The Buffalo Bills take the field prior to their game against the Seattle Seahawks at the Rogers Centre in Toronto, Dec. 16, 2012. (MARK BLINCH/Reuters)
PHOENIX - Well, it was a nice thought. If a huge long-shot.
That is, the idea that the NFL could kick off its 2013 season in Toronto.
Seriously, in Toronto. With the Buffalo Bills as one of the teams.
But I’m told it won’t happen. Of course.
Follow along for fun anyway.
As reported Monday, the NFL’s tradition of opening the season on Thursday night of Week 1 at the home of the defending Super Bowl champion is in peril.
This year, that’s the Baltimore Ravens on Sept. 5.
But that same night, the Baltimore Orioles are scheduled to play a home game against the Chicago White Sox.
The logistical conflict is that the two Baltimore teams’ venues -- Camden Yards (Orioles) and M&T Bank Stadium (Ravens) – are adjacent and share parking lots, thus the two teams cannot play at the same time.
For various reasons, moving the Ravens game to another night that week in Baltimore is not an option for the NFL. So, if the Orioles don’t budge in the next two weeks or so, the NFL instead will have the Ravens open the season at the stadium of one of their eight road opponents.
