No Fans? Impressed.

[AROS]

Like all of us, I had no idea what to expect out of NFL football with no fans (or very little fans in some stadiums). How would the players get up for the game without the cheers?

I have been pleasantly surprised. The product on the field doesn't look any different as if there were full capacity fans.

Hat's off to all teams. Especially the Seahawks which we well know has such a strong home field advantage due to the fans. They came out and played just as hard as they would have if the 12's were in full presence.

I should say however when they showed the team running out with the 12 flag with no fans, my daughter teared up. She said...

"Daddy, that's just soooo sad!!!"

It was. But I get it.

Hopefully we can be back in the stands before the end of the season. GO HAWKS!

 

[Bigpumpkin]

Does your opinion carry any weight with the Governor?

 

[Ad Hawk]

How different do you supposed the game would have been if the fans had been in the stands? Would the Defense have been more juiced up, would Kam's offense have struggled at all with it? Belichick would have had them ready for it, I'm sure.

We used to have a home-field advantage, but that seems to be more reputation than reality since the pinnacle of noise in the mid-2000s.

I agree that it's sad seeing such a typically vibrant atmosphere now so empty. I feel as your daughter does. And I find the piped in crowd noise silly to a degree, but the game would sound much different without it.

 

[HawkRiderFan]

How different do you supposed the game would have been if the fans had been in the stands? Would the Defense have been more juiced up, would Kam's offense have struggled at all with it? Belichick would have had them ready for it, I'm sure.

We used to have a home-field advantage, but that seems to be more reputation than reality since the pinnacle of noise in the mid-2000s.

I agree that it's sad seeing such a typically vibrant atmosphere now so empty. I feel as your daughter does. And I find the piped in crowd noise silly to a degree, but the game would sound much different without it.

I might have just been trying to convince myself it won't be a big deal but I kept thinking back to last year when the team was 7-1 at home and 4-4 at home. And even the 4 wins were a struggle.

 

[AROS]

"This was really an amazing game," Carroll said. "For the fans out there, we missed you so much, I can't tell you how much. We're so used to this extraordinary following of the crowd, and the energy and juice and all that. I don't know if you saw our guys, but our guys were trying to fill in for you. I just wish so much that you could have been there for the last play of the game. It would have been so crazy for all the fans. I hope you went nuts and enjoyed the heck out of it… We really missed the fans. We can't wait to get you back sometime down the road."

Russell Wilson put together his second straight specular performance to open the season, throwing five touchdown passes to five different receivers, but he too could tell something was missing.

"Not having any fans is tough," Wilson said. "You miss the fun of it all. This game is meant to be played in front of thousands and thousands of people. It's so special. But at the same time, no matter where you play, you've got to love it just as much. The feelings and the emotions and everything else, it all comes out of you playing this game. Today, Sunday Night Football, we're so used to having so many people out there, fans going crazy and everything else. We obviously missed our 12s, how much they mean to us. They always travel so well too. Obviously our home games are always the best in the world. So just praying for healing, praying for a way to see our fans again, because that's the fun part of this game."

 

[Sac]

I had no idea what to expect out of NFL football with no fans (or very little fans in some stadiums). How would the players get up for the game without the

I've been pleasantly surprised at the defense being able to get themselves pumped sans crowd.

 

[A_Biased_Fan]

Only thing I don't like is the limit of 70 decibels in the pumped-in crowd noise. Why not allow for a higher level and more of an actual home field advantage?

 

[pmedic920]

I’m still trying to figure out the “fake crowd noise”

It’s seems there is a huge disparity between the games I’ve seen.

Some of the games seem to be really well “fake noised”, while others really seem to be horrible.

Does anyone know if the players are hearing the fake noise over the PA?

Is it only being heard via the TV broadcast?


More on topic, I’ve always believed that the crowd offered our guys a measure of strength, and I’ve been concerned that they may play “flat” without the fans.

1 home game in and I’m less worried.

 

[TwistedHusky]

Slightly OT but Philly played fake boos.

That was hilarious.

They fake booed their own team at home....

