Saints vs. Packers: 10 Things We Learned from Both Teams

The NFL season kicked off last night with the New Orleans Saints playing the Green Bay Packers. For those who weren't able to watch the game last night missed an extremely exciting game.

Even with Green Bay jumping out to an early lead, the Saints stuck with them and never gave up. Eventually the Packers' offense proved to be too much as they came away with a 42-34 victory.

Here are 10 things we learned from both teams after Thursday's final score.

Drew Brees Is Still Really, Really Good

Anyone who thought that Drew Brees' play was going to decline this year needs to rethink their early judgements.

Even though he dealt with an early deficit, Brees never wavered and looked extremely efficient. He faced pressure and didn't allow it to deter him. All game long he was behind, but it never phased him as he fought all game long.

Trust me when I say that Drew Brees is still an elite quarterback.

Green Bay's Offense Is Going to Be Unstoppable

However good you thought this Green Bay Packers' offense was going to be this year, multiply it by one hundred and you will be a little closer to reality.

To describe this offense in one word it would be unstoppable. Within the first 10 minutes of the game, Aaron Rodgers was able to drive the Packers down the field for two touchdowns.

Rodgers was nearly perfect on both drives and it looked like he was playing against a high school defense. With Jermichael Finley, Greg Jennings, Donald Driver and Jordy Nelson all playing at a high level, it was just simply too much for the New Orleans Saints' defense to handle.

On top of all this, both Ryan Grant and James Starks looked very good running the ball and they will just add another dimension to this already potent offense.

Watch out NFL, this offense could become one of the best this sport has ever seen.

Darren Sproles Will Make Everyone Forget About Reggie Bush

Whenever a team loses a player as versatile as Reggie Bush, you aren't really sure how they will replace him.

Luckily for the New Orleans Saints they were able to sign Darren Sproles as a free agent this offseason. This could become one of the best free-agent pickups in the entire NFL season.

In the second quarter Sproles returned a punt for a touchdown and was a constant weapon as a receiver out of the backfield. At times he looked to be a far superior player than Reggie Bush was during his time in New Orleans.

I wouldn't be surprised if Sproles has a career year in his first year with the Saints.

Jermichael Finley Will Be the Best Tight End by the End of the Year

This may sound corny, but the sky is the limit for Jermichael Finley.

By the end of the year, Finley will absolutely be the best tight end in all of football. In fact, it won't even be close how much better he will be than players like Antonio Gates or Vernon Davis.

All game long Finley was creating mismatches with the New Orleans Saints' defense. Their linebackers were too big and slow to cover him and watching a safety attempt to stop him was almost laughable.

It will be extremely enjoyable to watch Finley separate himself from the pack throughout the course of this year.

The Saints Defense Has Some Kinks to Work Out

Neither defense looked very good last night as there was over 800 total yards of offense given up.

Last year the New Orleans Saints was nothing exceptional, but they have appeared to take a step further back this year. They were constantly beat through the air and gave up numerous big plays on the ground to both Ryan Grant and James Starks.

Even if the Saints score 30 points a game it won't matter if their defense gives up over 40 points a game.

So Does the Packers Defense

Many expected this year's Green Bay Packers' defense to be even better than last year. However, they really struggled all game long, especially against the pass, which was supposed to be the strongest part of their defense.

At times, it was hard to watch this unit get picked apart by Drew Brees. They struggled getting pressure on Brees which allowed him plenty of time to find an open receiver.

The unit was able to keep the New Orleans Saints run game in check, but that wasn't really a surprise considering New Orleans was starting a rookie running back.

If the Packers want to get back to the Super Bowl they will need to figure out their defense.

Mark Ingram Might Not Be as Good as We All Thought

Does 13 rushes for 40 yards sound like a performance you want from your starting running back?

The hype surrounding Mark Ingram falling into the perfect situation with the New Orleans Saints was all over the place following the NFL Draft. There is no doubting that he has the talent to be a franchise running back, but he was never able to get going against the Green Bay Packers.

When the Packers' defense was giving up yards left and right, it was a little disheartening to see Ingram struggling.

Randall Cobb Will Win Offensive Rookie of the Year

I'll be honest that I was really high on Randall Cobb and even went as far to say that he would have a better rookie season than Percy Harvin, who won Offensive Rookie of the Year two years ago.

After the performance Cobb had against the New Orleans Saints, I might have underestimated his playmaking ability. He had two touchdowns, one receiving and one off a kick return. Whenever the ball was in his hands, he was a legitimate threat to score a touchdown.

As Cobb becomes more familiar with this offense, he will only get better and run away with the Offensive Rookie of the Year award.

The Saints Are the Third Best Team in the NFC South

The NFC South is one of the better divisions in the NFL with the New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Atlanta Falcons all a threat to make the playoffs.

Out of these three teams, the Saints will be the worst of the bunch. Sure, they may finish the season at 9-7 or 10-6, but they will finish behind the Falcons and Buccaneers in the rankings.

Ultimately, New Orleans will miss out on the playoffs this year.

The Packers Are the Best Team in the NFL

As good as the New England Patriots or Philadelphia Eagles are going to be, the Green Bay Packers proved tonight that they are the best team in the NFL.

Even with their defense struggling and playing poorly, they came out victorious. Their offense will be able to put up points with great frequency and will get even better with each game.

Mike McCarthy has this team poised for another deep playoff run and it is safe to say that the Packers are the best team in the NFL.