The question is, which of these aspects contributes most to a home team’s advantage? Is there one team that stands out as being able to use more than one of these factors to their benefit?
Let’s start with intimidating fans. Many teams are notorious for having ruthless supporters, a perfect example being the Philadelphia Eagles fans at Lincoln Financial Field, who are well-known for egging rival teams. Philly’s fans are renowned for being incredibly merciless – and on some occasions even towards their own under-performing players.
It’s not just at the Linc that the callous abusive nature is evident. Cleveland Browns’ fabled Dawg Pound and Oakland Raiders’ Black Hole both create just as uninviting an atmosphere.
But the most talked about fans can be found in Seattle. Known as the ‘12th man’, visitors to Qwest Field have to endure their play calls being drowned out by the decibels of noise the unique stadium design generates. So effective can they be that during the 2005 season a huge 11 false starts were called against the New York Giants.
It is a similar case with the Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium and many of the teams that now play in an indoor stadium or dome. These teams can all bring noise to put off their opponents when they need to.
Heinz Field and Soldier Field, home to the Steelers and Bears respectively, earn notable mentions for having the worst playing turf in the league, as well as windy weather conditions. But it is Lambeau Field, home of the Packers, Patriots’ Gillette Stadium and Broncos’ Invesco Field that all experience the worst weather conditions. Especially so when the snow falls in the winter months.
Invesco Field has another trick up its sleeve for opposing teams, however. It’s called Mile High for a reason, and that means the air is much thinner, making it difficult for players to breathe – something the Broncos players are all used to.
But what do the stats say? Well, since the league expanded in 2002, it comes as no surprise that the Patriots are top of the pile with home wins – having a win percentage of 83%. This is closely followed by the Colts with a 79% win rate. Surprisingly, a team that is rarely mentioned when talking about the toughest place to visit, the Ravens, came third in the rankings with 74%.
Fourth were the Steelers and their terrible towels with 71% and in fifth were the Chargers who play their home games at Qualcomm Stadium, the heat being the most problematic issue at their venue. Missing the cut in joint sixth place were the Packers, Eagles, Seahawks and the Vikings. The stats would seemingly suggest that these are the most difficult places to go to and come away with a win.
However, when considering the toughest place to play, it’s understandable that not all the best teams should be ranked at the top. Most of the time good teams will naturally have good home winning percentages. The Colts’ Lucas Oil Stadium is a prime example of this.
Playing in a dome, the Colts do not have to endure adverse weather conditions like they would at other stadia. Their fans are also not renowned for being the loudest or most intimidating in the league, but they continue to deliver when it matters most – perhaps more down to the Peyton Manning factor than any outside influences.
So, after compiling this data about home-field advantage, here are my thoughts about the most impenetrable fortresses in the NFL:
1. Gillette Stadium, New England Patriots – A mix of cold weather and the Bill Belichick/Tom Brady connection.
2. Heinz Field, Pittsburgh Steelers – Terrible Towels, terrible turf and terrible weather: enough said.
3. Lambeau Field, Green Bay Packers– Cold, miserable weather and intimidating ‘cheesehead’ fans.
4. Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia Eagles – Rowdy, ruthless and unforgiving. The fans are as unwelcoming as the weather.
5. Quest Field, Seattle Seahawks – The 12th Man!
No comments:
Post a Comment