2011 NFL Playoffs: Why Patriots' Home-Field Advantage Won't Matter in Postseason

Come playoff time, the New England Patriots (11-3) won't have a home-field advantage, not because they won't be one of the AFC's top two teams, but because the mystique of Gillette Stadium has worn off.

The Pats have gone 8-0 at home in three out of the past five regular seasons, including in 2007 when they went 18-0 before losing to the New York Giants in Super Bowl XLII. 

But that impressive mark means nothing when you consider that New England has dropped its last three postseason games, including the last two in Foxborough.

In 2010, it was a 28-21 loss to the division rival New York Jets that spoiled a 14-2 regular season. A year before that the AFC East champions were blown out from start to finish at home by the wild card Baltimore Ravens, 33-14.

There is simply no such thing as home-field advantage for the 2011 New England Patriots. Not when their pass defense ranks dead-last in the NFL, allowing nearly 300 yards through the air on a given Sunday.

Philip Rivers (4,015 yards and 23 touchdowns) would exploit that, Ben Roethlisberger (3,856 yards and 21 touchdowns), even on one leg would exploit that, and so would any potential playoff quarterback in the AFC outside of Tim Tebow.

Hell, Mark Sanchez is undefeated at Gillette Stadium in the postseason. As is Joe Flacco. Meanwhile, both quarterbacks are a combined 0-3 at Pittsburgh's Heinz Field in the playoffs. 

The Patriots have a juggernaut of an offense that ranks second in the league in passing and strikes fear into the heart of every opposing head coach, but where they are playing this January means next to nothing.

They aren't the New Orleans Saints, Tom Brady doesn't fall apart outside of a dome in the winter, but he is equally as vulnerable in front of thousands of screaming Pats fans as he is in any other hostile stadium.

New England is a remarkable 36-6 at Gillette Stadium since the start of the 2007 regular season, including 5-1 this season, but just two of those wins have come in the playoffs

The last one was in January 2008 when the Pats topped the hobbled San Diego Chargers in the 2007 AFC Championship Game.

Consider that during their dynasty run, roughly from when Brady took over under center until the end of the 2007 season, the Pats were 45-10 at home in the regular season with No. 12 at quarterback, and an unbeatable 8-0 with Brady taking the snaps at home in the playoffs. 

Clearly New England's success at Gillette is trending in the wrong direction, all the reason why home-field advantage for the Patriots won't matter this January. 

With competition like Houston, Pittsburgh and Baltimore all hungry for a Super Bowl berth, the Patriots are not long for the postseason, and being at home will only add to the pressure already on the shoulder pads of the conference's top team after 15 weeks.