The New England Patriots are already sweating Week 1 in the Emerald City, literally, after their latest practice session on Sunday focused heavily on preparing for our notorious 12s. Turns out, our home-field advantage at Lumen Field is making waves all the way across the country.
Operation Silent Count: Proof Our 12s Hit Different
These guys had a walkthrough, right? Sunny, mid 80s in Foxborough, but they still moved indoors to crank up the music and stress their offense. Why? Mike Onwenu, their offensive lineman, spilled the beans. He said they’re doing this “to be more ahead of it this year” for “uncomfortable situations” in away games. The big reveal: “Part of that may be due to an expected noisy environment Week 1 in Seattle.” You heard that? They are explicitly practicing for the sheer volume we bring! They worked on a silent count last season, too, but now it’s an indoor bubble situation. That’s a huge shoutout to the power of our fanbase. A silent count means slow communication, potential false starts, and missed assignments. It gives our defensive front, led by Coach Macdonald, a serious edge. Even after a tough 17-7 loss to the Dallas Cowboys, our noise is still legendary enough to make opposing teams practice for it. Get ready to show them just how loud uncomfortable can be when they step onto Lumen Field.
Patriots Shuffling Lineups, But One Guy’s Making Noise
While they’re busy worrying about our crowd, the Patriots also had some lineup changes. Dre’Mont Jones, their top outside linebacker, was back after leaving Saturday’s practice with a cut on his finger. Good for him, but we’ve got to be ready for him to come after Sam Darnold. Other guys like Kobe Prentice, Eric Butler, and Chad Muma were also back, but they’re still missing some key players like CB Christian Gonzalez, OLB Xavier Holmes, and DL Christian Barmore. No biggie, our guys can handle it, especially with some of their key pieces still out.
What’s wild is second-year safety John Saunders is already making a serious push. He was rotating with the first-team defense. This dude has been balling out with two interceptions in practice and another in their preseason opener. He’s feeling “amazing now,” comfortable with the system, and looks like he’s climbing that depth chart, maybe even jumping veteran Mike Brown. Our offensive crew, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Rashid Shaheed, and Cooper Kupp, will have to be extra sharp against a rising young talent like Saunders in Week 1. Their top O-line, with Will Campbell and Onwenu, stayed the same, but their second unit is already in flux after losing Ben Brown and Andrew Rupcich (IR) to injury in the preseason opener. Sounds like opportunities for our D-line to exploit their depth issues!
So, the Patriots are coming to Lumen Field for Week 1, and they know what’s up. That 17-7 final score against the Dallas Cowboys stings a bit, but that just means the 12s have even more to prove. They’re practicing for us! Let’s show them exactly why they needed those silent count drills. We gotta bring that thunder and make sure Week 1 is a nightmare for them and their “uncomfortable situations”!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pats Pulpit.
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