NFL Preview - New Orleans (0-0) at Green Bay (0-0) (ET)
The NFL will kick off its 2011 season in style on Thursday, as the last two Super Bowl winners square off at Lambeau Field in a marquee matchup between the Green Bay Packers and the New Orleans Saints.
The Packers earned the honor of hosting the league's traditional Thursday night lid-lifter by putting together a stupendous postseason run, culminating with last February's 31-25 ousting of the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XLV, to capture the fourth Lombardi Trophy in franchise history in 2010. And with virtually every core member of that championship squad back in the fold for this season, Green Bay figures to be in the hunt once again this year.
This edition of the Packers appears sound on both sides of the ball, with star quarterback Aaron Rodgers still at the controls of a high-powered passing attack and 10 starters returning on a defense that surrendered the second- fewest points allowed in the NFL last season.
Rodgers, the catalyst of last winter's playoff march and MVP of the Packers' victory over the Steelers in Dallas, should have even more weapons at his disposal in 2011 if Green Bay can maintain good health, with standout tight end Jermichael Finley and running back Ryan Grant ready to go after missing the majority of this past year's campaign with injuries.
The Saints ended a 43-year title drought with a stirring 31-17 victory over Indianapolis in Super Bowl XLIV, then backed that unprecedented achievement up by winning 11 regular-season games (one more than the Packers) in 2010. An encore postseason performance was not to be, however, after New Orleans was upset by the 7-9 Seattle Seahawks in January's NFC Wild Card Playoffs.
That disappointing finish triggered several offseason moves designed to get the Saints back into contention. The team traded up in the first round of April's draft to land promising rookie running back Mark Ingram -- an addition that hastened the exit of highly-paid playmaker Reggie Bush from the Big Easy -- and beefed up the interior of the defensive line with the signings of massive tackles Aubrayo Franklin and Shaun Rogers.
New Orleans also selected University of California defensive end Cameron Jordan with the 24th overall pick in this past draft. The rookie will be asked to provide an impact immediately, as top pass rusher Will Smith will sit out both this game and the Saints' Week 2 contest due to a league-issued suspension for testing positive for a banned substance.
The Saints will still have Drew Brees under center, with the Super Bowl XLIV MVP taking aim at a sixth consecutive season with over 4,300 passing yards and at least 26 touchdowns. The accomplished quarterback is the architect of a potent offense that ranked third in the league in yards through the air in 2010.
The Packers will be attempting to continue a trend of teams beginning defense of their Super Bowl title with a win at home in the inaugural game of the NFL season. The last seven reigning world champions have prevailed under that scenario, with the Saints extending the streak with a 14-9 triumph over Minnesota at the Superdome last September.
Green Bay posted a 7-1 mark at Lambeau Field in 2010, including a 10-3 decision over rival Chicago in the regular-season finale to earn a playoff berth as the NFC's sixth and final seed.
SERIES HISTORY
Though Green Bay owns a 14-7 lead in the overall series, the Saints have won each of the last two meetings between the teams. The most recent matchup took place in 2008, with New Orleans rolling to a 51-29 Monday night triumph behind a 323-yard, four-touchdown effort from Brees. The Saints also posted a 34-27 decision at Lambeau Field in 2006, avenging a 52-3 shellacking at the hands of the Packers in Wisconsin the previous year.
The Packers earned the honor of hosting the league's traditional Thursday night lid-lifter by putting together a stupendous postseason run, culminating with last February's 31-25 ousting of the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XLV, to capture the fourth Lombardi Trophy in franchise history in 2010. And with virtually every core member of that championship squad back in the fold for this season, Green Bay figures to be in the hunt once again this year.
This edition of the Packers appears sound on both sides of the ball, with star quarterback Aaron Rodgers still at the controls of a high-powered passing attack and 10 starters returning on a defense that surrendered the second- fewest points allowed in the NFL last season.
Rodgers, the catalyst of last winter's playoff march and MVP of the Packers' victory over the Steelers in Dallas, should have even more weapons at his disposal in 2011 if Green Bay can maintain good health, with standout tight end Jermichael Finley and running back Ryan Grant ready to go after missing the majority of this past year's campaign with injuries.
The Saints ended a 43-year title drought with a stirring 31-17 victory over Indianapolis in Super Bowl XLIV, then backed that unprecedented achievement up by winning 11 regular-season games (one more than the Packers) in 2010. An encore postseason performance was not to be, however, after New Orleans was upset by the 7-9 Seattle Seahawks in January's NFC Wild Card Playoffs.
That disappointing finish triggered several offseason moves designed to get the Saints back into contention. The team traded up in the first round of April's draft to land promising rookie running back Mark Ingram -- an addition that hastened the exit of highly-paid playmaker Reggie Bush from the Big Easy -- and beefed up the interior of the defensive line with the signings of massive tackles Aubrayo Franklin and Shaun Rogers.
New Orleans also selected University of California defensive end Cameron Jordan with the 24th overall pick in this past draft. The rookie will be asked to provide an impact immediately, as top pass rusher Will Smith will sit out both this game and the Saints' Week 2 contest due to a league-issued suspension for testing positive for a banned substance.
The Saints will still have Drew Brees under center, with the Super Bowl XLIV MVP taking aim at a sixth consecutive season with over 4,300 passing yards and at least 26 touchdowns. The accomplished quarterback is the architect of a potent offense that ranked third in the league in yards through the air in 2010.
The Packers will be attempting to continue a trend of teams beginning defense of their Super Bowl title with a win at home in the inaugural game of the NFL season. The last seven reigning world champions have prevailed under that scenario, with the Saints extending the streak with a 14-9 triumph over Minnesota at the Superdome last September.
Green Bay posted a 7-1 mark at Lambeau Field in 2010, including a 10-3 decision over rival Chicago in the regular-season finale to earn a playoff berth as the NFC's sixth and final seed.
SERIES HISTORY
Though Green Bay owns a 14-7 lead in the overall series, the Saints have won each of the last two meetings between the teams. The most recent matchup took place in 2008, with New Orleans rolling to a 51-29 Monday night triumph behind a 323-yard, four-touchdown effort from Brees. The Saints also posted a 34-27 decision at Lambeau Field in 2006, avenging a 52-3 shellacking at the hands of the Packers in Wisconsin the previous year.
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