Sights & Sounds: Jets vs. Raiders
Jets vs. Raiders: Check out all the excitement of gameday off the field. Presented by Seasonal World
Fans crowded the parking lots early at MetLife Stadium to share their Jets pride while cooking up some hamburgers and hotdogs before entering to watch the game.
Accompanied by the Aviators Drumline, players made their entrance into the stadium along the Jets Runway, located between Lots F and G beginning at the MetLife Central Gate.
While along the Jets Runway, NT Damon "Snacks" Harrison stopped to entertain a young fan before rejoining his teammates and proceeded to enter the stadium. Jets players and coaches walk through the fans at 10:30 a.m. before the game.
The new Jets inflatable entrance tunnel and enhanced pyrotechnics made their regular season debuts as the Jets' offense was introduced before a packed crowd.
Season ticket holders had the opportunity to hold a full-field American Flag before the packed crowd at MetLife Stadium. Before the singing of The National Anthem, the crowd had a moment of silence for those who lost their lives on September 11th.
As was stressed by head coach Rex Ryan for the week leading up to the regular season opener against the Raiders, fans helped create a Whiteout of MetLife Stadium on Sunday, as the Jets wore their all-white uniforms. Every fan received a Whiteout Towel and there was a 10 percent discount on all white apparel at the Jets Shops.
The fans, most dressed in white, helped create the home-field advantage Rex Ryan wanted for the game. This was a Whiteout in every sense of the word, including the white MetLife sign, which is typically green for Jets' home games.
RB Chris Ivory had the big play of the day: a 71-yard touchdown scamper that included nice blocking from his offensive line and a couple of broken towels. During his scamper was one of the loudest moments of the day. The fans, Rex said, were everything he expected and more: "They were absolutely awesome. We had a lot of white jerseys and towels out there. They were so loud. It was great. That's what home-field advantage is supposed to be."
The Junior Flight Crew helped keep the momentum alive with a halftime performance during the game. With some assistance from the Flight Crew Cheerleaders, these youngsters were able to dazzle the crowd.
The Junior Flight Crew is open to kids ages 7-14 years old and offers a non-competitive, fun atmosphere with an emphasis on cheer and dance technique, performance skills, showmanship and self-confidence. The performance at MetLife Stadium was the culmination of the Junior Flight Crew's summer program.
