GREEN BAY, Wis. (WFRV) – The Green Bay Packers are playing the New Orleans Saints to kick off the 2021 season, but what about the previous 21 games?
Even though they are playing the New Orleans Saints, 2021’s season opener will be held in Jacksonville. This will be the second time the Packers opened their season in Jacksonville in the last five years. Back in 2016, the Packers beat the Jacksonville Jaguars 27-23 in Jacksonville.
Now let’s take a look at every Packer season opener since the turn of the century.
2000: 20-16 loss vs the New York Jets
Vinny Testaverde led the Jets to a four-point win over the Packers at Lambeau Field. Brett Favre went 14 for 34 with 152 yards. He also threw one touchdown and one interception. The team would end up with a 9-7 record. Mike Sherman was the coach. Attendance: 59,870
2001: 28-6 win vs the Detriot Lions
Favre threw for 260 yards and two touchdowns to beat the Charlie Batch-led Lions. Ahman Green ran for 157 yards and two touchdowns while Bill Schroeder had four catches for 104 yards and touchdown. The game was played at Lambeau Field. The Packers would finish the season with a 12-4 record. Mike Sherman was the coach. Attendance: 59,523
2002: 37-34 OT win vs the Atlanta Falcons
Ahman Green followed up 2001’s season-opening 100 yard game with another. Green ran for 155 yards and also chipped in six catches for 42 yards. Michael Vick was the quarterback for the Falcons. William Henderson also added a touchdown. This game was also played at Lambeau Field with Mike Sherman coaching the team. Attendance: 63,127 Final Record: 12-4
2003: 30-25 loss vs the Minnesota Vikings
The Packers could not make it three wins in a row as they lost by five points to the Daunte Culpepper Vikings. Favre threw four interceptions and Ahman Green’s two-year season-opening 100-yard rushing game streak was broken. Randy moss had an outstanding game with nine catches for 150 yards and one touchdown. Green did add two touchdowns on the ground in the loss. Mike Sherman was the coach as the Packers played their fourth straight opening game at Lambeau. Attendance: 70,505 Final Record: 10-6
2004: 24-14 win @ Carolina Panthers
Ahman Green again ran for 100 yards and also added two rushing touchdowns as the Packers beat the Panthers by ten points. Jake Delhomme was the quarterback for the Panthers and Favre was under center for the Packers. The game was played in Carolina. Mike Sherman again was the coach and the team finished 10-6. Attendance: 73,656
2005: 17-3 loss @ Detroit Lions
Joey Harrington avenged Detroit’s 2001 season-opening loss against the Packers as Favre threw two interceptions. 2005 would not be a successful year for the Packers as they finished with a record of 4-12 and would be Mike Sherman’s last year as the team’s coach. Attendance: 61,877
2006: 26-0 loss vs Chicago Bears
The Packers would lose their second consecutive season opener this time at home against the Bears. Favre again threw two interceptions, but Ahman Green again ran for over 100 yards. Donald Driver also chipped in a solid performance with seven catches for 96 yards. This was Mike McCarthy’s first year as coach and would finish the year with an 8-8 record. Attendance: 70,918
2007: 16-13 win vs Philadelphia Eagles
In what would be Favre’s last year playing for the Packers, the team would win a close game at home against the Eagles. Favre went 23 for 42 with 206 yards and one interception and the leading rusher was Brandon Jackson with 40 yards on 15 carries. Coach: McCarthy Attendance: 70,598 Final Record: 13-3
2008: 24-19 win vs Minnesota Vikings
The Aaron Rodgers’ era kicks off with a win as the Packers beat a Tavarias Jackson-led Vikings team by five points. Rodgers would finish the game going 18 for 22 with 178 yards and one touchdown. Ryan Grant also added 92 yards on the ground. Coach: McCarthy Attendance: 71,004 Final Record: 6-10
2009: 21-15 win vs Chicago Bears
The Packers make it three season-opening wins in a row as they beat the Bears who were quarterbacked by Jay Cutler. In a vintage Cutler performance, he threw four interceptions as Rodgers threw for one touchdown. Greg Jennings had a great day with six catches for 106 yards and one touchdown. Coach: McCarthy Attendance: 70,920 Final Record: 11-5
2010: 27-20 win @ Philadelphia Eagles
