Alvin Kamara is resplendent, dressed in black and gold, bobbing and weaving through traffic with the football held high and tight against his chest. The crowd is pressing in on him with a wall of masked opponents blocking his way. So he turns and flips the ball back to his quarterback, on a trick play, setting Drew Brees up to pass from a protected position. It’s all something we’ve seen before in recent games.
Except it’s not a game. It’s Carnival season. Kamara has swapped his helmet and shoulderpads for a gorgeous leather jacket and colorful beads, and Brees is riding high in a Mardi Gras float.