Belichick: European crowds add different dynamic to game

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FOXBORO -- With Sunday's game against the St. Louis Rams taking place in foreign territory, the Patriots face a few more obstacles than they'd normally see in a mid-season "road" game.

An obvious difference in playing overseas is the need for each player and coach to try and reset their body clock to the time change and travel schedule.

But there are some on-field differences that you might not consider "obstacles" at first glance.

"I'd say that the differences are, possibly the field, depending on what kind of condition that's in," said Patriots coach Bill Belichick on Thursday. "And you know, it's a different kind of crowd, obviously. It's not really a football crowd."

That non-football, European crowd isn't the same as American football crowds.

On a typical road game, NFL crowds utilize their loud voices while the opposing team's offense is on the field, making it as difficult as possible for them to communicate.

Overseas, the constant in-game chants can sometimes play mind games with the players and coaches, something that doesn't happen in NFL stadiums.

"It's random," said Belichick. "There's some random cheering out there. You know, the wave, and whatever things like that. If you're not really paying attention, sometimes you come on the bench talking to somebody, and you hear the crowd go crazy, and you think something's happened. But, that's their cheer or their chant, or whatever it is. So, there's some different dynamics like that, but again, the most important thing is just our focus on the Rams, and what comes up, situationally, within the game."

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