NEW ORLEANS (AP) – Aaron Rodgers and Drew Brees each got off to quick starts, and the Green Bay Packers and New Orleans Saints were tied at 10 after the first quarter Sunday night.
Rodgers completed seven of his first nine passes for 203 yards, including a 70-yard touchdown pass to Randall Cobb.
Brees hit on five of his first seven throws for 74 yards as he sought to improve the Saints to 3-0 in the Superdome this season.
Brees hit Kenny Stills for 45-yard completion on New Orleans’ opening drive, which ended with a 4-yard touchdown run by rookie receiver Brandin Cooks.
Green Bay marched right back down the field thanks to New Orleans-area native Eddie Lacy, who turned a short-pass into a tackle-shedding 67-yard gain to the New Orleans 3.
However, the Saints’ defense responded by stuffing Lacy on his next run, then got a break when veteran Packers linebacker Julius Peppers, inserted as a tight end, dropped a pass in the end zone. Saints defensive end Cameron Jordan then sacked Rodgers, forcing a field goal.
The Packers tried to steal an extra possession with a surprise onside kick, but the Saints’ Ramon Humber got the ball first and diverted it out of bounds to give the Saints starting field position on the Green Bay 46. New Orleans drove inside the 10, only to settle for a tying field goal after Peppers’ third-down sack of Brees.
New Orleans entered the game having won 13 straight night home games.