Saints @ Packers: Game Preview

by Dave Cariello on Sep 7, 2011 6:01 AM CDT

Official NFL Release

NFL KICKOFF WEEKEND 2011

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2011

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS AT GREEN BAY PACKERS

SERIES

	SAINTS	PACKERS
SERIES LEADER		14-7
STREAKS	3 of past 4
COACHES VS. OPP.	Payton: 2-0	McCarthy: 0-2
LAST GAME	11/24/08: Packers 29 at Saints 51. New Orleans QB Drew Brees completes 20 of 26 passes for 323 yards & 4 TDs as Saints break game open with 21 3rd-quarter points.
LAST GAME AT SITE	9/17/06: Saints 34, Packers 27. Tied at 20 in 4th quarter, New Orleans scores 2 TDs in 26 seconds for 34-20 lead to thwart late Green Bay rally.
BROADCAST	NBC (7:30 PM CT): Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth, Michele Tafoya (Field reporter). Westwood One Radio: Kevin Harlan, Boomer Esiason, Mark Malone (Field reporter). SIRIUS: 92 (NO), 93 (GB), 88 (WW1). XM: 225 (NO), 226 (GB), 88 (WW1).

2010 STATS

PASSING	Brees: 448-658-4,620 (1C)-33-22-90.9	Rodgers: 312-475-3,922 (3C)-28 (T3C)-11-101.2 (1C)
RUSHING	Thomas: 83-269-3.2-2	Grant: 8-45-5.6-0
RECEIVING	Colston: 84-1,023-12.2-7	Jennings: 76-1,265 (2C)-16.6-12 (T1C)
OFFENSE	372.5 (3C)	358.1
TAKE/GIVE	-6	+10 (2C)
DEFENSE	306.2 (1C)	309.1 (2C)
SACKS	Ellis: 6	Matthews: 13.5 (2C)
INTs	Greer, Jenkins: 2	T. Williams: 6 (T2C)
PUNTING	Morstead: 45.9 (3C)	Masthay: 43.9
KICKING	Hartley: 100 (40/40 PAT; 20/25 FG)	Crosby: 112 (46/46 PAT; 22/28 FG)

NOTES

GAME FEATURES past 2 SB champs (NO: XLIV, GB: XLV)...SAINTS: QB DREW BREES has 22,918 pass yards since joining NO in 2006, most by QB in any 5-year span in NFL history. Has 4,000+ yards in past 5 seasons & is 1 of 2 QBs (PEYTON MANNING) all-time with 5+ 4,000-yard seasons in row. Had 448 comp. last year, his NFL-record 3rd 400-comp. season. Has 109.3 rating in 3 starts vs. GB...RB PIERRE THOMAS rushed for 87 yards & 2 TDs in only game vs. GB. Rookie RB MARK INGRAM (1st Rd, No. 28) won 2009 Heisman & is only Alabama player to win award...WR MARQUES COLSTON had 84 catches for 1,023 yards last year, 1st Saint with 1,000+ rec. yards in 4 of 1st 5 NFL seasons. WR LANCE MOORE had 5 catches for 115 yards & 2 TDs in last meeting...LB JONATHAN VILMA led club in tackles for 3rd consecutive season. S ROMAN HARPER is only S in team history to be selected to 2 consecutive Pro Bowls...

PACKERS: Have 51 wins on KO Weekend, tied for most all-time (Chi.)...QB AARON RODGERS has 12,394 pass yards since becoming starter in 2008, 2nd most by QB in 1st 3 years as starter (KURT WARNER, 12,612). Led NFC with 101.2 rating last year, 1st GB QB with consecutive seasons with 100+ rating (103.2 in 2009)...RB RYAN GRANT is 1 of 3 players in GB history with consecutive 1,200-yard rush seasons (2008-09)... Packers had 3 WRs with 50+ catches each for 1st time in franchise history: GREG JENNINGS (76), DONALD DRIVER (51) & JAMES JONES (50). Rookie WR RANDALL COBB (2nd Rd, No. 64) set SEC single-season record with 2,396 all-purpose yards last year at Kentucky... CB CHARLES WOODSON holds franchise record with 9 def. TDs (8 INT, 1 FR). CB TRAMON WILLIAMS led NFL with 9 INTs, incl. playoffs. LB CLAY MATTHEWS is 1st Packer to start career with consecutive 10-sack seasons (23.5 sacks).

SUPER BOWL MVP QUARTERBACKS MEET IN

THURSDAY NIGHT KICKOFF

All eyes will be on two of the NFL's best quarterbacks - New Orleans' DREW BREES and Green Bay's AARON RODGERS - when the 2011 season kicks off on Thursday night in primetime (NBC, 8:30 PM ET) as the defending Super Bowl champion Packers host the Super Bowl XLIV champion Saints.

