Green must go without its GANG!
Jets know it will be tough playing without fans
The soundtrack of the 2020 NFL season will be decidedly different amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Stadiums that typically echo like bass drums will be largely silent as states restrict fan access. New Jersey governor Phil Murphy has declared that fans will be not allowed at MetLife Stadium until further notice, creating an odd dynamic for players who typically feed off the energy from the crowd.
“That’s going to be very difficult,” veteran Jets defensive lineman Steve McLendon said. “Extremely difficult. For me, that’s one of my biggest reasons for playing this game for this long. I love to see the smile on those kids’ faces. I love to see the smile on those fans’ faces.”
“I can’t speak for every player, but for me, they give me a sense of purpose when I still put on that helmet,” McLendon continued. “Who I’m playing for and what I’m playing for. Now, I’m playing for my team and I’m playing with my team, but I feel like the fans are a big part of our team.”
Playing in empty stadiums or those that are sparsely populated will affect players. While some players shrink under the bright lights, there are plenty buoyed by the electricity provided by fans. Defensive players are outwardly energized by home fans.
Fans help provide a heightened intensity from practices. Some players, frankly, have a difficult time replicating that emotion during mid-week practices.
So, how will players capture that same feeling in an empty stadium?
“We’ll have to lean on each other,” said new Jets safety Bradley McDougald, who spent the past three seasons playing in front of the one of the most rabid fanbases in the league in Seattle. “We’re going to have to depend on each other for energy. And that’s no different. Just
like on away games, when we go out there on the road, the fans get quiet for the offense. So, none of this can be dependent on any outside sources.”
“Now we’re going to see who really can motivate themselves intrinsically,” McDougald added. “You got to find your own motivation. You got to be your own juice. And you got to lift your brothers up around you.”
That’s easier said than done, but it’ll be mandatory among players to gain an edge. Otherwise, it’ll be easy to fall into the trap of feeling like it’s just an intra-squad scrimmage.
The Jets might actually catch a break in that regard this season. Gang Green is slated to go into arguably the two most deafening stadiums in Kansas City (Week 8) and Seattle (Week 14). The Chiefs’ and Seahawks’ crowds can make life miserable for opponents. That home-field advantage will be offset with no fans — or a fraction of fans — in the building. Gang Green’s annual trips to Foxborough to face Patriots Nation can also be daunting.
“The fans are what make the game so special,” Sam Darnold said. “Especially the Jets fans at MetLife (Stadium). They make the atmosphere incredible every single Sunday, Monday, Thursday, whenever we’re playing. But it’s going to be different definitely without them. It’s just something that everyone’s going to have to adapt to.”
No amount of pumpedin crowd noise will be able to match the power that fans bring to gamedays. Their fervor and passion are palpable. It fuels players to bring out the best in their game. It’s a part of the fabric of the game that will have a tangible impact on this unusual season.