Minnesota Vikings’ new stadium won’t be easy on Giants’ ears
Fans enter U.S. Bank Stadium before the inaugural game between the Green Bay Packers and the Minnesota Vikings on September 18, 2016. Credit: Getty Images / Jamie Squire
Ben McAdoo was an assistant with the Packers and every year he would play a road game against the Vikings in the deafening Metrodome. “I don’t know if you can get any louder than that building there,” he said.
He’s about to find out.
U.S. Bank Stadium — the Vikings’ new $1.1-billion home built in the footprint of the old Metrodome in downtown Minneapolis — made a first impression in Week 2 of this season, and it was a boisterous one. Designed with the latest high-tech amenities including a see-through roof that allows sunlight to come in (though that won’t matter much during this night game), thousands of TVs, LED screens, and two massive video boards, plus 1,300 separate Wi-Fi access points, the structure also relies on some old-school hooting and screaming from its 66,000 inhabitants to intimidate opponents. Before the Giants watched a single frame of film to prepare for the Vikings, they already were bracing for the building.
“I talked to a buddy who plays for the Packers and he said that the place gets loud,” Justin Pugh said earlier in the week. “So obviously we need to be ready for that.”
Some are more excited than others.
“It looks incredible,” Odell Beckham Jr. said. “What they have looks amazing. It looks perfectly suitable for Monday Night Football.”
And safety Landon Collins noted that defensive communication probably won’t be an issue because the crowd will be quiet while the Vikings have the ball. That will be a handy quirk of luck for a secondary that likely will have a few new faces and veterans playing out of position to overcome injuries.
The Vikings know that just like technology quickly can become outdated, so can the vibe and the volume.
“It’s a real nice place, it’s great for the fans,” Vikings coach Mike Zimmer said. “It seemed to be very loud the last time we played there . . . Usually when you play good somewhere, it helps to make it a home-field advantage.”
Eli Manning said he hopes the Giants negate the noise with their performance.
“Not giving them the big plays,” he said of the strategy. “Just try and stay in good down-and-distance. There will be some times where it’s loud but we’ve practiced with noise and have played in loud environments before. It’s just everyone being on the same page. Great communication. Getting up to the line of scrimmage quickly. Making sure everyone has a lot of time to digest what the play is and see what they’re doing. Just make sure we are sound in our assignments.”
And, just as McAdoo did with the Packers in the Metrodome, know there will be times when verbal communication will be futile.
“That’ll be a big part of the game for us,” he said. “We need to really treat the silent count this week like it’s another play, another scheme, in the offense.”
Notes & quotes: Despite not practicing all week, CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (groin) was listed as questionable for Monday’s game against Minnesota. He and RB Rashad Jennings (thumb) have, by definition of questionable, a 50-50 chance of playing. CB Eli Apple (hamstring) is listed as doubtful with a 25 percent chance of playing. S Nat Berhe (concussion), S Darian Thompson (foot), T Marshall Newhouse (calf) and DT Robert Thomas (illness) have all been ruled out . . . The Giants will hold workouts for free agent safeties on Sunday with a group that includes former Pro Bowler Donte Whitner as well as veterans Jeron Johnson, Will Allen and Shamiel Gary. The workouts are Sunday because of the short week and are in case Berhe cannot return in time for next week’s game against the Packers.
Tom Rock began covering sports for Newsday in 1996 and became its NFL columnist in 2022. He previously was Newsday's Giants beat writer beginning in 2008.
