The Green Bay Packers kicked off the 2011 NFL season with a 42-34 victory over the New Orleans Saints at Lambeau Field. Packers’ QB Aaron Rodgers had a nice opening game to the 2011 season, completing 27 of 35 passes for 312 yards and 3 TDs.
If there is one early concern for the defending Super Bowl Champion Packers, it has to be their defense. They allowed Saints QB Drew Brees to throw for 419 yards and 3 TDs, though the defense did make a nice goalline stand on the final play of the game, stopping rookie RB Mark Ingram from gaining the yard needed for the potential tying touchdown.
The Green Bay Packers got out of the gate quickly, as Rodgers threw touchdown passes to WR Greg Jennings and WR Jordy Nelson to make it 14-0 around halfway through the first quarter. The New Orleans Saints got on the board with 3:31 left in the quarter thanks to a Brees touchdown pass to WR Robert Meachem. The Packers finished off the first quarter with another touchdown pass from Rodgers, this time to rookie WR Randall Cobb on a 32-yard pass, making it 21-7 Packers after one quarter.
New Orleans got closer thanks to K John Kasay’s 30-yard field goal and RB Darren Sproles’ 72-yard punt return for a touchdown, making the score 21-17 Packers. The Packers’ offense came alive again, scoring a touchdown on a 17-yard run by RB James Sparks with 1:59 left in the first half, making the halftime score 28-17 Packers.
After Kasay’s second field goal made it 28-20 Packers, Cobb returned the ensuing kickoff a record-tying 108 yards for a touchdown and a 35-20 Packers’ lead. The kickoff return tied the mark set by New England Patriots’ Ellis Hobbs in September 2007, and was the first kickoff return for a touchdown for the Green Bay Packers since Allen Rossum’s kickoff return in 2000. The Saints responded with a 29-yard touchdown pass from Brees to WR Devery Henderson, cutting the Green Bay Packers’ lead to 35-27 through three quarters.
Early in the fourth quarter, Packers’ RB John Kuhn rushed up the middle for a 1-yard touchdown run and a 42-27 Packers’ lead. The Saints’ final score occurred when Drew Brees hooked up with TE Jimmy Graham for a 5-yard touchdown pass, making the score 42-34 Packers. The Saints had one final drive in an attempt to tie the ballgame, but Ingram was stuffed at the 1-yard line on the final play to preserve the win for the Packers.
Packers’ WR Donald Driver tied the all-time Green Bay franchise mark of career yards of 9,656, now sharing the mark with former WR James Lofton. Packers’ S Nick Collins seemed to sustain a left arm injury in this game, but stayed in the game and finished it. Packers’ CB Tramon Williams was taken out after sustaining a hard hit on his right shoulder during the fourth quarter.
The Packers begin the season 1-0 as they head out on the road next week to take on the Carolina Panthers. Game time is at 1:00 P.M. EDT/12:00 P.M. CDT on Sunday, September 18.
