The Cardinals go to Arrowhead Stadium this week, a place that has long been known for its noisy fans and within which it is difficult to play. And up pops some memories of when it was so loud in Arrowhead, the officials threatened to penalize the home team (h/t Tim DeLaney.) Now, these were different times. It was 1990, and there was a stretch there when the NFL instituted and held firm on crowd noise, to the point where I can remember multiple games in which the quarterback -- with the play clock winding down -- would turn to the official and complain, and the referee would essentially halt the play clock and the offensive team would basically be given the time they needed to hear each other. If the crowd remained loud, everyone would just wait.
Given today's NFL world, and the pride in which places like Kansas City and Seattle and, yes, State Farm Stadium here in Arizona, take in making noise in-games (I still have never been in a louder place than State Farm Stadium with the Cardinals on defense in the closing minutes of the NFC Championship game, and it's hard to imagine a stadium any louder) it's weird to think that offenses could complain and they would be heard.
At the time, I remember thinking it was just going to make it worse. Over the years, I think the NFL basically came to the same conclusion. Thank goodness for silent counts. As it is, State Farm Stadium -- since it opened in 2006 -- gives the Cardinals the lead in terms of most false starts by opponents. In those 12-plus seasons, opponents have been called for 167 false starts. The Vikings, who have been in three stadiums in that span, two of them domes, are second at 147. The Seahawks are third at 145, the Lions (in a domed Ford Field) are next at 140, and the Eagles at an outdoor Lincoln Financial Field are fifth at 138. (Thanks to stats wiz Mike Helm for the info.)
The Cards can dish it out, and they'll have to take it this Sunday in Arrowhead. I'm guessing Josh Rosen will relish it, as he did going to Minnesota. He certainly wouldn't think to complain about it, not anymore, not like John Elway once did.
