Green Bay Packers Defeat New Orleans Saints in Opening NFL Match
In the official opening game of the NFL season, the Green Bay Packers have beaten the New Orleans Saints on Thursday.
Aaron Rodgers, Packers’ quarterback, led his team to a 42-34 victory against Saints’ quarterback Drew Brees and his squad. Clay Matthews, Packers’ linebacker, led defenders to stop Mark Ingram, a rookie running back for the Saints.
Matthews credited his performance to knowing how to finish games.
"It's not what you envision," Matthews said, according to ESPN reports. "Obviously, you'd love to have a blowout, but I think it represents everything that we preach, which is finishing games. And it comes down to the very last play -- we win, or they have an opportunity to tie it up. I think it's fantastic to overcome that adversity, get the stop that we needed and get off the field with the victory."
Donald Driver, Packers’ wide receiver, also had an outstanding night. The WR’s wife birthed a new addition to the family the night before the big game and he managed to tie the record for the most receiving yards in Packers’ history.
When questioned about his accomplishment, Driver thanked God.
"(It is) truly a blessing to be mentioned at the same breath with all of the receivers who played before me," he said. “Truly a blessing what God can do. Not a bad 24 hours, I'll take it."
Although the game proved to be successful for the Packers, some fans were unhappy with the musical performances that kicked off the opening game of the season.
Some took to social media to express their frustration.
"Kid Rock, Lady Antebellum and Maroon 5? Way to thank the fans for putting up with the lockout, NFL," one person tweeted.
Another seemed just as frustrated.
“I'm about to help the economy by buying a new TV after throwing away the one I have now if Maroon 5 is on it much longer," the football fan wrote.
The game drew the second highest prime-time rating in 13 years, falling behind a 1998 Denver-Miami game.