Entering their sixth game of the season, the New England Patriots are already quite battle-tested on the road. Their two away games so far saw them take on, and beat, the Miami Dolphins and Buffalo Bills in two of the toughest stadiums in the NFL.
Now, they are going to take their act to New Orleans. In order to also leave the Superdome victoriously, the Patriots know they have to be ready for another less-than-welcoming crowd.
“We’ll have to make sure that we’re doing everything that we possibly can
to prepare to go on and handle another tough environment,” said head coach Mike Vrabel on Wednesday. “Just being able to handle the road environment, the crowd noise and everything else. I’m sure they’ll be excited. They played really well last week. I’m sure they’ll have the same great support that they always have in the Dome.”
While the Patriots celebrated a primetime upset over the Bills on Sunday night, the Saints were able to win their first game of the season. Now, the team of head coach Kellen Moore — who, like Vrabel, is in his first year at the job — is trying to make it two in a row on their home turf.
Christian Gonzalez sees an easy solution to preventing that, at least in theory.
“Just going in there with our own energy,” the third-year cornerback said. “It’s hostile environments. We’re going to another real loud place. So, go in there and take the energy out and and bring our own.”
Against Buffalo, the Patriots managed to do that. They took a 3-0 lead in the first quarter in large part due to Gonzalez and the defense keeping the Bills’ high-powered offense in check: the first three drives for the home team ended with a fumble, a punt and another fumble.
Even though 2024 MVP Josh Allen and his crew eventually managed to fight back before succumbing 23-20, New England’s competitive start particularly on that side of the ball helped neutralize the crowd. As a result, the Patriots were able to bring their own energy into Highmark Stadium.
Now, they just need to do the same against what is on paper an inferior opponent.
