Packers-Saints Series History

I would normally post this on Tuesday, but we all need to get the Seattle Screw recaps done before we can really focus on the Saints. In order for this to happen, this is instead going up on Wednesday.

And now, it is time for another Packers series history post, this time against the New Orleans Saints. The Packers currently lead the all-time series between the teams with a mark of 15-7.

The Saints entered the NFL in 1967, and they signed Green Bay's duo of Paul Hornung and Jim Taylor. However, the Packers never faced either player while they were with the Saints. Hornung retired before ever playing a game and Taylor played one year in 1967, when the Packers and Saints did not face each other.

The first Packers-Saints game was in 1968 in Milwaukee, a 29-7 Packers win. Up until 1985, the Packers were supremely dominant in this series, winning ten of the twelve games between the teams. Most of these games were within a touchdown but others were not close, such as a 35-7 win in New Orleans in late 1981 or a 38-14 Packers win in Milwaukee in 1985.

In 1986 and 1987, the Packers fell apart while the Saints marched up and joined the NFL's elite. The series reflected this, as the Packers lost both games to New Orleans in those two years.

The 1989 game is among the most memorable games in the series, as well as one of Don Majkowski's best Packers games. The Saints led 21-0 early on and 24-7 at halftime. In the second half, the Packers began fighting back, and closed to 31-28 with most of the fourth quarter to play. After a long Saints drive led to a field goal, the Packers began marching. Midway through the drive, though, Green Bay faced a fourth-and-17. Majkowski completed a 23-yard pass to Jeff Query, and with 1:31 left, the Packers scored a touchdown to take a 35-34 lead with 1:31 remaining. This would prove to be the final score as Saints quarterback Bobby Hebert threw a game-sealing interception on New Orleans' last drive.

The Packers won two games in the Superdome in 1993 and 1995, and this was the last time they played the Saints for a while. In 2002, the Saints finally beat the Packers 35-20 in New Orleans, only the fifth New Orleans victory over the Packers all-time.

The Packers trounced the Saints 52-3 in Green Bay in 2005, but this game was marred by New Orleans essentially being a road team that year. The next year, the Saints had a home to go to, and they went into Green Bay and won 34-27. This was the first time since 1971 that the Packers had lost at home to the Saints. This was also the first year of the Sean Payton era in New Orleans.

In 2008, the Saints routed the Packers 51-29 in New Orleans on a Monday Night football game. This narrowed the all-time series lead to Packers 14, Saints 7.

Lastly, in 2011, the Packers welcomed the Saints to Green Bay in the opener for the entire NFL. The Packers held on to win 42-34, on a late goal-line stand on an untimed down, stuffing New Orleans running back Mark Ingram for no gain with the game on the line.

The Packers lead the regular season series 15-7 as already indicated. The Packers-Saints series is unique for one reason, as the Saints are the only current NFC team the Packers have never faced in the playoffs. They have played every other team at least once.

What are your memories of the Packers playing the Saints?

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