FOXBORO, Mass. – A transparent reminder of how this season of the New England Patriots reached the middle of the first quarter of Sunday’s first game.
At the time and ninth near midfield, outside supporter Chase Winovich came screaming down the right edge. Unlocked, Winovich encountered the offensive part of the Miami Dolphins Jordan Howard in the backfield and buried him for the loss of 3 yards.
A room like this provoked a deafening roar from the crowd at Gillette Stadium, but there was no crowd.
According to Massachusetts COVID-19 regulations, Sunday’s game, as the top of the NFL Week 1 competitions, was played without fans, so the only cheers that followed Winovich’s big win, Cam Newton’s landing partner or the Trio of New England interceptions, adding JC Jackson at the last minute that sealed a 21-11 victory for the home team , came from the Patriots band line.
When asked what he thought of the surreal atmosphere, head coach Bill Belichick replied, “Train. “
“It’s like getting into the Titans or betting against Detroit or facing the groups we’re mixing,” Belichick said in his post-game video conference. “There are some enthusiasts, but there are no enthusiasts there. It’s just competition And there’s power from your teammates and your own power, so that’s what it is.
“But, I mean, that’s what it is in practice. There are also no enthusiasts in practice. “
Julian Edelman chose another comparison: a high school game, and this has stirred feelings in the 34-year-old wide receiver.
“Honestly, it reminded me of when I returned to San Mateo College, my university,” Edelman said. “It’s a ‘love of the game’ mentality in its own right. You can listen to the other guys, everyone can just go out and bet the game you love.
“It was very unfortunate that we didn’t have enthusiasts, that power and being able to pass out in front of another 75,000 people is amazing, but it almost gave you back in some way. It was strange. It took me back to at least the best school, school, school — my college, we didn’t sell that much, so it was. “
Devin McCourty of Security returned to his best school years in New Jersey.
“It’s actually another — all about that, ” said McCourty. “Obviously, there are no fans, but there’s nothing in between: TV timeouts with just a blank video card. There was just nothing of the total game, it was a bit like the best school where there’s no Jumbotron. I guess other people would communicate breaks in the game.
“But it was definitely another feeling. You have your own energy, and I think it was also very exclusive, (that) you can hear everything that was happening on the ground. You can just listen to the trash- talking, you might hear the communication. It was another one, but I think we adjusted.
Center David Andrews said that he had never played a soccer game with fans, but for him, this game had an almost nostalgic feel.
“Indeed, there have been times when you are like a “Woah, ” said Andrews. “But I think we had shown a lot of intellectual strength to deal with it. It’s obviously new to all of us. ” None of us have ever run in a box without fans. Hell, even in pee, there were fans.
‘So it was definitely a new experience, however, I liked the way we went there and competed and went there and played the game. Somehow, I don’t know, bring the game back to the explanation of why you started betting, just to enjoy playing the game, right?There are no fans. We are right there, an organization of adult men who play a children’s game. “
The Patriots’ next opponent, the Seattle Seahawks, has already announced that they won’t have enthusiasts for next Sunday’s star-time game. New England will play in an empty stadium the following week against the Las Vegas Raiders before facing Kansas. City Chiefs in what is expected to be a partially filled Arrowhead Stadium in Week 4.
A small crowd of about 16,000 enthusiasts saw the Chiefs defeat the Houston Texans on Thursday night.
Miniature photo Brian Fluharty / USA TODAY Sports Images