What Happened to NFL Home-Field Advantage?

[DGUtley]

What Happened to NFL Home-Field Advantage? - Home teams were 127-128-1 overall this season, finishing below .500 for the first time in NFL history. Playing in nearly empty stadiums is one explanation, but it doesn’t tell the whole story.

https://www.theringer.com/nfl/2021/1...9-restrictions

In 2020, a team that packed up and flew to a new city, stayed in a hotel, and played in a visiting stadium on Sunday was more likely to win than one whose players stayed at home and played in a familiar environment, a trend that flips a common sports assumption on its head.

The most obvious explanation for the decline in home-field advantage this season is the lack of large crowds due to COVID-19 protocols. There are no hordes of screaming Steelers fans waving terrible towels, 12s setting sound records in Seattle, or Kansas City fans shaking the foundation of Arrowhead Stadium on pivotal defensive third downs. It wasn’t until Week 14 that a home quarterback—in this case, Browns signal-caller Baker Mayfield—had to gesture to quiet a home crowd that was too riled up as he tried to
operate at the line of scrimmage. (As it happens, the Browns went on to lose that home game against Baltimore.)


Home_win_pct.jpgHome_scoring_margin_over_time.jpgHome_yardage_margin.jpg

[hanger4]

The 12th Man is important, it gives you that second wind to give it just .......... one .......... more .......... shot.

[pjohns]

The most obvious explanation for the decline in home-field advantage this season is the lack of large crowds due to COVID-19 protocols.

Cum hoc ergo propter hoc.

At the same time as it, therefore because of it.

The supermarket was out of Pepsis on the same day that a meteor came unusually close to the Earth.

Therefore, the meteor must have caused the supermarket to be out of Pepsis.

[Tahuyaman]

This season is an anomaly.

[carolina73]

Of course your charts show the same problem for 2019.
Maybe the kneelers do not feel appreciated anymore. That would explain 2019.