BLUE 1,026 Posted October 24, 2014 By JACK CASSIDY STATS Writer (AP) -- The Green Bay Packers' slow start to the season seems like ancient history. The New Orleans Saints still haven't gotten over the hump. The two teams match up Sunday night in their first meeting since 2012. Behind the play of Aaron Rodgers, the Packers (5-2) have rolled to four consecutive victories and erased the memories of their 1-2 start. Rodgers has thrown for 977 yards and 13 touchdowns without an interception during the win streak, and he posted the second-highest passer rating of his career - 154.5 - in last week's 38-17 rout of Carolina. To his teammates, Rodgers' performance is nothing new. "It's funny. I talk to old friends who have been here and are with other teams, and they don't really realize how good Aaron is until they go and play for someone else," guard Josh Sitton said. "It's hard to realize, I guess, when he's all I've known. I expect that week in and week out." Jordy Nelson has been the primary beneficiary of Rodgers' success. Nelson ranks second in the NFL with 712 receiving yards - only seven behind Pittsburgh's Antonio Brown - and fourth in receiving touchdowns with six. Teammate Randall Cobb is second in touchdowns with eight. Green Bay's passing attack may be in store for another successful game, facing a Saints defense ranked 28th in passing yards allowed at 270.5 per game. A loss Sunday would give the Saints (2-4) their worst seven-game start to a season under Sean Payton, who was suspended when they started 2-5. It would also match their loss total from last season, when they finished 11-5 and lost to Seattle in the divisional round. Even with the poor start, however, the playoffs are still very much within reach since Carolina leads the NFC South at 3-3-1. "That's a ton of football," Payton said. "Basically we're finished (with), I believe a third of the season, a little bit more than that. But the focus for us will be right on Green Bay." New Orleans has allowed 27.5 points per game, ranking fifth-worst in the NFL, but the bigger concern is closing out games. The Saints squandered a fourth-quarter lead for the third time last week as Detroit rallied for two TDs in the final 3:38 of their 24-23 loss. "We did a lot of good things and yet, we have to finish. We have to finish, especially today," Drew Brees said Sunday. "It's not like this thing was back and forth. We had a 13-point lead with however much time was left." Brees completed 28 of 45 passes for 342 yards and two touchdowns, but he also threw a costly fourth quarter interception that led to Detroit's go-ahead score. Wednesday, he shifted focus from the loss to the task of upending the Green Bay and the sixth-best passing defense in the NFL. "Just know that when you got Aaron Rodgers on the other side of the ball, and that offense and the way that they execute, the way that they score points, it just makes you feel like you have to be that much more precise and execute that much better," said Brees, who is 2-3 versus the Packers despite throwing for 1,904 yards and 14 TDs with only two interceptions. "Take advantage of every opportunity you get. All the details become that much more important." Jimmy Graham didn't have a catch in the loss to Detroit. The tight end is still dealing with a shoulder injury that limited him in practice Wednesday. The Packers edged the Saints 28-27 in their most recent meeting. Brees threw for 446 yards and three touchdowns, but Rodgers threw a go-ahead touchdown to Nelson with seven minutes left. "I would like to think our whole team clearly understands we're getting ready to go into a hotbox down there in New Orleans," Packers coach Mike McCarthy said. "I mean, this is going to be a big-time environment, big-time game. These are the kind of games you love to play in. Everybody wants to go get this one and get to 6-2, especially after where we were four weeks ago." Green Bay leads the all-time series 16-7. Source: Hosted.Stats.com Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Vin+ 3,121 Posted October 26, 2014 Jimmy Graham (shoulder) is active for Sunday night's game against the Packers. Graham is expected to see a bigger role after being largely a decoy last week. He needs to be in fantasy lineups in what projects as a high-scoring game. The Saints inactives are RB Khiry Robinson, WR Nick Toon, RB Pierre Thomas, WR Joe Morgan, C Jonathan Goodwin, CB Stanley Jean-Baptiste and LB Kyle Knox. James Starks (ankle) is active for Sunday night's Week 8 game against the Saints. Starks was listed as probable, so he was fully expected to play. The Packers inactives are QB Scott Tolzien, WR Jeff Janis, CB Sam Shields, S Morgan Burnett, LB Carl Bradford, C Garth Gerhart, and DE Datone Jones. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DonovanMcnabb for H.O.F 2,241 Posted October 27, 2014 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BwareDWare94 723 Posted October 27, 2014 As much as I hate any success for the Saints, games like this, and Pittsburgh/Indy--they're great for football. They remind us that every team is mortal, and very beatable. It's going to happen to Arizona. It's going to happen to Dallas. It's going to happen to Denver. Football is unpredictable and any team can truly win on any given day. Nothing is impossible. The greatest sport in the world, bar none. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Favre4Ever+ 4,476 Posted October 27, 2014 This was just a great and perfect storm for the 'upset'. Drew Brees has a long history of dominating our defense... We were on a BEASTLY winning streak and were bound for a fall. The Saints were on a nasty start to their season and were bound for a rebound. The Saints have an incredible homefield advantage... Winning all of their games there this season compared to being winless on the road... Plus they've won 14 straight games in the Dome in primetime. They needed it more and played like it. We've got a much needed bye next week, and if we come out flat I will be beyond pissed (on SNF again playing Chicago). I am actually a lot less annoyed by this loss than I would have been most weeks. Not happy, obviously, but it's... Kinda whatever. What does annoy me though is that Aaron Rodgers has 3 INT on the year and all are tipped passes. Aaron has the potential to go a full season without throwing an INT.. Maybe the only QB I could HONESTLY say that about. I know it's part of the game, and every QB has them.. But turnovers like those just annoy the hell out of me. lol Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
