The most feared fortresses in the NFL: why home-field advantage can be so important

A hot topic of discussion in the NFL is which venue is the toughest to get a ‘W’ at. There are lots of different reasons why a stadium or field can be difficult to visit – with the weather, type of turf, exuberance of the fans and whether or not the game is played in a dome being key factors.

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!

Rams close to fitting missing pieces of the jigsaw – Part Two: Offense

Despite the obvious need to surround Bradford with weapons for his sophomore season, there were a lot of observers left with raised eyebrows when the Rams took TE Lance Kendricks from Wisconsin in the second round, and two very similar receivers in Austin Pettis out of Boise State and Greg Salas from Hawaii in rounds three and four.

Securing the services of the athletic Kendricks appeared odd to a lot of fans because of the decision to take two development TEs in Michael Hoomanawanui and Fendi Onobun in the 2010 draft.

However, considering new offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels – previously head coach at the Denver Broncos and OC at the Patriots under Bill Belichick – likes to employ a spread offense with two TEs it is understandable why this decision was made. It also provides a nice comfort blanket for Bradford, in the form of a solid check-down option with good hands, and an equally useful blocker for Pro Bowl running back Steven Jackson.

There was also frustration at the choice of two very similar receivers in Pettis and Salas – both of whom are big, strong receivers with solid hands and great route-running ability, but who lack the explosiveness and speed of a number one receiver.

However, it is important to point out that last season the Rams struggles were not in moving the ball down field, the problem was picking up six once they reached the red zone – something which Pettis, Salas and Kendricks will all help address because of their route-running ability. And it must also be stressed that an out-an-out no.1 receiver would not solve this weakness in the Rams’ offensive unit.

Adding three new weapons for former Heisman trophy winner Bradford has now given the team serious depth in their receiving corps – enhanced by the return from season-ending injuries of Donnie Avery, a speedster who was selected ahead of Eagles stand-out receiver DeSean Jackson in the 2008 draft, and veteran Mark Clayton, who gelled well with Bradford in the short time he was on the field after joining from the Ravens.


Although he will hit the free agency market when the lockout is over, Clayton has expressed a desire to return to St Louis, and the Rams will surely look to snap up his services sooner rather than later. Then there’s Missouri wide receiver Danario Alexander – a guy who was undrafted in 2010 but signed by the Rams after Clayton went down injured. He struggled to stay healthy all year – part of the reason why he ended up signing with St Louis as an undrafted free agent after putting together stellar collegiate numbers in 2008.

However, if he can stay healthy there is real hope from within the organisation that the glimpses he showed last season were just a snippet of his talents. If he can fight off competition during training camp and gets an extended run in the team then he is a legitimate candidate for the number one receiver spot for years to come.

With Clayton, Avery and Alexander looking like shoe-ins for three of the receiver spots on the roster, and Amendola developing nicely as a slot receiver last season – much in the mould of Wes Welker, it leaves two players part of last year’s team out in the cold. Assuming the Rams do not cut this year’s third and fourth round draft picks, it would seem that Brandon Gibson and Laurent Robinson will likely be the two receivers released.

Then there’s the running back dilemma. Steven Jackson has been outstanding, there is no question about that. Last year he became the Rams’ all time leading rusher, surpassing the previous record set by Eric Dickerson. But he has been asked to carry the team for the past seven seasons and now the rebuilding finally appears to be taking shape it is crucial the Rams sign a change-of-pace back to help share the load.

San Diego’s Darren Sproles has been mooted as a potential addition to the team, and would seemingly be a perfect complement to Jackson in a feared running back tandem. Similarly, the explosive nature of Reggie Bush, who was vocal about his displeasure in seeing the Saints draft Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram in the first round last month, would turn the offense and special teams unit into an exciting and potentially devastating force.

The tackle spots on the offensive line seem set for years after Saffold, a second round pick in 2010, had a breakout year protecting Sam Bradford’s blindside and former number two pick Jason Smith finally found his feet on the right. With one of the most consistent and reliable center’s in Jason Brown bolstering the line the only real upgrades needed appear to be at the guard positions.

Veterans Adam Goldberg and Jacob Bell do not appear to be long term solutions for the Rams. Both struggled badly towards the end of last season, failing to create the necessary holes and running lanes for SJ to burst through. John Greco showed glimpses of potential but failed to remain healthy on a consistent basis. That means it is imperative the Rams pick up at least one guard in free agency and another in the later rounds of the 2012 NFL draft.

The only other area of need which many believe can be addressed in the free agency market is an out-and-out number one receiver. Having discussed the various options the Rams already have at this position it doesn’t appear to be that much of a glaring need. One thing is for sure, coach Spags believes above all else in playing for the team and having players with strong characters to be a part of it. It wouldn’t make much sense going out and grabbing Chad Ochocinco, Terrell Owens or Randy Moss because they’re likely to upset the apple cart and do more harm than good.

That leaves the only other option being Sidney Rice who may well hit the market from the Vikings. But despite having clear potential, as was demonstrated when he put together such impressive numbers with Brett Favre at the helm in 2009, Rice was hampered by injuries last season. And he wouldn’t come cheap either. The Vikings are likely to want at least a first-round pick for someone who has been a focal point of their offense – and that’s if they let him go at all. This move seems like a stretch for the Rams, and again one which seems unlikely when considering how coach Spags has built his team up till now.
The smart money says Spagnuolo sticks with what he already has and lets Josh McDaniels work his magic. And judging by the new offensive coordinator’s previous record, there is a distinct possibility he could ignite the passing game, while balancing it off with the consistent and devastating threat posed by the evergreen Steven Jackson.