Live Updates: Green Bay Packers vs. New Orleans Saints
GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers will face the New Orleans Saints in their home opener at noon Sunday. Follow along all day for updates as Jordan Love makes his first career start at Lambeau Field.
Final Score
Packers 18, Saints 17
The Packers, who trailed 17-0 after three quarters held on for a shocking victory. The Saints drove into range for the go-ahead field goal but Blake Grupe missed the field goal. Green Bay ran out the final minute as Lambeau Field, filled with boos an hour earlier, rejoiced in victory.
Fourth Quarter
Packers 18, Saints 17 (2:56 remaining)
Jordan Love led the Packers 80 yards to the go-ahead score. Love ran for 24 yards – everyone assumed he was running out of bounds after a gain of about 10 – then hit Jayden Reed for 30, with the rookie making a superb diving catch, before connecting with Romeo Doubs on a back-shoulder pass for the touchdown. The extra point was good.
It’s up to Joe Barry’s defense.
Saints 17, Packers 11 (5:23 remaining)
The Packers got the three-and-out stop they needed, with Rashan Gary and Preston Smith delivering the third-down pressure. Holding by Kingsley Enagbare on the punt return pushed the Packers back to the 20.
Saints 17, Packers 11 (6:58 remaining)
Hold on, we’ve got a ballgame. The Packers drove 80 yards in about 1 1/2 minutes, with Jordan Love juking Demario Davis on a fourth-and-1 keeper for the touchdown. Going with the analytics, coach Matt LaFleur went for 2. Love kept the play alive long enough for Samori Toure to get open in the end zone to make it a 6-point game.
The packers got 67 yards on back-to-back pass-interference penalties by Alontae Taylor and Isaac Yiadom.
Saints 17, Packers 3 (8:27 remaining)
The Packers have a faint heartbeat. Rashan Gary’s third sack of the game – the first three-sack game of his career – and a pass breakup by Corey Ballentine will give the Packers the ball at their 20 with 8:27 remaining.
Saints 17, Packers 3 (11:00 remaining)
Well, the Packers won’t get shut out. Anders Carlson kicked a 38-yard field goal. Going into hurry-up mode, Jordan Love connected with Jayden Reed for 22 yards and Romeo Doubs for 17. But the drive died. Love’s end-zone shot was broken up Alontae Taylor, who kicked the ball out of Reed’s hand as both players tumbled to the turf, and Isaac Yiadom broke up an underthrown pass to Malik Heath.
Saints 17, Packers 0 (14:58 remaining)
On fourth-and-2, Patrick Taylor was open in the flat. Jordan Love thought Taylor would stay put for the catch. Taylor thought he should take the route upfield. So, the ball landed in the middle of nowhere. The fans booed. “Roll Out the Barrel” played.
It was Green Bay’s best drive of the day. Taylor had catches of 12 and 10 yards, and Romeo Doubs made a superb grab on a deep ball for a gain of 30.
Injury update: Saints QB Derek Carr (shoulder) is out.
Third Quarter
Saints 17, Packers 0 (6:15 remaining)
Jordan Love will get another chance. He entered the game with the best passer rating in the NFL but is at only 35.2.
Saints 17, Packers 0 (8:52 remaining)
Here are the numbers of the day: Jordan Love has completed nine passes. The Saints have broken up nine passes.
Injury update: Carr has a shoulder injury; his return is questionable.
Saints 17, Packers 0 (10:26 remaining)
Jordan Love, facing third-and-a-million, chucked his first interception of the year. It was as good as a punt. The defense gave up one first down but got off the field when Rashan Gary sacked Derek Carr. Carr was slow to get up and was taken to the locker room, so it will be Jameis Winston time.
Injury updates: LB De'Vondre Campbell (ankle) is out and CB Carrington Valentine (biceps) is questionable. Corey Ballentine started the second half in place of Valentine.
Halftime
Saints 17, Packers 0
The Packers were booed off the field as they trail by 17 points at halftime. It might as well be 170 points given how Green Bay’s shorthanded offense has played.
On offense: Jordan Love is 7-of-16 passing for 74 yards.
On defense: The Packers gave up 6.3 yards per rushing attempt in the second quarter.
On special teams: The Packers gave up a punt-return touchdown.
Green Bay has been guilty of seven penalties for 60 yards.
Saints cornerback Alontae Taylor has three passes defensed and one sack; Packers receivers have caught four passes.
Luke Musgrave can't haul in a deep pass in the first quarter.
Photo by Jeff Hanisch/USA Today Sports Images
Second Quarter
Saints 17, Packers 0 (6 seconds remaining)
A 25-yard field goal by Blake Grupe made it a 17-point game. It could have been worse but Keisean Nixon and Carrington Valentine had the coverage on Derek Carr’s pass to Chris Olave on third-and-goals from the 7. Nixon had the breakup and Valentine popped Olave at the goal line.
The Saints drove 14 plays and 82 yards. Tony Jones gained 19 yards on the first play when linebacker Quay Walker was pancaked by guard James Hurt. Olave gained 27 on an incredible one-handed catch along the sideline against Valentine.
