCompte, from Fort Walton Seashore, Fla., will do some postgame video reviews from the sphere, however shoveled snow in Wellington on Friday and obtained a really feel for what it will likely be like.

“I believe I’m prepared,” he mentioned.

So are among the Saints gamers.

“I can’t wait,” offensive linemen Calvin Throckmorton informed Saints reporters. “I’m tremendous excited for this sport. I’ve by no means performed within the snow or that chilly.”

Added offensive lineman James Hurst: “Actually, you’re speaking about beneath 20 levels. It’s like, what does it matter? You’re freezing chilly. It’s all the identical. It’s only a quantity at this level.”

The Browns are hoping that quantity after the sport is 7 — not the temp however their victories.

If you happen to or a beloved one has questions and wishes to speak to an expert about playing, name the Ohio Drawback Playing Helpline at 1-800-589-9966 or the Nationwide Council on Program Playing Helpline (NCPG) at 1-800-522-4700.