Arizona Cardinals can expect many opposing team fans when Dallas Cowboys come to town
It might be a familiar sight accepted by longtime Arizona Cardinals fans who go to games at State Farm Stadium, but to some of the new faces on the team, seeing swarms of opposing team fans at your home field is something different.
Arizona sports fans, of course, know all about it. Ask Diamondbacks fans when the Los Angeles Dodgers or Chicago Cubs are in town. Ask Suns fans when the Los Angeles Lakers play at Footprint Center. Ask Coyotes fans in the Gila River Arena days what it was like to see fans of the Chicago Blackhawks or Detroit Red Wings take up many seats.
This kind of thing happens with the Cardinals, too. There weren't just scattered pockets of New York Giants fans at last Sunday's game, there were blue-dominated sections, especially on the visitors' side of the field. And this Sunday afternoon, "America's Team' and the national brand that is the Dallas Cowboys, off to a good start this season at 2-0 with legions of supporters all over, invade Glendale as a double-digit favorite.
"It's part of the game. We just try to block out the outside noise, you know, whatever it is, if it's the fans or anybody else talking, we just try to block that out, play our game and just come out there and compete each and every day," Cardinals linebacker Victor Dimukeje said. "I know they (the Cowboys) have a good fan base. ... So if there's a lot of Cowboy fans or Arizona fans, you know, we just want to go out there, run to the ball, make some plays and win the game."
It isn't the first time fans of the other team have had a big presence — Giants fans made plenty of noise as their team rallied from a 20-0 halftime deficit to score 31 points in the second half — and it won't be the last. Other teams deal with the same thing when a long-established and traditional East Coast or Midwest team comes out west to play.
"That played into it greatly. Giants fans travel like crazy. That was one of my better experiences, just witnessing how deep they travel and I was just surprised that even pre-game to see how many Giants fans were out there," Giants wide receiver Isaiah Hodgins said after Sunday's game. "Salute to them and all the loyal fans out there, they definitely helped us."
Cardinals first-year coaches Jonathan Gannon, offensive coordinator Drew Petzing and defensive coordinator Nick Rallis were all aware of the atmosphere inside State Farm Stadium, but were much more focused on trying to guide the team and their respective units to a win that didn't come about.
Gannon was asked if crowd noise at home from opposing fans is something that will have to be taken into account in weekly preparation.
"No. We prep our guys with the environment, and we’ve got to execute," Gannon said.
The Cardinals, with Giants fans letting themselves be heard from the stands, were whistled for four false starts and a delay of game in the fourth quarter. Gannon didn't attribute the penalties to the noise.
"Our guys know you‘ve got to be able to coach and play in any environment. That’s how we’ve got to operate," he said.
"I think the biggest thing in that situation is when we're communicating at the line of scrimmage, we all gotta make sure that we remember the snap count and we're locked in on what we're trying to accomplish," Petzing said. "I think there was a little bit of lack of focus more than anything. And I think our fans did a great job all game. So I was really encouraged by that and we just gotta lock in in those key moments."
Crowds get behind a team's defense, a tradition in football. Rallis got his first taste of Cardinals fans rising up for their defense as it flew around making plays in the first half.
"Obviously you love when the crowd is pumping out 'De-fense.' I've also been up in the in the box for most of my career where you do start to feel that, but once the drive is going and once the game is going, as a play caller you don't necessarily notice a lot of that," Rallis said. "Off of a stoppage and stuff like that you can definitely start to feel that loud noise. But yeah, anytime you're playing defense and the crowd is into it, that's a good thing."
Analysis: Breaking down the Arizona Cardinals' second-half collapse vs. Giants
Cardinals make roster move
The Cardinals signed defensive lineman Jacob Slade to the practice squad and released wide receiver Daniel Arias from the practice squad Tuesday. Slade(6-3, 293) originally signed with the Cardinals as an undrafted rookie free agent from Michigan State and spent the preseason with Arizona.
The Cardinals are down two defensive linemen with L.J. Collier on injured reserve and Carlos Watkins injured in last week's game, so depth was deemed a priority.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Arizona Cardinals will try to 'block out' noise from opposing fans
