When NFL games start happening without fans in a few weeks, it will be an adjustment on many levels.
But for 49ers kicker Robbie Gould, it becomes a tactical challenge.
During an appearance on NFL Network, Gould said the lack of fans in the seats will change the way the wind blows through stadiums, giving him one more thing to worry about. The quiet could also add some pressure, but Gould said that wasn’t as big of a deal to him.
“When you do your game planning for the week, you usually watch a lot of the kicks from the stadium specifically so you can figure out on what end how the ball’s moving, how’s it gonna look,” Gould said, via Dalton Johnson of NBCSportsBayArea.com. “I think this year, stadiums will definitely be different from a wind perspective, because the fans usually in most stadiums will knock down the wind. . . . Also you’re going to have to watch film on these game when you get a couple games into the season.
“I think the biggest part for us is just going out and getting a good game plan in the pregame. Even if it’s different on film, just go with what we’re feeling that day. But at least we have a feeling of what that might look like.”
Gould said he’s been practicing more inside Levi’s Stadium to get used to the conditions, saying “the wind here in Levi’s will be definitely different than it has in the past.”