Players blame football fields, themselves as they slip and slide through the NFL's opening weekend

So many players had trouble with their footing on the NFL's opening weekend.

It began with Isaiah Likely's touchdown-negating toe-tap at the back of the end zone at Arrowhead Stadium and continued throughout a waxy weekend that featured the Eagles and Packers slipping and sliding their way around Sao Paulo's Corinthians Arena soccer pitch as the league expanded its global footprint with its debut in Latin America's largest country.

Even games stateside also had their share of missteps, even those played indoors such as the one at Ford Field, where the Lions blamed themselves and not the turf after stumbling their way to an overtime win against the Rams.

The Lions might have won it in regulation if not for a trio of slip-ups on their final drive that ended with a field goal.

Jared Goff sailed a would-be touchdown throw over the head of Jahmyr Gibbs, who stumbled as he ran open in the Rams' secondary with about a minute remaining. Amon-Ra St. Brown lost his footing on an incompletion two plays later and Kalif Raymond fell down on a third down misfire before Jake Bates' field goal tied it.

After the Lions found their footing in overtime for a 26-20 win, Detroit wide receiver Jameson Williams suggested the issue wasn't a slippery surface but the rusty Lions themselves.

Practicing on grass and with so many vets sitting out the preseason, it takes some time to get reacclimated to the artificial grass, Williams said.

The problem ran deeper in Brazil, where the converted soccer field was covered with divots by halftime of Philadelphia's 34-29 win over Green Bay.

Saquon Barkley, who otherwise shined in his Eagles debut, slipped for a 5-yard loss on his first carry for Philadelphia.

Packers receiver Christian Watson missed out on a touchdown catch when he slipped in the end zone and Green Bay running back Emanuel Wilson fell on the seat of his pants as he tried to cut after a 14-yard gain.

When Jordan Love got hurt in his first game since signing a $220 million contract extension, newly acquired backup Malik Willis came in for one final play but slipped in the pocket and was sacked by Zack Baun before he could even heave a desperation pass.

With players on both sides of the ball falling on just about every play, former NFL star J.J. Watt chimed in with a post on social media that said: “Soccer fields are made for speed and agility. Smaller bodies gliding across the surface with minimal contact. They are not properly conditioned to have the size & strength of NFL players cutting, pushing and driving all game on them. This is common at international games.”

In Kansas City, where Taylor Swift and other Chiefs fans are hoping for a Super Bowl three-peat, they watched the opener come down to a different kind of footing issue.

Just as Ravens coach John Harbaugh was calling for a 2-point attempt to try to beat the back-to-back champs, video clearly showed Likely’s right big toe on the white endline — the tight end was wearing black cleats — nullifying his touchdown with no time left and leaving the Chiefs 27-20 victors in the 2024 NFL kickoff.

Patrick Mahomes had a friendly message for Likely afterward.

“You have to wear white cleats next time,” Mahomes cracked.

Had Likely worn white shoes as his teammate Roquan Smith did, the TV cameras almost certainly would have still shown he was on the endline, but his black cleats gave him no chance of getting away with it at all.

Tongue-in-cheek or not, it's actually sound advice from Mahomes, suggested Broncos kicker Wil Lutz, who was on the wrong end of something similar eight years ago in New Orleans.

While the league allows black cleats or even cleats featuring a team color, wearing white shoes “does make a difference because it’s got to be conclusive evidence for it to be overturned, or for it to be confirmed, one of the two,” said Lutz. “If you're wearing black they can clearly see it.”

It’s just like players wearing white gloves can get away with holding a white jersey easier than they can if they’re wearing dark colored gloves, Lutz noted.

Lutz had an up-close view the last time cleat color played such a prominent role in the final score. It was Nov. 10, 2016, in a game between his current team, the Broncos, and his former team, the Saints.

New Orleans had just tied the game late, but Lutz's extra point attempt was blocked by Justin Simmons and scooped up by Will Parks, who raced 84 yards down the Saints' sideline for the first game-winning defensive 2-point conversion in NFL history.

The Saints swore he stepped out of bounds at about the 35-yard line, but the play was upheld as officials couldn’t verify the claim because his white cleats blended in with the white sideline and no camera angles were available to prove otherwise.

Games can come down to the strangest of things.

Color choice, a slip here, a trip there.

Even a big toe.

This story has been corrected to reflect the proper spelling of Saquon Barkley in the 9th paragraph and Zack Baun in the 11th paragraph.

