Patriots enjoy satisfaction of silencing fans on the road

Winslow Townson | USA TODAY Sports

“Road warriors” is how New England Patriots linebacker, Kyle Van Noy, has described his team.

The conclusion of Sunday night’s football game against the Denver Broncos marked the Patriots’ 12th road win in a row – making it the second time New England has accomplished this feat. This is the second-longest streak in NFL history, as the San Francisco 49ers won 18 road games in a row from 1988-1990 and currently hold the record.

Reflecting on this accomplishment and hungry for more, Patriots players spoke on the sweet satisfaction of walking into an opposing stadium and hushing the crowd.

“There’s something to be said about going into an opposing stadium of 70,000 fans and they’re all screaming and cheering for the team we’re playing against, and then by the end of the game, most of the fans left are ours,” quarterback Tom Brady said. “I think that’s something you really relish as a football player.”

Brady, himself, garnered another achievement Sunday night, as he broke the record for most career road wins as a starting quarterback with 86.

Road wins aren’t easy and everyone knows it, even head Coach Bill Belichick commented on it.

“It takes a lot of mental toughness, focus, discipline and good execution,” Belichick said. “And sometimes a harder situation offensively and in the kicking game with the crowd noise and the energy that fans in other stadiums bring.”

Speaking of the opposing fans’ energy, running back Rex Burkhead mentioned that it was difficult to hear Brady in the huddle early on in the game against the Broncos, but playing hard and taking the crowd out of the game early is very beneficial to the away team.

We’ll see if the New England Patriots can extend their streak when they travel to take on the Oakland Raiders in Mexico on Sunday. The game is considered a Raiders home game, so the Patriots will once again get a chance to be “road warriors.”

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