The Pittsburgh Steelers will make historical past in late September after they play within the NFL’s first regular-season recreation in Eire. In Week 4, the Steelers will face the Minnesota Vikings in Dublin. Sadly, the Steelers should sacrifice considered one of their residence video games to play there. Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell appears blissful about that too.
“From a soccer facet of it, each opponents that we’ll play, together with the Cleveland Browns at Tottenham Stadium, they each have very high-quality residence atmospheres of their residence stadiums right here in the USA,” O’Connell stated to UK media members on Tuesday through the Vikings’ YouTube channel. “To get to play them not at their residence stadium, powerful division, the AFC North tends to be yr in, yr out, identical to the NFC North, we discovered that to be a possible bonus for our soccer group.”
Pittsburgh is likely one of the most intense environments to play in for some groups. Steelers followers are extremely passionate, and that’s on show throughout video games. When Renegade comes on within the fourth quarter, opposing groups usually discover themselves in bother.
Subsequently, taking part in the Steelers in Eire would possibly profit the Vikings. Nevertheless, the Steelers have deep ties to Eire, so O’Connell would possibly discover himself in an setting just like Pittsburgh. If Steelers followers present up in droves, the Vikings may lose that bonus.
Nevertheless, like O’Connell says, the Eire recreation gained’t be the Vikings’ solely worldwide recreation this yr. In Week 5, they’ll face the Browns in London. They’re really the primary NFL group to play in back-to-back video games in numerous nations.
Which may current a distinct concern for the Vikings, particularly contemplating their beginning quarterback, J.J. McCarthy, has but to play within the NFL. Final yr, McCarthy misplaced his complete rookie season resulting from an damage. Regardless of that, O’Connell sounds assured that dealing with the Steelers and Browns of their residence stadiums can be simply as tough.
“Regarding the challenges for a rookie quarterback,” he stated, “I do know taking part in in Pittsburgh, taking part in Cleveland, relying on once you go to these locations, I’d classify these as challenges proper alongside the worldwide alternatives that we’re gonna have each in Eire and within the UK.
“I’d be hard-pressed to say that the atmospheres aren’t going to be electrical and excellent as a result of they all the time are once we play abroad, however I do know these might be some hostile environments, occurring the street within the AFC North for a younger quarterback, relying on the place these video games had been to fall.”
Taking part in abroad can throw some gamers off their recreation. Touring all that means might be disorienting for anybody. Nevertheless, for NFL gamers, who’re used to such a inflexible and routine schedule, it may be somewhat jarring. The time change doesn’t assist issues, both.
Nevertheless, O’Connell is appropriate that taking part in in locations like Cleveland and Pittsburgh can be no joke. That may be very true relying on the climate. Video games in Pittsburgh and Cleveland might be messy. The Vikings play in a domed stadium, so dealing with the weather generally is a completely different problem for them, too.
We’ll see what number of Steelers followers pack Croke Park in Eire when Week 4 comes round. O’Connell would possibly see it as a bonus, however Steelers followers can change that. They’ve taken over opposing stadiums earlier than. Whereas Eire is a distinct beast, possibly Pittsburgh’s followers will journey effectively once more. Hopefully, they’re simply as loud abroad as they’re in Pittsburgh.
