Packers: Why home-field advantage could make all the difference

The Green Bay Packers failed to make the most of home-field advantage last year, but it gives them the best chance of success again in 2021.

With five games to go, the Green Bay Packers are in position to make a run for the NFC’s number one seed.

With head-to-head tiebreakers over the Arizona Cardinals and Los Angeles Rams, just matching the overall record of the eventual NFC West winner will be enough to finish ahead of them in the standings.

Should more than two teams be tied, conference record could come into it. Currently, Green Bay leads the NFC with a 7-2 record within the conference. Three more conference games are to come, all against division rivals. Winning all three would set the Packers up nicely for home-field advantage.

Of course, you only have to go back to January to find an example of Green Bay losing a playoff game at home.

But that was also the last time the Packers lost a game at Lambeau Field. They have won all five in the regular season in 2021.

Under Matt LaFleur, the Packers are 19-2 in games at Lambeau Field in the regular season, and 2-1 in the postseason. They are still strong in road games, going 16-7 in the regular season but 0-1 in the postseason.

This is a strong team no matter where they’re playing, but they are far tougher to beat at Lambeau Field.

This team is also better prepared to win in the Lambeau conditions late in January than in previous years. Green Bay has a top-10 defense this season, while AJ Dillon’s rise on offense is perfect for late-season football. Dillon can wear defenses down in the playoffs and allow the Packers to dictate the tempo of the game.

Yes, the Packers lost their last home playoff game. But if they are going to win the Super Bowl this year, their best path is to have the NFC run through Lambeau Field once again.