Saints 14, Packers 0 (4:32 remaining)
Not a bad series for Saints cornerback Alontae Taylor, who broke up two passes to Romeo Doubs and sacked Jordan Love on third-and-8 to knock the Packers out of field-goal range. Green Bay’s offense, playing without Aaron Jones, Christian Watson, David Bakhtiari and Elgton Jenkins, has been horrible. Not even an 11-yard run by Keisean Nixon – the longest run of the season by a Packers player not named Jordan Love – could get the Packers on the board.
Taylor has broken up three passes. Packers receivers have caught four passes.
Green Bay has been found guilty of seven penalties for 60 yards.
Saints 14, Packers 0 (10:30 remaining)
The Packers in in deep trouble less than 20 minutes into the game. Rashid Shaheed returned a punt 76 yards for a touchdown. The blocking was exquisite, starting with a double-team block of Jonathan Owens. Long snapper Matt Orzech might have gotten a finger on Shaheed; nobody else did.
By the numbers:
76 yards: Distance of punt return
75 yards: Green Bay’s total offense
55 yards: Green Bay’s penalty yards
Jordan Love is 4-of-10 passing for 37 yards.
Saints 7, Packers 0 (14:18 remaining)
The Packers got a key stop with Rashan Gary delivering a third-down sack. Jonathan Owens’ holding penalty on the punt return pushed the drive start back to the 26.
Injury update: LB De’Vondre Campbell, who missed the series, has gone into the locker room due to an ankle injury.
First Quarter
Saints 7, Packers 0 (3:12 remaining)
The Packers managed a first down when AJ Dillon turned a third-and-10 screen pass into a gain of 14 thanks in large part to running through two tacklers. But the drive died. Dillon didn’t have a prayer on second-and-5, right tackle Zach Tom was flagged for a false start on third-and-5 and Bryan Bresee batted down Jordan Love’s pass on third down.
The big missed chance came on the third play. Love had tight end Luke Musgrave streaking open between the hash marks. A perfect pass would have delivered a 62-yard touchdown. However, the ball was well over Musgrave’s head around the 25.
Saints 7, Packers 0 (6:40 remaining)
Taking advantage of a short field and a personal foul against defensive tackle Kenny Clark, the Saints struck first. On third-and-5 from the 8, former Packers tight end Jimmy Graham beat Rasul Douglas on a slant for a relatively easy touchdown. That was the second third-down conversion on the drive; on third-and-6, Tony Jones was wide open in the flat for a gain of 10.
The 36-year-old Graham, who scored five touchdowns and caught 93 passes for Green Bay in 2018 and 2019, had zero catches in two games to start this season.
Packers 0, Saints 0 (10:44 remaining)
Points for creativity. No points for execution. On fourth-and-2 from the Saints’ 44, coach Matt LaFleur didn’t hesitate to keep the offense on the field. The play? A handoff to Emanuel Wilson and backward pass to Jordan Love, with Love throwing to a wide-open Dontayvion Wicks for a big play. In theory, anyway. Wilson’s pass to Love hit the ground. Love got it and had Wicks open, anyway, but Love was practically doing the splits when he threw the ball, which sailed over Wicks’ head.
Before all that, Jon Runyan was called for holding and Royce Newman for a false start.
Packers 0, Saints 0 (13:41 remaining)
A rousing start for Green Bay’s defense. The run defense, smoked last week against Atlanta, got a stuff from TJ Slaton against running back on Tony Jones. On third-and-9, Kenny Clark smoked his blocker and smashed quarterback Derek Carr. Following a short punt, the Packers will start at their 47.
Who Will Start on Offensive Line?
Without left tackle David Bakhtiari and left guard Elgton Jenkins, the Packers are down their top two offensive linemen.
Against the Saints, based on pregame, the Packers will go with the same unit that played the second half at Atlanta: left tackle Rasheed Walker, left guard Royce Newman, center Josh Myers, right guard Jon Runyan and right tackle Zach Tom.
“I thought they both did a very good job,” offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich said this week of Walker, who made his first NFL start, and Newman, who has more than 1,500 snaps of experience. “Royce handled himself well. You always stress that with the guys who aren’t starting – you have to prepare like you’re starting. And those guys have to prepare for multiple positions, so it’s tough. But he did a great job. Came in there and handled himself well. Obviously, Sheed had a rocky start, first series or two, but I felt he settled in pretty well too and did a good job.”
The Packers could have shifted Tom to left guard and inserted veteran Yosh Nijman at right tackle.
“You can look at the matchup, too,” Stenavich said. “All right, who are we going against? Are they stronger at the edge or stronger inside? Things like that. That also plays into account with who your opponent is.”
Love’s Lambeau Debut
Jordan Love, after starting at Kansas City in 2021 and at Chicago and Atlanta in 2023, will make his first start at Lambeau Field vs. the Saints.
