The Green Bay Packers are one of the most storied franchises in the NFL. They have one of the most successful track records of any NFL team. 13 World Championships including four Super Bowl wins. In the present day they still are near the top of primetime games each and every year.
However, that hasn’t stopped them from being on the short end of the stick when it comes to one league-long drought.
The Green Bay Packers Continue League-Long Drought Into The 2024 Season
Lambeau Field’s season opener will have to wait another year because the Packers are headed to Brazil in Week 1. Wed Hodkiewicz of the Packers’ team website reports that the Packers haven’t played at home in Week 1 since the 2018 season.
That’s longer than the tenure of Matt LaFleur as head coach. Additionally, it is the longest drought of any NFL team.
A home opener gives you the opportunity to get a win off the bat, ease any pressure, and gain some momentum. Over the past decade, the Packers haven’t had many opportunities like that.
The last two seasons have seen 25 NFL teams open at home.
The Packers Haven’t Played Many Home Games In Week One Over The Last Decade
Freddie Boston of FanSided highlighted just how little opportunities the Packers have had to play at home during week one:
In the past 11 seasons, Green Bay has only played its opener at Lambeau Field twice, in 2017 and 2018, against the Seattle Seahawks and Chicago Bears.
Last season, the NFL forced the league’s youngest roster with a new starting quarterback to open with consecutive road games, including a divisional matchup with the Bears. It stacked the odds against LaFleur’s team, making it challenging to put an early-season win on the board.
There are positives. Eliminating a road game early means the Packers will play nine of their remaining 16 games at Lambeau Field. But consistently starting on the road is a challenge, making it harder to build momentum in September.
The 2024 season will be the sixth straight the Packers have had to open on the road. It’s likely just a coincidence, but the NFL needs to provide some balance moving forward.
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