Does Cold Weather Really Make a Difference?

[kevans74]

To add to this, I would imagine that this is the reason you draft AJ Dillon.

A bigger, faster version of Eddie Lacey and slightly more muscular than even Derrick Henry.

I don't imagine it would be "fun" to tackle AJ Dillon in subfreezing temperatures

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

When I was on the eastern front during the war, it was -100, and you had to snap off the solid pee when you finally managed to go. Sorry, I thought it was a competition.

Is that how you earned the nickname "Old Snapped-Off Pee Pee"?

 

[Wi. Mike now in Florida]

I would suggest to move Lambeau Field down here to Florida for this game, but then again I was
in Jacksonville when we played New Orleans in the 1st opener, and we all know how that turn out.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

I think it's safe to say it's going to be a Sat. Game at Lambeau.

Forecast for Sat. High of 21. Low of 4.

Not much different than the Viking game.

 

[red4tribe]

Cold weather withstanding, if you don't think playing at home is an advantage than you've never attended a game with loud fans. Lambeau will be rocking next weekend and I doubt we see as many 49'er fans than the Cowboys saw today. At times they were louder than the Dallas crowd.

The other advantage the Packers have is knowing the turf better in all of its conditions. The home field crew will be "prepping" that field for whatever conditions better suit the home team. If that means letting it freeze a bit, so be it. Snow is predicted for Saturday, I say "let it snow!"

Playing at home is definitely an advantage. I'm just not convinced it makes a difference if it's 17 degrees at Lambeau or 47.

 

[Mondio]

I’m not sure the temp is a huge factor other than teams quit a little easier if they start getting beat up.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

Sure looks like the Steelers are playing in 30 below weather tonight. Some real boring blowouts this weekend. Home teams will be 4-1 after the Chiefs game.

 

[OldSchool101]

I think it’s a very minor advantage but would favor the team who lives there.

For a team like SF? You can’t simulate practicing at 14 degrees
(or <10 degree windchill etc..) and that’s an area where it can definitely become a mental or physical distraction for players who are not accustomed. The Packers just played an entire game in very similar weather 2 weeks ago. While SF players were sweating in Dallas today.

I think a bigger factor is is having 78K fans vs the 6-8K fans during last seasons postseason.

 

[mongoosev]

Unless there is snow on the ground the temp theory doesn’t matter. It’s all about the snow.

 

[longtimefan]

I think it’s a very minor advantage but would favor the team who lives there.

For a team like SF? You can’t simulate practicing at 14 degrees
(or <10 degree windchill etc..) and that’s an area where it can definitely become a mental or physical distraction for players who are not accustomed. The Packers just played an entire game in very similar weather 2 weeks ago. While SF players were sweating in Dallas today.

I think a bigger factor is is having 78K fans vs the 6-8K fans during last seasons postseason.

Frisco came here in 2016? 17? For playoff game and won.. It was 5

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

Frisco came here in 2016? 17? For playoff game and won.. It was 5

Jan 5, 2014.....seems like yesterday. Fortunately, Kaepernick isn't a 49'er anymore. Another game that he tore us up running the ball.

 

[milani]

We'll hear a lot this week about how the cold weather is going to be an advantage for us against a warm weather team like the Rams. This seems to be conventional wisdom, but is there really any statistical evidence back it up?

Just thinking about our recent history, our home losses in the playoffs have come against Atlanta (2002), Minnesota (2004), NYG (2007), NYG (2011), and San Francisco (2013). The Giants are from a colder environment, but Atlanta is obviously warm weather, San Francisco isn't really cold weather either, and the Viking play indoors.

So is there any statistical evidence that supports the conventional wisdom?

Not so much. I think most of it is mental. Home field is much more the advantage. Now if you had hurricane winds like the Bills-Pats game this season it might mean the running game decides it and whoever suffers in the kicking game the most.

 

[milani]

Frisco came here in 2016? 17? For playoff game and won.. It was 5

Yes. And barely. They won because they were better on paper and our roster was thin that day. If Micah Hyde holds on to the ball maybe not.

 

[red4tribe]

Since 2008, the Packers have played 26 games in Lambeau started by Rodgers where the kickoff temperature has been 32 or below. The Packers are 21-5 in those games, so that's an 80.7% winning percentage.

In home games that Rodgers has started where the temperature is above freezing, the Packers are 69-13-1, which is an 83.7% win percentage.

So, there isn't really a discernable difference based on the temperature.

 

[Schultz]

Could you cut the temp in half and give those stats for above and below 16 degrees? Asking for a friends girlfriend.
Thanks in advance.

 

[red4tribe]

Could you cut the temp in half and give those stats for above and below 16 degrees? Asking for a friends girlfriend.
Thanks in advance.

16 degrees or below
3-2

17-32 degrees
18-3

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

How about 8 degree games for Rodgers? He played pretty well against the Vikings and I think it was around 10.

 

[red4tribe]

How about 8 degree games for Rodgers? He played pretty well against the Vikings and I think it was around 10.

Rodgers has only played in two games at Lambeau where it's been under 10 degrees at kickoff, and he's 0-2. The first was against the Texans towards the end of the 2008 season (3 degrees), and the second was against the 49ers in the 2013 playoffs (5 degrees).

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

Rodgers has only played in two games at Lambeau where it's been under 10 degrees at kickoff, and he's 0-2. The first was against the Texans towards the end of the 2008 season (3 degrees), and the second was against the 49ers in the 2013 playoffs (5 degrees).

So what you are saying is that he is due for a huge cold weather game? I also realized I asked you to find that, so thank you.

Given one of those games was in 2008 and the other 9 years ago, I am going to look at most recent events and that was the Jan 2nd game against the Vikings when it started at 10 degrees and ended at around 5 I think? Anyway, Rodgers was 29/38 288 yds and 2 TD's.

 

[Dantés]

If it's severely cold, QB's need to think about putting a little bit more touch on the ball. But it's far less impactful than moisture and, especially, wind.

 

[mongoosev]

If it's severely cold, QB's need to think about putting a little bit more touch on the ball. But it's far less impactful than moisture and, especially, wind.

And snow…

 

[Zad Fnark]

About 15 years or so ago, my wife got me a bunch of tickets for my birthday. She wouldn't go, so I brought my Mom, one brother and my son along.

It was literally about -5 out at kickoff. Jacksonville was here to play. We wound up losing, which I thought would be impossible in this ice bowl.

The drink sellers cheered me as I was the first to buy hot chocolate from them.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

The drink sellers cheered me as I was the first to buy hot chocolate from them.

I would have too, they were giving it away for free.

 

[longtimefan]

If it's severely cold, QB's need to think about putting a little bit more touch on the ball. But it's far less impactful than moisture and, especially, wind.

Think rodgers hates windy games

 

[longtimefan]

Frisco came here in 2016? 17? For playoff game and won.. It was 5

Wow not then but was 2013?

I was far off