Is there such a thing as "HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE" in the NFL Play-Offs?

Question

Your thoughts?

Answer 1

I think "home field advantage" is overrated. It may be significant on the high school and college level due to travel, but in the NFL, the players are pampered and taken care of so well that it really doesn't matter where they play UNLESS it's somewhere like Green Bay, Buffalo, or New England. All of the teams that play in the north in open air stadiums always have to allow for snow. If there's no snow, though, the only things advantageous at home are the fans. And if your team is especially bad, the fans don't even help.

As far as the playoffs are concerned, I think that having a bye week is more harmful to a team because it stalls any momentum that they might have had AND it gives players a two week layover whereas the wildcard squads who are usually just getting hot near the end of the season are still pretty warm from the week before.

Answer 2

I heard a recent radio show that mentioned how new stadiums and arenas were making the visiting team almost as comfortable as the home team.

There are certain places where the advantage still exists...take Denver where the altitude is a factor...or Arizona where it gets so quiet that a visiting quarterback has to whisper for fear of the defence hearing his play call.

The advantage, however, is no where near as severe as it used to be. As for any difference from playoffs to regular season...I doubt it. The only true advantage here is when you might have a fair weather team visiting a cold weather team in January...but even home teams can be affected by weather if not prepared.

Answer 3

Yes, especially if your a dome team with a great passing game (colts for instance). You would much rather be the home team then have to face New England in the snow. Weather can play a huge role in a football game.

Answer 4

Well, since all four home teams won this past weekend, I'd say there's one.

And the fans are the Twelfth Man, not the 13th player (must be confusing that with a really bad Antonio Banderas movie).

Answer 5

Yeah there is. Domed teams going into open stadiums. Warm weather teams going into the cold. Since you mention playoffs the fans are an advantage.

Answer 6

Also, imagine a team like San Diego which plays in almost perfect weather playing at the Meadowlands against the Giants/Jets where weather (especially the wind) can make passing pretty nasty...

Answer 7

Have you never heard of the fans being called the "thirteenth player"? Of course it makes a difference. All the cheering makes it hard for audible calls. I won't list other advantages because the other answers addressed some of those already. But yes there definately is an advantage.

Answer 8

I think at one time it was a factor, but with parity being what it is, that element is slowly fading away.

It didn't seem to affect the Steelers last year, and it certainly didn't help Chicago (who I look to get bounced again if not by Seattle, then next week by the winner of the NO/Philly game).

Answer 9

Just ask a team like Tampa Bay when they have to play in Greenbay or Chicago in the playoffs

Answer 10

It's called the 12th man advatage. If you have ever been inside a dome when 70,000 people are screaming at the top of their lungs...Or at ArrowHead... You know what I mean.