Fantasy Index

Factoid

Home cooking?

Road teams favored in all but one of weekend's games

Three of the four road teams are favored this weekend, and it will a big surprise if at least one of the road teams doesn’t advance to the next round. Since the league moved to the eight-division format in 2002, a road team has advanced in all but two of 13 years.

Home teams in these games have gone only 30-22 in the last 13 years, and in probably none of those years did they match up as poorly as this one. Washington and Houston are hosting games despite finishing with lesser records than their opponents. Minnesota got clobbered by Seattle a month ago. And Cincinnati is going without its starting quarterback.

RESULTS OF FIRST-ROUND PLAYOFF GAMES
YearWinnerLoserScore
2002Atlantaat Green Bay27-7
2002at NY JetsIndianapolis41-0
2002at PittsburghCleveland36-33
2002at San FranciscoNY Giants39-38
2003TennesseeBaltimore20-17
2003at CarolinaDallas29-10
2003at Green BaySeattle33-27
2003at IndianapolisDenver41-10
2004Minnesotaat Green Bay31-17
2004NY Jetsat San Diego20-17
2004St. Louisat Seattle27-20
2004at IndianapolisDenver49-24
2005Carolinaat NY Giants23-0
2005Pittsburghat Cincinnati31-17
2005Washingtonat Tampa Bay17-10
2005at New EnglandJacksonville28-3
2006at IndianapolisKansas City23-8
2006at New EnglandNY Jets37-16
2006at PhiladelphiaNY Giants23-20
2006at SeattleDallas21-20
2007Jacksonvilleat Pittsburgh31-29
2007NY Giantsat Tampa Bay24-14
2007at San DiegoTennessee 17-6
2007at SeattleWashington35-14
2008Baltimoreat Miami27-9
2008Philadelphiaat Minnesota26-14
2008at Arizona Atlanta30-24
2008at San DiegoIndianapolis23-17
2009Baltimoreat New England33-14
2009NY Jetsat Cincinnati24-14
2009at Arizona Green Bay51-45
2009at DallasPhiladelphia34-14
2010Baltimoreat Kansas City30-7
2010Green Bayat Philadelphia21-16
2010NY Jetsat Indianapolis17-16
2010at SeattleNew Orleans41-36
2011at DenverPittsburgh29-23
2011at HoustonCincinnati31-10
2011at New OrleansDetroit45-28
2011at NY GiantsAtlanta24-2
2012Seattleat Washington24-14
2012at BaltimoreIndianapolis24-9
2012at Green BayMinnesota24-10
2012at HoustonCincinnati19-13
2013New Orleansat Philadelphia26-24
2013San DiegoCincinnati27-10
2013San Franciscoat Green Bay23-20
2013at IndianapolisKansas City45-44
2014Baltimoreat Pittsburgh30-17
2014at Carolina Arizona 27-16
2014at Dallas Detroit24-20
2014at IndianapolisCincinnati26-10

—Ian Allan

Fantasy Index