Playing at home in the NFL isn’t as much of an advantage as it used to be. With many teams now playing in climate-controlled stadiums with artificial turf, and with so many strong passers and kickers in the league, it’s not as easy to rely on home-field advantage.
However, visiting the Minnesota Vikings is still a tough challenge. The loud crowd noise under the translucent roof at U.S. Bank Stadium and the fast, unpredictable defense create a lot of pressure for opponents.
Next up for the Vikings are the Arizona Cardinals, the first of three consecutive home games. The Vikings (9-2) are aiming for a playoff spot and to take the NFC North lead.
“Any chance you get to play in an energized and electric environment that’s in our favor is going to help, especially in December,” said safety Josh Metellus. “When teams are trying their hardest to play great football, that crowd noise and that energy can kind of throw people off.”
In 2024, home teams are winning just over half of their games, with a .525 winning percentage. This is one of the lowest rankings for home teams since the AFL-NFL merger. In the past few years, the Vikings struggled at home, finishing with a 2-6 record last year for their fourth-worst home record in franchise history.
This year, however, U.S. Bank Stadium has been lively, with the defense fueling the energy in the stadium. Arizona’s coach Jonathan Gannon, who was an assistant coach for the Vikings in the early years of the stadium, has experienced the tough atmosphere firsthand.
“They’ll be packed out, and there’ll be no Cardinals fans,” Gannon said. “It’s a tough place to play.”
The Vikings are 3-1 at home this season. They’ll face Atlanta on Dec. 8, and Chicago on Dec. 16. After a game at Seattle on Dec. 22, they’ll be back home against Green Bay on Dec. 29. The team’s schedule will have them mostly at home during the holiday season, with their final game of the season being at division-leading Detroit.
“I want everybody to be pushing forward, trying to continue to chase improvement and progression all the way through the end of our season,” said coach Kevin O’Connell. “They’re going to be jacked to be back in front of our fans at U.S. Bank. We know it’ll be an unbelievable atmosphere. We’ve got to give them something to be excited about.”
The Cardinals (6-5) are coming off a 16-6 loss to Seattle, another tough road environment, and are 2-3 on the road this season. They’re tied with the Seahawks for the NFC West lead.
“We can’t let one turn into two, two turn into three. We have to get right back on the horse and keep going, and the guys understand that,” said Kyler Murray. “We’ve done a good job of bouncing back, and we get another opportunity to go out there this weekend and do that again.”
