Introduction to Saints vs Packers Series History
The Green Bay Packers are 18-10 against the New Orleans Saints all-time. GB is 11-3 at home and 7-7 away. In Packers vs Saints history, they have not yet met in the playoffs.
Since their first meeting in 1972, both teams have had their share of triumphs and tribulations against each other. Their matchups have been marked by iconic personalities, including legends like Brett Favre, Jim Mora, Sean Payton, Drew Brees, and Aaron Rodgers, each contributing their unique flair to this dynamic rivalry.
Whether it’s the Saints’ historical first win in the Superdome, or the Packers’ impressive seven-game winning streak, this rivalry has a lot to offer fans of both teams.
First Meeting in Packers vs Saints History
The Saints came into the NFL in 1967. The first head coach of the New Orleans Saints was Tom Fears. He served as the head coach from the team’s inaugural season until he was replaced during the 1970 season. Fears was a former NFL player and had a successful career as a wide receiver before moving into coaching.
On December 17, 1972, the Packers and the Saints played their first game in New Orleans at Tulane Stadium. The head coach of the New Orleans Saints in 1972 was J.D. Roberts. He took over from Tom Fears during the 1970 season and continued as head coach until partway through the 1973 season.
The legendary Packers came out victorious with a 30-20 win in the last game of the season, thanks to their strong rushing attacks. The next time Green Bay visited New Orleans, they played in a newly constructed stadium – the Louisiana Superdome.
Welcome to the Superdome
The brand new Louisiana Superdome welcomed its second regular-season game on October 12, 1975, where the Saints hosted the Packers. The Saints triumphed over the Packers with a 20-19 win, thanks to a strong defensive performance that held the Packers to only 161 total yards.
Mike Strachan and Alvin Maxson also contributed greatly offensively, combining for a whopping 195 yards rushing. This victory marked the first-ever win by the Saints in the Superdome.
Seven Straight Saint Losses
The Saints had suffered defeat in seven consecutive games against the Packers between 1976 and 1986, with an average margin of loss of 13 points.
However, they were able to break this losing streak on September 14, 1986, in New Orleans with a 24-10 victory. The Saints’ defense was exceptional that day, intercepting seven passes and securing their first win under the leadership of new head coach Jim Mora.
Jim Mora Era
In the year that followed, Mora led New Orleans to their first-ever winning season and playoff berth, concluding with a 33-24 triumph over the Forrest Gregg coached Packers in the last game of the season on December 27, 1987 at the Superdome. This second straight win was notable as it marked the Saints’ first back-to-back wins against Green Bay in their series history.
However, New Orleans would go on to lose their next three games with the Packers and four out of the next five between 1989 and 2005, with their embarrassing 52-3 defeat in Green Bay on October 9, 2005 marking the culmination of this losing streak.
Sean Payton & Drew Brees Era
Since coach Sean Payton and quarterback Drew Brees joined the team in 2006, the Saints have won 4 out of 6 games against the Packers, including 2 victories at home. On September 17, 2006, in just their second game with the franchise, the Saints faced a heavily favored Green Bay team at Lambeau Field.
After falling behind 13-0, the Saints bounced back and pulled off a 34-27 upset thanks to Brees’ amazing performance of 353 yards passing and two touchdowns.
Favre vs Saints – Bountygate
Brett Favre played against the New Orleans Saints multiple times throughout his career. One of the most notable games was the NFC Championship game on January 24, 2010 when he was a Minnesota Viking. In this game, Favre’s Vikings lost to the Saints 31-28 in overtime, with Favre throwing for 310 yards, 1 touchdown, and 2 interceptions.
This game was controversial because of the aggressive hits on Favre that later came under scrutiny in the NFL’s “Bountygate” scandal. It was found that the Saints had a bounty program which targeted opposing players, and in this case, especially Favre. The scandal resulted in suspensions for coaches and players and a significant fine for the Saints organization.
Aaron Rodgers & Mike McCarthy Era
On November 24, 2008, the Payton/Brees Saints met the Packers at home for the first time, in front of a prime-time audience on Monday Night Football.
