The Seahawks have maintained a strong home field advantage over the years thanks to the gusto of the “12s” that fill the stands every game and those voices loomed large in Sunday’s 37-27 win over the Panthers.
Carolina was called for eight false starts during the game and quarterback Geno Smith said after the game that the crowd “got us a win today.” Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll concurred with Smith when it came to paying tribute to how ardent the support for the team was on Sunday.
“One of the most obvious things that happened today was feeling the 12s,” Carroll said, via the team’s website. “God, what a great impact they had on this game. These guys had eight false starts in this game and that’s not us. We had nothing to do with that. They can’t get coordinated because of the noise. What a great factor. It felt like what it feels like to be here at Lumen. That was a thrill. Thrill for our young guys who hadn’t heard it like that, hadn’t felt it like that, and they understand why we talk so much about them, why it’s such a factor and all that. Anyway, we got to give a lot of credit to our fans being part of this game, just like they’ve been in the past. That was really obvious today.”
The eight false starts were not a record for a visiting team in Seattle. The Giants — who will host the Seahawks next Monday night — had 11 of them in a 2005 loss and the Seahawks fans will get their next chance to play a part in setting a new high when the Cardinals visit on October 22.