The game features the past two Super Bowl MVPs. Brees was named the MVP of Super Bowl XLIV in New Orleans' 31-17 win and Rodgers took home the honor last year in Green Bay's 31-25 Super Bowl XLV victory.

This meeting marks the fifth time in NFL history - and first since 1993 - that Super Bowl MVP quarterbacks started against one another on Kickoff Weekend:

September 15, 1974	Len Dawson (Kansas City)	Joe Namath (New York Jets)
September 12, 1982	Joe Montana (San Francisco)	Jim Plunkett (Los Angeles Raiders)
September 5, 1988	Phil Simms (New York Giants)	Doug Williams (Washington)
September 6, 1993	Troy Aikman (Dallas)	Mark Rypien (Washington)
*September 8, 2011*	*Drew Brees (New Orleans)*	*Aaron Rodgers (Green Bay)*

GREEN BAY: AARON RODGERS, the MVP of Super Bowl XLV, looks to continue his impressive play for the defending champions. Last year, he led the NFC with a 101.2 passer rating and is the only quarterback in franchise history to post a 100.0+ rating in consecutive seasons (103.2 in 2009). He passed for 3,922 yards in 2010 and his 12,394 yards since becoming the starter in 2008 are the second most by a quarterback in his first three years as a starter (KURT WARNER, 12,612). Rodgers' career passer rating of 98.4 is the highest mark in NFL history (minimum 1,500 attempts).

NEW ORLEANS: Pro Bowl quarterback DREW BREES topped the NFL last year with a 68.1 completion percentage and led the NFC in yards (4,620), touchdowns (33), completions (448) and attempts (658). Since joining the Saints in 2006, his 22,918 passing yards are the most by a quarterback in any five-year span in NFL history. He has passed for at least 4,000 yards in each of the past five years - the top five passing totals in club annals - and is one of only two QBs in NFL history (PEYTON MANNING) with at least five consecutive 4,000-yard seasons. Brees' 448 completions marked his league-record third 400-completion season.

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Comments

This will be the First time in recent outings SB winner loses opening game.

INGRAMANIA equals LOMBARDI 2012

by cajuncommando58 on Sep 7, 2011 7:47 AM CDT reply actions

This will be the First time in recent outings SB winner loses opening game.

Hope your right. It’s been 7 or 8 years since it’s happened. Streaks are meant to end right?

The longest day of the year? The day before kickoff. I am pumped!!

That's interesting. You know what makes me sad? YOU DO!!! Maybe we should chug on over to mambypandyland...or maybe we can find some self confidence for you YA JACKWAGON!!!!!!

(tears) Tissue?.....Crybaby.

by Jricky70 on Sep 7, 2011 8:31 AM CDT up reply actions

Me too...Pumped

And I thought that was a clever way to slip in FIRST

INGRAMANIA equals LOMBARDI 2012

by cajuncommando58 on Sep 7, 2011 10:27 AM CDT up reply actions

And I thought that was a clever way to slip in FIRST

You beat me to it. You won that battle.

That's interesting. You know what makes me sad? YOU DO!!! Maybe we should chug on over to mambypandyland...or maybe we can find some self confidence for you YA JACKWAGON!!!!!!

(tears) Tissue?.....Crybaby.

by Jricky70 on Sep 7, 2011 11:35 AM CDT up reply actions

this is the new game

I like it

WIN NOW
WINGRAMANIA!!!!

by Hans Petersen on Sep 7, 2011 8:09 PM CDT up reply actions

Hope your right. It’s been 7 or 8 years since it’s happened.

It’s been 11 years.

This comment was written by a reader and member of Canal Street Chronicles. It does not necessarily reflect the views of CSC and its staff or editors.

by cscmember on Sep 8, 2011 9:36 AM CDT up reply actions

I hope Aaron Rodgers plays more like Aaron Brooks

by Valmo on Sep 7, 2011 7:58 AM CDT reply actions

Oops I can’t delete this failure..

by Valmo on Sep 7, 2011 7:59 AM CDT up reply actions

At least you provided a laughed with your failure.

by rustdog74 on Sep 7, 2011 8:36 AM CDT up reply actions

You to.

Some will rob you with a six gun, some with a fountain pen.

by stujo4 on Sep 7, 2011 9:14 AM CDT up reply actions

Oh GAAA!!!

Some will rob you with a six gun, some with a fountain pen.

by stujo4 on Sep 7, 2011 9:14 AM CDT up reply actions

The "PREVIEW" button really works well...

