In the late 1990s, the Packers were unstoppable on the Frozen Tundra of Lambeau Field. Teams feared to come into our house and their fans, when predicting their team’s season record, would religiously mark a loss next to any games their team played at Lambeau Field.
In 1997, on their way to their second straight Super Bowl, the Packers largely walked through the regular season on their way to post season play and recorded all wins in the legendary stadium. But on October 5, 1998, the Vikings closed the door on a shocking win at Lambeau and created a crack in the impenetrable wall that surrounded the Packers’ home record.
In the seasons that followed, from 1999 to 2009, what was once an easy win was no longer. In those years, the Packers suffered 31 losses at home. The Lambeau mystique was gone and Packer fans were wondering where it went, and, more importantly, when it would come back.
In recent years, there have been some rumblings that indicate that the mighty Lambeau advantage may be rolling back into town.
In the last 28 Packer regular season home games, the Packers have only lost two games. That home win percentage of 92.9% puts the Packers at the top of the league in home win percentage and a good distance ahead of the Patriots who’s high powered offense is still only generating home field wins 88.9% of the time.
In fact, over the last 21 games there has only been one home loss. It was a big one in the home opener against the 49ers, but it’s the sole black mark on their regular season home record all the way back into the 2010 season.
Is the Lambeau mystique back? Time will tell. Things like the post season loss at home against the Giants in 2011 still leave questions in my mind. Still, 2013 might just be the year every team enters Lambeau with a chip on their shoulder and leaves humiliated, with their tails between their legs.
Two words…Eddie Lacy. If he stays healthy and continues to play well…we will likely continue to dominate at home and get over the hump of losing on our home turf in December.