Saints vs. Packers: What NFL Fans Learned from Dynamic Season Opener

The New Orleans Saints and Green Bay Packers battled in a marvelous NFL season opener Thursday night. We have hungered for the NFL for what seems like decades. My stomach for all things football is now full; this game was exactly what I needed. 

I was so giddy for NFL football that I could overlook that Kid Rock opened the festivities and the Green Bay Packers ran onto the field to Get Ready for This. 

I could care less about the pomp, the circumstance or whatever Bob Costas told me was important. I wanted some NFL highlights, and not those meaningless ones we have seen from the last four weeks. I want some real acts of heroism.

Thursday night's season opener delivered, and it delivered big. Here are the few items of note that you should take away from the 42-34 Green Bay Packers victory over the New Orleans Saints.  

Randall Cobb is Dangerous: The Green Bay Packers hardly needed another receiver. However, Cobb has been winning hearts in Green Bay. Now he is a nationwide star.

Whenever people complain about the five-yard difference in kickoffs, I will remind them that all it takes is a player like Randall Cobb to amaze. Cobb had two receptions, one of which he took in for six. But he really shined as a returner.

On only two returns, Cobb ran 135 yards, one of which he took to the house. Cobb is a bad, bad man.  

Darren Sproles is a Valuable Asset: The Saints played a little Moneyball when they kicked Reggie Bush to the curb, only to sign the cheaper Darren Sproles.

Well, they picked a priceless vase from the scrapheap at a garage sale. Sproles was magnificent in his first turn as the Saints running back/kick-off returner.

Sproles went 76 yards on kick returns, and 96 yards on punt returns. Somewhere, Billy Beane is smiling.     

Aaron Rodgers is the Best: There is no way around it. Aaron Rodgers sidestepped a Super Bowl hangover and delivered a marvelous performance. 

He looked just like we remembered him in his Super Bowl MVP game. Rodgers was near flawless, throwing 27-for-35, throwing for 312 yards and three touchdowns. 

Green Bay Packers are Still the Champs: The Saints put up a fine fight. Drew Brees gave an elite performance that was a hair short in the end. 

The Saints had their special teams going in Darren Sproles. Their offense was moving at a clip of 477 total yards. Yet the Packers were otherworldly where is mattered, in the red zone.

This was a comfortable and laid-back squad. They didn't just play like defending champs, they played like they were hungry for more.