New Orleans Saints vs. Green Bay Packers: 4 Key Matchups in NFL Season Opener

With plenty of fanfare, the 2011 NFL season kicks off this week in Green Bay with the league's past two Super Bowl champions taking the stage.

When the New Orleans Saints step onto the field in Green Bay, it will mark the third time in five years that the Saints have played in the inaugural game of the year. The Saints' experience and familiarity in this game should help them ease into the game with confidence and composure.

The game will be televised on NBC on Thursday, September 8th.

Coverage starts at 6:30 p.m. CDT and kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. CDT. The Packers are installed as four-point favorites. 

Heading into the game, here are four key matchups that will play a pivotal role in the game's outcome.   

The Coaching Battle

Perhaps the most compelling storyline of this game will be each team's game plan.  

With an entire offseason to scout and scheme, both teams will come into this game with well-devised game plans aimed at exploiting favorable matchups and tendencies.

* Will Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams dial up a barrage of pressure as expected? Or will he surprise the Packers by sitting back and attempting to limit big plays from the explosive Packer offense?

* Will Packers head coach Mike McCarthy attempt to establish any sort of running game? Or will he have Aaron Rodgers throw it 40-plus times against a Saints' secondary that was torched in their final game of the 2010 season?

* Will Packers defensive coordinator Dom Capers be able to mold his defensive strategy to adjust to a new-look Saints offense? And will Capers effectively replace the departed Cullen Jenkins on the Packers' D-line? 

* Will Sean Payton attempt to limit the Packers' opportunities by running the ball 30-plus times? And will Payton unveil any surprise tactics as he's done in the past?   

Edge: Saints. Sean Payton has a well-established history of designing unique game plans and out-executing opposing head coaches in big games, and this Thursday should further illustrate that trend.   

Jermichael Finley vs. the Saints' LBs

Perhaps the Packers' biggest advantage will be the mismatch that TE Jermichael Finley presents against the unsettled Saints' linebacker corps. 

While Finley is nursing a sore ankle, he is expected to be healthy for the game. 

The Saints' outside LB spots are yet to be determined, but expect Jonathan Cassilas to line up on the weak side and Scott Shanle to shift over to the strong side. 

Finley presents an enormous challenge in coverage for both Cassilas, who is still maturing and inexperienced at his position, and Shanle, who's an aging player with a limited skill set.

Expect to see the Saints utilize a variety of double coverage, bracket coverage and nickel sets to limit Finley's effectiveness. 

Edge: Packers. If the Packers can exploit this matchup, Finley and the Packers' offense will be in for a big evening.  

The Saints' Rushing Attack vs. the Packers' Front 7

If the Saints can effectively run the ball and control the clock, expect the Saints to win the game. 

Not only will an effective Saints' rushing attack limit the Packers' offensive opportunities, but it will also enable Saints QB Drew Brees to operate more freely against the Packers' secondary.

The Saints will look to mix in a healthy dose of Pierre Thomas, Mark Ingram and Darren Sproles in order to alleviate pressure from Brees and establish a physical presence. 

If the Packers front seven, lead by BJ Raji and Clay Matthews, can limit the Saints' running game, the Saints may be in for an unwelcome start to the 2011 season.

Edge: Push. The Packers lost key defensive lineman Cullen Jenkins in free agency, and the Saints re-vamped their running game this offseason.

The key to this matchup will be how the Packers' D-line adjusts to the loss of Jenkins this early in the season, and how committed the Saints are to establishing the ground attack.  

The Kicking Game

While it's not very exciting, the kicking game could well play a deciding role in this Thursday's contest. 

Most glaring is the Saints replacing injured kicker Garrett Hartley with long-time veteran John Kasay. In the Saints' final preseason game, Kasay struggled mightily, missing a 39-yard field goal and an extra point.

While Hartley has proven himself to be a reliable kicker in the clutch, Kasay has big shoes to fill in Hartley's absence.

On the other side of the ball, Packers kicker Mason Crosby has been one of the league's most consistent kickers and has the advantage of kicking on his home turf this week.

Edge: Packers. If this game is decided by a field goal, Crosby seems to be better positioned to make the big kick than Kasay, who until just recently, was lingering without a team.