Heading into December’s slate of NFL games, the
Green Bay Packers find themselves a game in front of the Detroit Lions for the
NFC North division lead.
At 9-3 and coming off an impressive win over the previously
hot New England Patriots on a cold evening in Green Bay, the Packers are in position
to grab the division title, particularly with two of their remaining regular season
games being at Lambeau Field.
One of those games, the last of the season, is
against the Lions, a team that has bested the Packers earlier in the season.
The Packers, led by super quarterback Aaron Rodgers,
are also fighting for home field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs. Playing
in those frigid Green Bay temperatures, and especially field slick from snow
and ice, gives the Packers’ offense an advantage, says Rodgers, even against other
cold weather teams.
“It doesn't really matter what team comes in;
there’s an advantage based on the footing and the weather,” Rodgers said this morning
on ESPN’s Mike and Mike. “I’ve always found in the cold weather, it’s a little
bit more difficult to rush the passer. And, the footing favors the offense
because, much like on an icy field or a wet field, an offensive player knows
where he’s going. You have a slight advantage there.”
We all know that from our days playing backyard
football in the snow, right?
If you were running with the ball, you could
easily put a move on a defender, who would have to react to your movement, and
then slip right on his keister. Anyone who has experienced the joy of football
in the snow with their buddies has more than likely been on both ends of that
scenario.
OK. Back to Rodgers. He briefly mentioned the
effect cold temps can have on the ball, saying “the cold weather does some different
things to the football, and if you’re not used to that it can bother you a
little bit.”
I was hoping Professor Rodgers would delve in
how the elasticity of the ball decreases in the cold. It would have been great
to get a cold-weather quarterback’s insight into how the frigid temps affect
his grip and the flight of the ball.
Hey, you know what. Maybe I’ll give him a call.
Stay tuned.
-- RAINOUT --
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