You should try it some time.

Hmmm...
I probably shouldn’t come on this. ;-)

Wanna say something? Sign up! It's free!
by Dave Cariello on Aug 24, 2011 10:31 AM PDT

by Cajun in CA on Sep 7, 2011 11:22 AM CDT up reply actions

That's a lesson best learned the hard way.

INGRAMANIA equals LOMBARDI 2012

by cajuncommando58 on Sep 7, 2011 11:44 AM CDT up reply actions

A delete button would be nice.

by Valmo on Sep 7, 2011 2:16 PM CDT up reply actions

Sorry

Only the head coach, assistant coach, and offensive coordinators have edit/delete powers.

INGRAMANIA equals LOMBARDI 2012

by cajuncommando58 on Sep 7, 2011 3:08 PM CDT up reply actions

Last time....

I hope they remember they CAN put up 51 pts on the pack. Don’t remember is they had Matthews then but it shouldn’t matter if we’re shuffling 2 FBs. Today feels like the eve before a holiday and working from home don’t make it easier. Lets GO SAINTS!!!

by fshabazz on Sep 7, 2011 8:44 AM CDT reply actions

I hope they remember they CAN put up 51 pts on the pack

Our offense was on fire! I don’t think they had Matthews back in 08. Bottom line is to not let him get to Brees and we can win this game. I’m anxious to see the running game balance the offense. GO SAINTS!!

That's interesting. You know what makes me sad? YOU DO!!! Maybe we should chug on over to mambypandyland...or maybe we can find some self confidence for you YA JACKWAGON!!!!!!

(tears) Tissue?.....Crybaby.

by Jricky70 on Sep 7, 2011 8:49 AM CDT reply actions

I believe they had him when the Cardinals did it.

"It ain't about how hard you hit, it is about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward, how much can you take and KEEP MOVING FORWARD. That's how winning is done!" - Rocky

by Dan Kelly on Sep 7, 2011 10:05 AM CDT up reply actions

But then

What did we do to the Cardinals

"I'm in the Courtroom screaming Who Dat on the double, serving gumbo with a shovel, dog i'm on another level" -Jay Electonica

by triplea20x on Sep 7, 2011 11:14 AM CDT up reply actions 1 recs

If memory serves me right

We retired Kurt Warner. To bad Burnt Favre didn’t get the same message.

INGRAMANIA equals LOMBARDI 2012

by cajuncommando58 on Sep 7, 2011 11:21 AM CDT up reply actions

Rec'd

That's interesting. You know what makes me sad? YOU DO!!! Maybe we should chug on over to mambypandyland...or maybe we can find some self confidence for you YA JACKWAGON!!!!!!

(tears) Tissue?.....Crybaby.

by Jricky70 on Sep 7, 2011 11:35 AM CDT up reply actions

FOOTBALL!!!

GAHHHHH

Canal Street Chronicles-A place of great Saints news and information. Oh and the stuff I write!
Bring back Aaron Brooks! He's the only one who can save us from the evil that is Drew Brees!!

by Jon Banks on Sep 7, 2011 9:06 AM CDT via mobile reply actions

It is hard to work knowing football is right around the corner.

Why can’t it be Thursday already?

by rustdog74 on Sep 7, 2011 9:31 AM CDT reply actions

Why can’t it be Thursday already?

The longest day of the year. The day before kickoff.

That's interesting. You know what makes me sad? YOU DO!!! Maybe we should chug on over to mambypandyland...or maybe we can find some self confidence for you YA JACKWAGON!!!!!!

(tears) Tissue?.....Crybaby.

by Jricky70 on Sep 7, 2011 11:36 AM CDT reply actions

It really is. I’ve got a ton of work to do but just can’t focus. Will this day never end?

by snowboard_kat on Sep 7, 2011 12:24 PM CDT up reply actions

I’m staying busy busy busy and the time is still dragging. Go figure.

That's interesting. You know what makes me sad? YOU DO!!! Maybe we should chug on over to mambypandyland...or maybe we can find some self confidence for you YA JACKWAGON!!!!!!

(tears) Tissue?.....Crybaby.

by Jricky70 on Sep 7, 2011 12:40 PM CDT up reply actions

You think that's bad?!?!

It’s already Thursday in Guam and I have no game to watch! Darn international date line! Oh, well, nothing to do now but ice the beer for 10AM tomorrow! You with me JND?

Haffa Dai!! Saints fan in Guam...the poor man's Hawaii!

by s88fan on Sep 7, 2011 7:14 PM CDT up reply actions