Lousy at Lambeau: Patriots (Almost) Never Win at Green Bay
Lambeau Field was built in Green Bay, Wisconsin in 1957.
The Boston/New England Patriots have been playing professional football since 1959.
Between them, the Patriots and Green Bay Packers have two of the richest heritages in the NFL with a combined 10 Super Bowls.
But in one of the weirdest quirks in football, the two teams rarely play each other in one of America's most iconic settings. Sunday will mark only the fourth time for the Patriots to play the Packers at fabled Lambeau Field.
"It's a fantastic atmosphere to be in," Patriots receiver Troy Brown said earlier this week. "I think every player should embrace being able to go back to one of the last standing stadiums of the the old days. Everything there pretty much still looks the same as it did years and years ago. We don't get through there very often, being in different divisions and everything. But when you have an opportunity to play there you should take the moment in ... without being intimidated."
Boston has Fenway; Green Bay Lambeau.
So unique is the matchup that in the Patriots' 63-year history they have won a game at Lambeau exactly one time. For stadiums and/or franchises that have been around more than a minute, it's the toughest place for New England to win in its franchise's history.
On Nov. 19, 2006, the Patriots were so good in a 35-0 rout over Green Bay that they whipped both Brett Farve and Aaron Rodgers. Tom Brady threw four touchdown passes (to Daniel Graham, Reche Caldwell, Ben Watson and Laurence Maroney) and the defense allowed only five first downs while sacking the Favre and Rodgers a combined five times.
But that's it ... the extend of New England's success in Green Bay.
Obviously the teams didn't play until the Patriots joined the NFL in the merger of 1970. Still, only three meetings at Lambeau over 52 seasons is astounding. The only teams the Pats have played fewer are the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (who entered the league in 1976) and Jacksonville Jaguars and Carolina Panthers (both 1995).
New England struggled in old, classic venues such as Texas Stadium (Dallas Cowboys) and Candlestick Park (San Francisco 49ers), going 1-4 in each place. Its minimal trips to Wisconsin have also been mostly forgettable.
In 1979 the Patriots lost at Lambeau, 27-14, behind six turnovers and three interceptions by quarterback Steve Grogan. In the most recent visit in 2014, they fell behind 13-0 in the first quarter and lost, 26-21, by allowing 368 passing yards by Rodgers.
While the NFL's second-oldest stadium behind Soldier Field has been inhospitable to the Pats, we're not even counting their other trip to Wisconsin - a 45-3 loss to the Packers in 1988 at Milwaukee County Stadium that remains the second-biggest loss in team history. (For what it's worth, they are 6-3 at the league's oldest joint, Chicago's Soldier Field.)
On the first Sunday in October, weather shouldn't be a problem for the Patriots. But playing at hallowed Lambeau with an undermanned, underdog squad missing quarterback Mac Jones may continue their Midwest misery.
Follow Patriots Country on Twitter and Facebook
Want the latest in breaking news and insider information on the Patriots? Click Here
Follow Mike D’Abate on Twitter @mdabateNFL and Listen/Subscribe to his daily podcast: Locked On Patriots
