There was a time when Brett Favre and Reggie White helped turn the Green Bay Packers into a winner again. When the opposing team ran out of the tunnels at Lambeau Field, they knew they were going into an unsafe and hostile environment.
The Packers couldn’t lose at home for what seemed like a lifetime. That seemed to change in January 2003. That’s when Michael Vick led the Atlanta Falcons to a win and became the first NFL team to ever beat the Packers at Lambeau in the playoffs. That means no team had ever beaten Green Bay after the regular season since 1933.
So is the oldest operating NFL stadium losing its magic? There didn’t seem to be any there this past weekend. It could be the uncertainty of the current state of the team. Maybe it’s because the Packers aren’t very exciting to watch on both ends of the ball. Is the current atmosphere at Lambeau reason to blame?
Let’s break down both sides quickly. Is Lambeau just a regular home-field advantage now, or is it overblown because of the team’s current play?
Lambeau Field Isn’t The Same
What really brought this thinking to the forefront was Week 6’s loss to the New York Jets. After Jaire Alexander claimed the team might be in trouble if they lost to the Jets, it came to fruition — even after quarterback Aaron Rodgers warned them that saying stuff like that is never good.
Not only did the Jets win, they basically embarrassed the Packers at home. It was the first time I heard the team booed on the broadcast. That never happens at Lambeau. Fans headed for the exits with nine minutes left. That almost never happens either, especially when they are only a few scores down. Maybe if the team is up big and the weather is truly awful. But besides that, no one ever really leaves early.
And then this happened:
I couldn’t tell you the last time anyone dared to wear a cheesehead around to mock the Packers, especially inside Lambeau. Yes, the cheesehead trend is basically over. But it’s still a symbol of Packers fandom and something another team would have never tried to do. Thank goodness Allen Lazard took care of that.
When the Jets scored a touchdown earlier in the game, there were so many Jets fans taking over a first row that they could do the Lambeau Leap in Green Bay. Again, something that never happens. And if it does, they are immediately pushed down by fans. Very demoralizing to watch.
Teams come into Lambeau knowing the history and how hard it is to play there. Aaron Rodgers mentioned that aspect on the Pat McAfee show last year. Warning, NSFW:
So with all of this buildup, it almost makes it seem worse, then, that the Jets were able to land in Green Bay and absolutely take care of business. Is this now a pattern or something that is just fresh in mind?
Lambeau Field Is Still Lambeau Field
Now that we’ve hit the panic button on maybe the greatest stadium in sports, let’s take a breath and look at the facts.
The end of the Mike McCarthy era was a bit of a mess, so let’s even forget that for a second, knowing the records weren’t great. Matt LaFleur’s current record at Lambeau basically blows the earlier part of the article’s thinking out of the water.
The Packers went 7-1 at home in 2019. Not a bad debut for a first-time head coach. They also went 1-0 in the playoffs. They would lose the NFC Championship in San Francisco. In 2020, Green Bay went 7-1 again. They were 1-1 in the playoffs, again losing in the NFC Championship. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat them this time, though. Then, last season, the Packers were undefeated at home. Yup, they went 8-0. But they would lose to the Niners again for the second-straight playoff game at home.
So to recap, the Packers are 22-2 at home under Matt LaFleur in the regular season. They were on a 15-game win streak before losing to the Jets. They are also 2-2 in the playoffs. So an overall record at Lambeau of 24-3. That’s pretty darn impressive.
Is it a little concerning that most of the losses are in the playoffs? Sure. But that means Lambeau Field is still a huge advantage for the Packers. It might definitely feel different when watching or even in the stadium. I saw a tweet and couldn’t find it again, so I apologize for not giving credit, but they made an excellent point: The same fans who were going crazy in the 1990s and making Lambeau Field shake with noise are now the same people sitting in the bleachers and yelling at young people to sit down and be quiet. That is 100% true.
The vibe at Lambeau is definitely different now, but it still holds an advantage for the team. The mystique might be missing. The Packers still win while playing in Green Bay, though. The team is currently 3-3 and doesn’t have a home game until Nov. 13. This next stretch of games is going to show who this team is.
Suppose they return to Lambeau in November against the Dallas Cowboys after losing to the Washington Commanders, Buffalo Bills, and Detroit Lions. In that case, we don’t need to discuss if trading for a wide receiver will help this team. We will discuss whether a wild card is still possible and if certain players shouldn’t return next season.
But for now, it appears that Lambeau Field isn’t the problem. It is still the best place to watch football, and we are all lucky to have it.
