Home Field Advantage May be Overrated for Packers in Postseason
By Matt De Saro
Sports stats are a funny thing sometimes. Some of the more compelling stats are the ones that just don’t make any sense. For example, Clayton Kershaw is one of the best pitchers of our generation but has struggled his entire career in the playoffs. The idea that a player can be so good in one situation and so bad in another boggles my mind.
One such stat that was brought to my attention this afternoon has to do with the Green Bay Packers and their win/loss record at Lambeau Field.
First, let's take a look at the Packers' regular-season statistics at home this season. Green Bay has yet to lose a game all year at home and will end the year with a perfect 8-0 record. As far as wins and losses against the spread (ATS), the Packers went 7-1 at home. Both marks lead the NFL.
One would expect this trend to extend into the playoffs right? Well, for around 80 years before the 2000s, that was the case. The Packers were unbeaten at home in the playoffs between 1921-2001 in what was an epic streak.
Ener Michael Vick and the 2002 Atlanta Falcons who smoked Brett Favre and the Green Bay Packers 27-7 at Lambeau. Since that loss, Green Bay has gone on to lose five more playoff games at home in the last 18 seasons after dropping zero in the previous 80.
The latest disappointment at home came last season when the Tampa Bay Buccaneer marched into Lambeau and beat the Packers 31-26 in the NFC Championship Game. The Packers are hoping that this season can be different.
The Packers still have one game to get through before the playoffs, however. The Lions are 3-point underdogs at home at WynnBET Sportsbook as of now in the regular-season finale for both teams.
As was the case in 2020, the Packers were the No. 1 seed in the NFC and, therefore, the path to SoFi Stadium runs through Green Bay. Head coach Matt LeGlaur put it perfectly when talking to reports yesterday. He said that earning the top seed in the conference does not guarantee them anything. If recent history is to go off of, they might be right with a round-two home game on the horizon.