Brees was exceptional, throwing for 323 passing yards and 4 touchdowns, with 115 of those yards and two scores going to WR Lance Moore. Their dominant performance led to a 51-29 rout over Green Bay.
Aaron Rodgers was 23 for 41 for 248 yards with 2 TDs, losing to Brees in their first matchup. Overall, Rodgers is 4-3 versus the Saints in his career.
Defending Super Bowl Champions Meet
The 2010 Super Bowl Champion Saints coached by Sean Payton take on the 2011 Super Bowl Champion Packers coached by Mike McCarthy. The Packers took a late lead of 42-27, but Drew Brees, the quarterback for the Saints, rallied his team to close the gap to 42-34.
The Saints had a chance to tie the game with an untimed down at the 1-yard line, but the Packers’ defense stopped Mark Ingram short of the end zone, preserving the victory for Green Bay.
Check out video highlights here.
This was 2nd round draft choice Randall Cobb‘s NFL debut. Cobb returned a kickoff from the end zone, bouncing off defenders, returning it 108 yards to score.
2014 – 2017 Matchups
After losing in shootouts to the Green Bay Packers in both 2011 and 2012, the New Orleans Saints faced the Packers once again on October 26, 2014.
This time around, the Saints put on an impressive offensive display for a national audience during Sunday Night Football and defeated the Packers by a score of 44-23. Quarterback Drew Brees threw for 311 yards and three touchdowns, while running back Mark Ingram ran for 172 yards.
On October 22, 2017, in Green Bay, Brees threw for 331 yards and two touchdowns and Ingram rushed for 105 yards in a 26-17 victory for the Saints. The game showcased a highly anticipated duel between two elite quarterbacks in the NFL.
Aaron Rodgers of Green Bay had won three out of five games against New Orleans, while Drew Brees had an impressive record of 16 touchdown passes and only 3 interceptions in his six past encounters with the Packers, with an astounding 81% completion rate in two games played in the Superdome.
In those games, he threw seven touchdowns without any interceptions.
Matt LaFleur Era
The Packers are 2-1 against the Saints in the Matt LaFleur era.
New Orleans 2020 – Pandemic Matchup
The opening of the game saw the Green Bay Packers scoring the initial points with a 52-yard field goal by Mason Crosby. Alvin Kamara of the New Orleans Saints made a remarkable run, paving the way for a touchdown.
Aaron Rodgers of the Packers connected with Robert Tonyan and Allen Lazard to make significant gains and score a touchdown.
Drew Brees of the Saints threw a touchdown pass to Emmanuel Sanders. Rodgers linked up with Lazard for a 72-yard gain, leading to a touchdown for the Packers. Marcedes Lewis received a pass and scored a touchdown for the Packers.
Kamara staged an exceptional run and scored a touchdown for the Saints. Robert Tonyan scored another touchdown, connecting with Rodgers.
Although the Saints hit a field goal, it wasn’t enough to catch up to the Packers. The Green Bay Packers emerged victorious over the New Orleans Saints as the game drew to a close.
Season Opener 2021 – Played in Jacksonville
The Packers came into the season looking like Super Bowl contenders, but were quickly blown out by the Saints, despite the fact the New Orleans “home game” was played at TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville, Florida due to the Superdome being damaged by Hurricane Ida.
The Saints won the game 38-3. The Saints were led by quarterback Jameis Winston, who threw for 249 yards and three touchdowns. The Packers were held to just 133 total yards of offense.
The Saints’ defense was particularly dominant in the game, forcing four turnovers and holding the Packers to just 2.5 yards per rush. The Saints’ win was their first of the season, and it gave them a much-needed boost after the devastation caused by the hurricane.
Jordan Love vs the Saints
Jordan Love met the Saints in his debut season as a starter, beating New Orleans 18-17 – his second-ever win as the Packers starting quarterback.
The Pack were down 17-0 before Love led an 18-point 4th quarter comeback, including a game-winning touchdown to Romeo Doubs to seal the victory.
Next Up on the Schedule
The Saints will travel to Lambeau Field to face the Packers on December 23, 2024.
