New Era Field in Buffalo is one of the best atmospheres in the NFL with tailgating starting very early on Sunday morning.
For opposing teams, the crowd is against them from the second the bus pulls onto the property.
“It is tough. Coming in as the visiting team, their fans and the energy in there, they do a good job of making sure you don’t feel at home, or feel welcome,” Devin McCourty said Friday on Dale & Keefe with Andy Hart. “We know it will start as soon as we turn into the stadium and we drive through all the tailgates and we try to get around to that back entrance where we go in. We will get a little bit of everything — the middle fingers, ‘you suck’ — we will get it all.
“I think that is fun as a player. You go on the road, you want those types of environments. It builds your team’s character and I think it will be a great challenge for us Sunday.”
Speaking on a conference call with the Buffalo media earlier in the week, Bill Belichick also praised their fan base.
“(Bills fans are) very passionate, enthusiastic and supportive,” he said. “It’s kind of like a college football environment. So a lot of intensity in that stadium and it certainly gets very loud when things are going well for Buffalo.”
Belichick added: “They’re totally into it, vocal, have a great passion for the game. Some stadiums, these days, I would say don’t have quite the intensity that Buffalo does (because of) clubs (seats) and other things going on during the game. At Buffalo you get 60 minutes - they’re there to watch the game. They’re there to cheer and be into the game. It’s kind of no other agenda.”
The game will be a battle of unbeatens, as the Patriots and Bills are both 3-0.
Listen Live on the RADIO.COM App
Follow RADIO.COM Sports