Packers vs. Saints Reaction: Why Neither NFC Team Will Go to the Super Bowl

Whether you are a Green Bay Packers fan or a New Orleans Saints fan, you should be feeling good following the season opener that the two most recent Super Bowl champions competed in. Right?

Check out these stat lines:

Drew Brees (NO): 419 yards, 3 touchdowns

Aaron Rodgers (GB): 312 yards, 3 touchdowns

Devery Henderson (NO): 6 receptions, 100 yards, 1 touchdown

Greg Jennings: (GB) 7 receptions, 89 yards, 1 touchdown

Those are pretty solid stats. After a 42-34 thriller that the two squads just put on (in which Green Bay came away on top), there is only one glaring problem for both squads. Where the $!*@ was the defense?!

And for that matter, the special teams too. Green Bay and New Orleans showed that they are explosive offensive squads led by confident, accurate passers, but they also showed that they had blaring weaknesses in their defenses. The greatest source of weakness was in the secondary for both squad. 

Roman Harper and Tracy Porter were overwhelmed all night by the Packers receivers, particularly in the red zone, while Charles Woodson and company looked like frustrated men trying to cover Drew Brees' weapons.

As far as special teams go, Darren Sproles of the Saints returned two kicks for a combined 76 yards and two punts for a combined 92 yards. Not to shabby. Well maybe it is when you compare it to the night that Packers rookie wide receiver Randall Cobb had. Not only did he return two kicks for 135 yards, including an NFL record 108-yard return from the back of the end zone, he also caught two passes for 35 yards and a touchdown.

Don't take me too seriously, the Saints and the Packers will both have fine seasons, but the Packers defense better buy the offense dinner out with drinks included. To let up 34 points and still win is a rare feat. If it weren't for the Saints calling an awful play and trying to pound it into the end zone with rookie running back Mark Ingram, the game could have headed into overtime.

It's a fact, defense wins championships, and the Saints and Packers both need to get some of this so-called "defense" if they want to head back to the big game.