The Las Vegas Raiders experienced a prolonged flight delay on Saturday, compelling them to arrive late in New Orleans for their matchup with the Saints on Sunday.
Las Vegas intended to depart in the morning; however, a mechanical complication with their aircraft thwarted that plan.
Consequently, the Raiders had to wait for an alternate plane, which did not leave until approximately 10 PM ET.
Kickoff for the Las Vegas and New Orleans contest was set for 1 PM ET.
Due to the delay, the Raiders opted to conduct team meetings at their facility rather than at the hotel.
Las Vegas is currently 3-12 this season and has already been ruled out of playoff eligibility while experiencing a 10-game losing streak that was finally broken last weekend.
The Las Vegas Raiders had their flight to New Orleans delayed for several hours on Saturday
The Raiders had to wait for a second plane, which didn’t get out of town until Saturday night
The 5-10 Saints, however, remained mathematically in contention until last Sunday, just prior to their 34-0 defeat at Green Bay.
Both teams finished September with a 2-2 record – and then their seasons spiraled downwards quickly.
The Raiders endured nearly three months without securing a victory before their win against Jacksonville last Sunday.
The Saints experienced seven consecutive losses after starting 2-0, and their Week 9 defeat against Carolina followed by the dismissal of third-year coach Dennis Allen.