It is gameday in Green Bay, Wisconsin! The Packers host the Miami Dolphins tonight in a Thanksgiving battle. The Packers enter this game with a record of 8-3 and currently hold the 6th seed in the NFC. Over the past few years, the Packers have not lived up the legend of a “cold weather team”. Tonight, against the Dolphins, the Green Bay Packers look to reclaim the “Frozen Tundra” nickname.
The temperature at kickoff is expected to be 27 degrees with a 17 degree wind chill. The Miami Dolphins come to town red hot. The Dolphins have won their last three games against the Rams, Raiders, and the Patriots. The cold Green Bay weather might be the inverse effect to cooling off the Dolphins.
The Dolphins have lost 11 straight games with a sub-40 degree temperature at kickoff. In fact, QB Tua Tagovailoa is 0-4 in games in the same conditions. Tagovailoa has a QBR of 21.1 in games with temperatures below 40 degrees. That 21.1 QBR number is the lowest in the NFL in these conditions. Additionally, Tagovailoa has thrown 4 touchdowns and 5 INTs with a 54.5% completion percentage in these cold weather games.
Green Bay’s Physical Style Compliments the Cold Weather
The Packers defeated a San Francisco 49er team 38-10 last Sunday. The 49ers have been the standard for a “physical, tough” football team for the past several years. Green Bay’s offensive line pushed the 49ers around. RB Josh Jacobs forced 15 missed tackles in that 28 point victory. Jacobs and the Packers offensive line can set the tone early against the Dolphins in tonight’s cold weather battle.
In recent years, the Green Bay Packers have let teams come to town and beat them in the cold. Just a few a weeks ago, the Lions did not let the cold, rainy conditions affect them as nearly as much as it affected the Packers. The Packers have lost their last two cold, snowy playoff games in Green Bay as well. The opportunity to reestablish that it is difficult to play in Lambeau Field in the cold is prevalent for the Packers tonight.
It is important that the Packers set the tone early. Playing a tough, physical style tonight in the cold will be important against a team that struggles in the poor weather. With two more games in Green Bay this season, establishing an inter belief that the cold conditions benefit the Packers will be key for the team moving forward. The Packers look to make it two straight wins on the Thanksgiving holiday. Hopefully, this time around, Jordan Love will get his turkey leg.