 

[SoulfishHawk]

that.....was......awesome

 

[Reaneypark]

I think the crowd noise does impact decision-making by the opposing team down the stretch. I would expect it to be more difficult for NE to run their offense in the last two drives. Also, I think it does affect refs, who likely would look to “even” out the penalties after getting three quarters of invective from fans.

 

[Cyrus12]

To the season ticket holders here up until now when was the last game you missed?

 

[SoulfishHawk]

I've missed 2 games total since 93. Last one was that Green Bay crazy snow game. Took some people 7 hours to get home that night. Had Bronchitis and was laid up pretty good. Can't remember the year off hand.

 

[Pandion Haliaetus]

I think crowd noise would have rattled Cam to be a little less poised. I would say some players play to the crowd somewhat. When you can properly communicate like coaches, QBs, Oline can without fan noise it’s just easier.

Same for Jamal Adams, he made a lot of big plays that would have amped but he also gave up yardage and if he could have felt the energy drain out of the stadium on those play maybe it forces him to react differently.

I guess the best thing about being the home team is you also don’t get that demoralizing effects on your psyche when the your own crowd starts going against you or to just give up when half the stadium just starts leaving.

For an NFL seeking competitiveness and parity, no fans seems to have leveled the playing field.

 

[AROS]

Slightly OT but Philly played fake boos.

That was hilarious.

They fake booed their own team at home....

Tickled my heart. Oh God how funny.

 

[HHawk121]

I’m still trying to figure out the “fake crowd noise”

It’s seems there is a huge disparity between the games I’ve seen.

Some of the games seem to be really well “fake noised”, while others really seem to be horrible.

Does anyone know if the players are hearing the fake noise over the PA?

Is it only being heard via the TV broadcast?


More on topic, I’ve always believed that the crowd offered our guys a measure of strength, and I’ve been concerned that they may play “flat” without the fans.

1 home game in and I’m less worried.

I believe the on-field db levels are limited to 70, which I'd imagine all stadiums dial in with precision for the players.. The discrepancy on the broadcasts is down to sound board technicians, since there are numerous microphones being sourced, from the parabolic mics capturing players yelling and collisions, to various microphones placed around the stadium for atmosphere, including the mezzanines and outside the stadium.

Whether the acoustics of Centurylink give it a little more rumble or not is something I think you'd have to ask the players, but from what I have been able to gather, the volume is pretty much universally the same live, but for the broadcast, just like in normal years, is dependent on the sound board folks for the network

 

[SantaClaraHawk]

The fake noise differs from mildly obtrusive to ridiculous with MNF being the worst so far. Could not hear some ref calls over it and it sounded like the announcers were shouting over it.

 

[themunn]

How different do you supposed the game would have been if the fans had been in the stands? Would the Defense have been more juiced up, would Kam's offense have struggled at all with it? Belichick would have had them ready for it, I'm sure.

We used to have a home-field advantage, but that seems to be more reputation than reality since the pinnacle of noise in the mid-2000s.

I agree that it's sad seeing such a typically vibrant atmosphere now so empty. I feel as your daughter does. And I find the piped in crowd noise silly to a degree, but the game would sound much different without it.

I think it would have made a huge difference during the 2 minute drill - instead they get the play calls off easy, and any adjustments made at the LoS without much difficulty.
One false start or delay of game and they are nowhere near the 1 yard line.

 

[HawkRiderFan]

I’m still trying to figure out the “fake crowd noise”

It’s seems there is a huge disparity between the games I’ve seen.

Some of the games seem to be really well “fake noised”, while others really seem to be horrible.

Does anyone know if the players are hearing the fake noise over the PA?

Is it only being heard via the TV broadcast?


More on topic, I’ve always believed that the crowd offered our guys a measure of strength, and I’ve been concerned that they may play “flat” without the fans.

1 home game in and I’m less worried.

I think having a guy like Adams with his enthusiasm can help get the guys fired up.

 

[ivotuk]

Cam would have likely been under center with crowd noise. Would have made his runs a little more difficult with no running start, and no time to change direction.