In a stunningly one-sided game, a Saints team that had to vacate New Orleans because of Hurricane Ida rallied to turn in perhaps the most impressive performance of Week One, dominating the Packers with a 38-3 beatdown.
Although it’s always inadvisable to overreact to the first game of the season, this game will re-shape how we look at both teams, with Aaron Rodgers and the Packers now facing major questions about whether they’re really contenders, and Jameis Winston and the Saints looking like a real threat to the rest of the NFC.
Rodgers had one of the worst games of his career. He simply never got the Packers’ offense moving, and struggled with accuracy and finding open receivers against a good Saints defense. When he was pulled for Jordan Love in the fourth quarter, he had completed 15 of 28 passes for just 133 yards, with no touchdowns and two interceptions. The 38-3 loss was the worst of Rodgers’ career.
Winston had an impressive game, completing 14 of 20 passes for 148 yards, with five touchdowns and no interceptions. He’s the first quarterback in NFL history to throw for five touchdown passes while finishing the game with less than 150 passing yards.
Week One is just one game, but this one game was a particularly ugly one for the Packers, and a particularly great one for the Saints.