Saints vs. Packers: Season Opener Will Foreshadow NFC Playoff Clash

The NFL deserves a big pat on the back for this one. They made a lot of mistakes throughout the lockout, but scheduling the Saints and Packers in Lambeau Field for the opener was not one of them.

These are the last two Super Bowl champions and both are on a short list of NFC favorites to find their way back to the Super Bowl.

The Eagles have received a lot of attention for all of their offseason moves. I don't really object to Vince Young calling them the "Dream Team."

Atlanta and Chicago were the top two NFC teams during the regular season in 2010. They are sure to be motivated to find their way back to the playoffs and avenge their losses from last season (both to the Packers).

There are also a few teams in the NFC in Tampa Bay and Detroit that have high hopes before the season. They missed the playoffs last year but are on the rise.

But the Saints and the Packers have both been there before. They are both similar to the rosters that won them their respective Super Bowls.

This is a game that we could well see again in the playoffs, and possibly in the NFC Championship game. Which adds even more weight to this opening game. 

The winner will be a game up in the standings on their opponent and have the tiebreaker. Now, think about January. Think about where these two teams play.

The Saints play in a dome. They have a team that is made for a dome.

Now think about where the Packers play. Lambeau Field in January is about as far away from a dome as you can find in the NFL.

If this is going to be a playoff game, the winner of this game will likely be the one that hosts that game.

I am not saying that the Packers can’t win in New Orleans or that the Saints can’t win in Green Bay. But both places are tough on road opponents, especially in the playoffs.

These are two of the top teams in the NFC. It’s hard to imagine the loser not making the playoffs. But this game could mean the difference between making the playoffs and making the Super Bowl.