“Definitely be a lot of excitement there, just to be in Lambeau,” Love said on Wednesday. “I’ve got some preseason games under my belt in Lambeau, but that’s about it. I’m definitely excited to be out there.”
Love is one of the weekly team captains. Plus, with the offense set to be introduced this week, he figures to be the last man out of the tunnel.
Love has played in four home games, going 6-of-11 for 36 yards in mop-up appearances against the Lions and Vikings in 2021 and the Jets and Vikings last year.
“It’ll definitely be a little bit more juice going out there, a little bit more excitement, just first time being a starter there,” Love said. “So, I’m excited. I’m looking forward to it.”
Packers-Saints Inactives
How shorthanded are the Packers? They went from 1.5-point favorites to 1.5 underdogs.
Christian Watson and Aaron Jones before the game. (Photo by Jeff Hanisch/USA Today Sports Images(
Packers Inactives Preview
Both teams will announce their inactives at 10:30 a.m. – 90 minutes before kickoff. For the Packers, who’s on that list (and who’s not on it) will be incredibly noteworthy.
Here’s what we know in advance of the announcement.
CB Jaire Alexander: Alexander’s availability will be dependent on how he felt when he woke up, a source said. He popped up on the injury report on Friday and was listed as questionable.
RB Aaron Jones: Jones fueled the win at Chicago by turning two short catches into huge gains. Jones wants to play but there’s some sentiment for waiting for Thursday’s NFC North game against the Lions.
LT David Bakhtiari: A surprise inactive against Atlanta, there’s belief Bakhtiari will be ready to roll but the short turnaround against Detroit could factor.
WR Christian Watson: Watson practiced on Wednesday, got a planned Thursday day off, and practiced again on Friday. That would seem to indicate Watson is ready but, again, there’s a big division matchup coming up in just five days.
LG Elgton Jenkins: He’ll obviously be inactive. The important note is he was not placed on injured reserve this week. That seemingly would show the knee injury he sustained last week at Atlanta is short-term in nature and not worthy of a four-week stint on injured reserve.
Return of Tayson Hill
In 2017, Taysom Hill competed for a roster spot for the Packers as an undrafted free agent. Despite a strong camp, the Packers released Hill, due in part to age (27) and a lengthy injury history that included four season-ending injuries in five seasons. He wound up joining the Saints.
Hill has carved out quite a niche for himself for the Saints. In two games, here’s his snap count, according to Pro Football Focus: 14 at quarterback, nine in the backfield, four at tight end, three in the slot, 10 at receiver. Last year, he played 148 snaps at quarterback and at least 40 at tight end, slot and receiver.
“Pretty much like a running back, to be honest with you. Real, real big guy,” linebacker Quay Walker said.
Taysom Hill with the Packers in 2017
Photo by Jeff Hanisch/USA Today Sports Images
In his sixth season, Hill has 23 rushing touchdowns, nine receiving touchdowns and 10 passing touchdowns.
“It’s two different offenses,” defensive coordinator Joe Barry said. “Taysom, in essence, is a tight end, but they’ll line him out at No. 1 and he runs route like a receiver. They line him up in the backfield as a halfback, use him in protection, but then also use him in the passing game out of the backfield.
“Taysom Hill, he is a legitimate weapon just because of the different hats that he can wear within the offense, the number one being receiving the ball from center and doing a great job running the ball.”
In two games, Hill has played 40 snaps. So, it’s not as if he plays a huge role in the offense. But he does so many things that a defensive coordinator has to prepare for, and there are only so many hours in a day to prepare for the entire Saints offense.
“He’s been a pretty cool chess piece in that offense,” Barry said. “The best thing that they do, when he’s in the game, you just don’t know that it’s wildcat because he’ll line up and run routes. He’ll line up, play tight end and block. They put him in the backfield, so just when No. 7 trots onto the field, you can’t think wildcat. They use that, they deploy it and you’ve got to be ready for it when they do. He is a weapon in that offense. There’s no doubt.”
Block Party
In Week 1 against the Titans, Saints linebacker Zach Baun blocked a punt. The Packers, with young punter Daniel Whelan, will have to be on alert.
“They’re a rush team,” Packers special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia said. “They’ve got that No. 7 [Taysom Hill], who’s a heck of a player and I’ve gone against their special teams coach [Darren Rizzi] for a long time. They’re extremely well-coached, they’re fast, they’re a physical unit and they’ve got a bunch of players over there that have been a part of [Bisaccia’s units].
“They blocked a couple last year and now they started off the season with a block and they got real close twice against Carolina. So, protection will be paramount for us in the game.”
Speaking of Whelan, he got his first NFL opportunity with the Saints in 2022. While he failed to land a roster spot, that’s when he truly believed he belonged in the NFL.
“I feel like that was my mindset when I got cut from the Saints and I had to watch the whole season,” Whelan said recently. “I was like, ‘Really?’ I feel like I’m there but I wasn’t there at the same time, mentally. I think me going to the XFL and doing all that just showed me that I’m really capable of being here. Hard work pays off.”
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