New Orleans Saints at Green Bay Packers ● Thursday, September 8, 2011
Saints Postgame Notes
*The game was the first season opener dropped by New Orleans since September 6, 2007, a 41-10 decision to the Indianapolis Colts, also that season's NFL kickoff contest.
*The Saints are 4-2 in season openers under head coach Sean Payton.
*QB Drew Brees completed 32 of 49 passes for 419 yards and three touchdowns. He finished with a passer rating of 112.5 the 37th time in 80 regular-season games as a Saint he has had a passer rating of 100 .
*With three touchdown passes, Brees now has 238 in his NFL career to move up from 20th all-time to 17th, ahead of former Bills Hall of Famer Jim Kelly.
With 419 passing yards in the game, Brees now has 35,685 for his career, moving into 16th place past Kelly.
*WR Devery Henderson tied for the team lead in receiving with six grabs for 100 yards, including a third quarter 29-yard touchdown reception.
*RB Pierre Thomas had 5 carries for 31 yards and also had 4 receptions for 37 yards
*RB Mark Ingram opened the game, making him the first Saints tailback to start in his first contest since another former Heisman Trophy winner Ricky Williams did the same in 1999. Ingram led the Saints in rushing with 13 carries for 40 yards
*In his Saints debut, RB Darren Sproles had a spectacular performance accounting for 250 all-purpose yards. It was the first performance by a Saint of 200 all-purpose yards since WR Lance Moore had 221 vs. Atlanta on September 26, 2010. A 36-yard pass play from Brees in the first quarter helped lead to a touchdown. Sproles then had a 72-yard punt return for a score in the second period. The return was the 11th for a score in franchise history, the shortest for a score. It was the second to go back for a touchdown in a season opener as Derrick Shepard ran one back 56 yards in a 28-0 win vs. Dallas on September 10, 1989.
*The last punt return for a touchdown in the regular season was by RB Reggie Bush vs. Minnesota on October 6, 2008.
*With both Henderson and WR Robert Meachem recording scoring grabs, they remain tied for tenth in club record books with 18 touchdown receptions apiece.
*S Roman Harper led New Oreans with nine tackles and a half sack of Green Bay QB Aarron Rodgers that he split with DE Junior Galette.
*DE Cameron Jordan started his first NFL contest. Jordan is the first Saints rookie defensive end to open his NFL debut since Will Smith in 2004.
*LB Jonathan Casillas had the first sack of his NFL career in the first half.