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

Detroit Lions running back David Montgomery (5) takes a moment after scoring a one-yard touchdown run against the Los Angeles Rams during overtime in an NFL football game in Detroit, Sunday, Sept. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/David Dermer)

Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley (26) is tackled by Green Bay Packers linebacker Eric Wilson (45) during the first half of an NFL football game, Friday, Sept. 6, 2024, at the Neo Quimica Arena in Sao Paulo. (AP Photo/Gregory Payan)

Players blame football fields, themselves as they slip and slide through the NFL's opening weekend

Baltimore Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely (80) catches a pass with his toe out of bounds as Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Nick Bolton and linebacker Drue Tranquill, left, defend as time time expires in the second half of an NFL football game Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. The Chiefs won 27-20.(AP Photo/Ed Zurga)

Players blame football fields, themselves as they slip and slide through the NFL's opening weekend

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Milton strengthened into a major hurricane Monday on a path toward Florida population centers including Tampa and Orlando, threatening a storm surge as high as 12 feet in Tampa Bay and setting the stage for potential mass evacuations less than two weeks after a catastrophic Hurricane Helene swamped the coastline.

Milton grew into a Category 3 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 125 mph (205 kph) over the southern Gulf of Mexico. Storm surge and hurricane watches were issued for Florida's Gulf Coast, and a hurricane warning was issued for Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula.

Forecast models vary widely, but the most likely path would have Milton making landfall Wednesday in the Tampa Bay area and remaining a hurricane as it moves across central Florida toward the Atlantic Ocean.

That would largely spare other southeastern states ravaged by Helene, which caused catastrophic damage from northern Florida to the Appalachian Mountains and killed at least 230 people.

Milton's center was about 165 miles (265 kilometers) west-northwest of Progreso, Mexico, and about 745 miles (1,195 kilometers) west-southwest of Tampa early Monday, moving east-southeast at 8 mph (13 kph), according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami.

Milton is a bit atypical since it formed so far west and is expected to cross the entire southern Gulf, according to Daniel Brown, a hurricane specialist at the center.

“It’s not uncommon to get a hurricane threat in October along the west coast of Florida, but forming all the way in the southwest Gulf and then striking Florida is a little bit more unusual,” Brown said. Most storms that form in October and hit Florida come from the Caribbean, not the southwestern Gulf, he said.

A hurricane warning was in effect for Mexico from Celestun to Rio Lagartos. A hurricane watch was in effect for Mexico from Rio Lagartos to Cabo Catoche and Campeche to south of Celestun, and for Florida's Gulf Coast from Chokoloskee to the mouth of the Suwanee River, including Tampa Bay, and for Dry Tortugas.

Forecasters warned of an 8- to 12-foot storm surge (2.4 to 3.6 meters) in Tampa Bay. A storm surge watch was in effect for Florida's Gulf Coast from Flamingo northward to the mouth of the Suwannee River, including Charlotte Harbor and Tampa Bay. A tropical storm warning was issued in Mexico from Rio Lagartos to Cancun and from Campeche to south of Celestun.

A tropical storm watch was in effect for Florida's Gulf coast from Flamingo to south of Chokoloskee and from north of the mouth of the Suwanee River to Indian Pass, and for the Florida Keys, including Florida Bay.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said Sunday that while it remains to be seen where Milton will strike, it’s clear the state is going to be hit hard.

“You have time to prepare — all day today, all day Monday, probably all day Tuesday to be sure your hurricane preparedness plan is in place,” DeSantis said. “If you’re on that west coast of Florida, barrier islands, just assume you’ll be asked to leave.”

About 7 million people were urged to evacuate Florida in 2017 as Hurricane Irma bore down. The exodus jammed freeways, led to long lines at gas stations and left evacuees in some cases vowing never to evacuate again.

Building on lessons learned during Irma and other previous storms, Florida is staging emergency fuel for gas vehicles and charging stations for electric vehicles along evacuation routes, Kevin Guthrie, executive director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management, said Sunday.

“We are preparing ... for the largest evacuation that we have seen, most likely since 2017, Hurricane Irma,” Guthrie said.

The Tampa Bay area is still cleaning up extensive damage from Helene and its powerful surge. Twelve people perished as Helene swamped the coast, with the worst damage along the narrow, 20-mile (32-kilometer) string of barrier islands that stretch from St. Petersburg to Clearwater.

DeSantis expanded his state of emergency declaration Sunday to 51 counties and said Floridians should prepare for more power outages and disruption, making sure they have a week’s worth of food and water and are ready to hit the road.

People who live in homes built after Florida strengthened codes in 2004, who don’t depend on constant electricity and who aren’t in evacuation zones should probably avoid the roads, Guthrie said.

All classes and school activities in Pinellas County, home to St. Petersburg, closed preemptively Monday through Wednesday. Officials in Tampa freed all city garages to residents hoping to protect their cars from flooding, including electric vehicles. The vehicles must be left on the third floor or higher in each garage.

As many as 4,000 National Guard troops are helping state crews to remove debris, DeSantis said, and he directed Florida crews dispatched to North Carolina in Helene’s aftermath to return in preparation for Milton.

When Milton achieved hurricane status, it marked the first time there have been three hurricanes swirling simultaneously in the Atlantic, said Colorado State University hurricane scientist Phil Klotzbach. Hurricanes Leslie and Kirk were far out at sea and not immediately threatening land.

This satellite image from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration taken at 11:36pm ET on Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024, shows Hurricane Milton. (NOAA via AP)