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*Rodgers looked in synch with his WRs and TEs. He found Finley often early in the game, and Jennings, Cobb, and Nelson had good games. Although it was the Saints, I thought GB's O-line looked much better than last year's version. TJ Lang appears to be much better than Daryn Colledge at LG.
*Darren Sproles was a huge factor for the Saints. His big returns and receptions kept the Saints in the game and gave Brees a short field.
*The Packers defense appeared to play well, Burnett, Wynn, and Walden especially, but they didn't have much of an answer for Drew Brees. Even when Brees had pressure on him, he made pinpoint throws. The only time I noticed Charles Woodson was when he threw a punch and when Colston repeatedly burned him at the end of the game.
*As always, I did not like Sean Payton's RB rotation. Pierre Thomas is easily their best option, yet he only saw the field 1/3 of the time. Ingram did very little, and he took PT away from Sproles, too, who was the Saints best player last night besides Brees.
*Olin Kreutz was terrible for Saints. Ingram couldn't even get going for their inside run game because Raji was getting a push back into the backfield. Kreutz's pass protection was equally horrendous. Whenever the Packers twisted their ILBs on a passing down blitz, instead of standing his ground and clogging the middle, Kreutz would misdiagnose the play and immediately dive away to help one of his guards. This led to one and sometimes both ILBs getting a free run at Brees. This makes Brees' performance that much more impressive, because many times he was throwing the ball before 3 seconds.
*I did not like the prevent D the Packers employed in the latter part of the 4th quarter, but I guess it paid off. Payton's play call at the very end was questionable, although it should be noted that the Saints did run a pass play earlier in the game on 4th and short without success. I didn't like a player who had been ineffective (Ingram) getting the ball, and running behind the worst player on the field (Kreutz) for the final play. At the end of the play, Kreutz is pushed back so far he is at the 5-yard line, and Ingram has to stop and change course to the right because of the Packers' inside push.
*Darren Sproles was a huge factor for the Saints. His big returns and receptions kept the Saints in the game and gave Brees a short field.
*The Packers defense appeared to play well, Burnett, Wynn, and Walden especially, but they didn't have much of an answer for Drew Brees. Even when Brees had pressure on him, he made pinpoint throws. The only time I noticed Charles Woodson was when he threw a punch and when Colston repeatedly burned him at the end of the game.
*As always, I did not like Sean Payton's RB rotation. Pierre Thomas is easily their best option, yet he only saw the field 1/3 of the time. Ingram did very little, and he took PT away from Sproles, too, who was the Saints best player last night besides Brees.
*Olin Kreutz was terrible for Saints. Ingram couldn't even get going for their inside run game because Raji was getting a push back into the backfield. Kreutz's pass protection was equally horrendous. Whenever the Packers twisted their ILBs on a passing down blitz, instead of standing his ground and clogging the middle, Kreutz would misdiagnose the play and immediately dive away to help one of his guards. This led to one and sometimes both ILBs getting a free run at Brees. This makes Brees' performance that much more impressive, because many times he was throwing the ball before 3 seconds.
*I did not like the prevent D the Packers employed in the latter part of the 4th quarter, but I guess it paid off. Payton's play call at the very end was questionable, although it should be noted that the Saints did run a pass play earlier in the game on 4th and short without success. I didn't like a player who had been ineffective (Ingram) getting the ball, and running behind the worst player on the field (Kreutz) for the final play. At the end of the play, Kreutz is pushed back so far he is at the 5-yard line, and Ingram has to stop and change course to the right because of the Packers' inside push.
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