Green Bay Packers: Top 5 Plays from Week 1 Against the Saints

Two of the NFL's top offenses took the field on Thursday night at Lambeau, but special teams and defense also provided some outstanding plays in the league's season opener between the Green Bay Packers and New Orleans Saints.

Green Bay looked unstoppable on offense out of the tunnel, but it was their defense that prevailed in the shootout between Aaron Rodgers and Drew Brees.

Here are the Packers top five plays of their Week 1 victory over the Saints.

5. Erik Walden's Sack

New Orleans was in the red zone and could have come within four points of the Pack with a touchdown, but Erik Walden brought down Brees a good 10 yards behind the line of scrimmage.

It was one of the biggest defensive plays of the game, shifting the momentum back to the home team.

4. James Starks' Touchdown Run

Starks looked great all night against the Saints and this touchdown scamper could be one of the best runs of his career thus far.

The second-year player barreled through several defenders and an impressive dive landed him in the end zone for a 17-yard score; his first ever in the regular season.

3. Cobb's Receiving Touchdown

Aaron Rodgers, and probably the entire Packers organization, was smiling after this play.

The team's most anticpated rookie wasted no time in scoring his first touchdown, and it was quite impressive.

Randall Cobb caught a bullet from Rodgers on a slant route, broke a defender's ankles and finished him off with a stiff arm, dived beautifully over the goal line, and almost performed a successful Lambeau Leap.

2. Cobb's Kickoff Return

Mike McCarthy may never know what caused Cobb to decide to take the ball out of the end zone on this kickoff, but I'm sure he's glad Cobb did.

The rooke receiver's incredible debut was capped off by this record-tying return. What many thought to be yet another touchback under the NFL's new kickoff rule turned into a 108-yard dash.

It's safe to say the Packers have found their return man.

1. Packers Deny Saints at Goal Line to Seal Victory

The clock had run out in the fourth quarter and it appeared the Packers had held onto the victory. However, a cursed yellow flag fell to the turf and a very questionable pass interference penalty gave the Saints one more chance at the end zone.

New Orleans was given the ball at 1-yard line and the fans at Lambeau Field couldn't believe it. The Pack had successfully shut down the Saints in short-yardage situations, but did they have it in them to make one more stop to seal the win?

Ryan Pickett led the charge, and then came the rest of the defense to deny Mark Ingram the touchdown.

It was an emphatic end to a tremendous Week 1 opener and an amazing stop by Green Bay.