The year the Packers won the Super Bowl, they started their season off with a seven-point win on the road in Philadelphia. It would be Michael Vick’s second time playing against the Packers in a season-opening game, this time in a different jersey, and would also be the same result like the one back in 2002. Even though Rodgers would end up throwing two interceptions, the team still won and Brandon Jackson was the leading rusher with 63 yards. Coach: McCarthy Attendance: 69,144 Final Record: 10-6 (won Super Bowl)
2011: 42-34 win vs New Orleans Saints
In a shootout with Drew Brees, the Packers would win their first of fifteen games over the Saints. Rodgers threw for three touchdowns and James Starks was the leading rusher with 57 yards and one touchdown. This was also the team’s fifth straight season-opening win. Coach: McCarthy Attendance: 70,555 Final Record 15-1
2012: 30-22 loss vs San Francisco 49ers
The Packers would not extend their season-opening winning streak to six games as the team would fall by eight points to Alex Smith and the 49ers. Cedric Benson was the team’s leading rusher with a measly 18 yards on nine carries. Rodgers had a solid game going 30 for 44 with 303 yards and two touchdowns and one interception. Coach: McCarthy Attendance: 70,523 Final Record: 11-5
2013: 34-28 loss @ San Francisco 49ers
In a rematch from the year prior, the Packers would suffer the same result at the hands of the 49ers. This time it would be Colin Kaepernick leading the 49ers as Rodgers turned in another terrific game. Rodgers threw for 333 yards with three touchdowns and one interception. Both Randall Cobb and Jordy Nelson had 100+ yards and one touchdown. Eddie Lacy led the team with 41 rushing yards and one touchdown. Coach: McCarthy Attendance: 69,732 Final Record: 8-7-1
2014: 36-16 loss @ Seattle Seahawks
The biggest season-opening loss since 2006, the Packers would fall to the Russell Wilson-led Seahawks. The Packers would not have a 100-yard rusher in the season-opening game for the eighth straight year. Rodgers went 23 for 33 with 189 yards one touchdown and one interception. James Starks would lead the team in rushing with 37 yards. Coach: McCarthy Attendance: 68,424 Final Record: 12-4
2015: 31-23 win @ Chicago Bears
The Packers would end their three-game season-opener losing streak, as Rodgers threw for three touchdowns against the Jay Cutler-led Bears. Eddie Lacy added 85 yards rushing with one touchdown and James Jones had two receiving touchdowns. Coach: McCarthy Attendance: 62,442 Final Record: 10-6
2016: 27-23 win @ Jacksonville Jaguars
Rodgers led the Packers to their second straight season-opening win as he threw for two touchdowns. Blake Bortles was not able to come out victorious for the hometown Jaguars. Eddie Lacy chipped in 61 yards rushing. Coach: McCarthy Attendance: 63,179 Final Record: 10-6
2017: 17-9 win vs Seattle Seahawks
After four consecutive years on the road, the Packers open their 2017 season at home and come out with a win. Rodgers would get his revenge on Wilson and threw for 311 yards and one touchdown. Ty Montgomery was the leading rusher with 19 carries for 54 yards and one touchdown. Coach: McCarthy Attendance: 78,381 Final Record: 7-9
2018: 24-23 win vs Chicago Bears
The infamous game where Rodgers got hurt and ended up returning to the game to lead the Packers to a win. Rodgers threw three touchdowns and Randall Cobb had nine catches for 142 yards and one touchdown. Jamaal Williams had 47 rushing yards. Coach: McCarthy Attendance: 78,282 Final Record: 6-9-1
2019: 10-3 win @ Chicago Bears
In Matt LaFleur’s first game as the head coach of the Packers, the team won a low-scoring affair against the Bears. For the second straight year, the Packers played the Bears in the season-opener. Mitchell Trubisky lost both season-openers against the Packers and Rodgers threw for 203 yards and one touchdown. Aaron Jones ran for 39 yards. Coach: LaFleur Attendance: 62,435 Final Record: 13-3
2020: 43-34 win @ Minnesota Vikings
Rodgers and the Packers outlasted Kirk Cousins and the Vikings in a game filled with touchdowns. Davante Adams had a whopping 14 catches for 156 yards and two touchdowns. Rodgers threw four touchdowns overall and Aaron Jones ran for one touchdown and 55 yards. Coach: LaFleur Attendance: N/A (COVID) Final Record: 13-3
Some interesting facts from the season openers of since 2000:
- Of the past 21 season-opening games
- 12 were at Lambeau & 9 were away
- Packers have a 14-7 record (won the last six season-openers)
- Have not lost a season-opening game on the road since 2014
- Brett Favre is 4-4
- Aaron Rodgers is 10-3
- Away from Lambeau Field = 6-3
- At Lambeau Field = 8-4
- Played the Chicago Bears five times (4-1)
- Last time Packers had a 100 yard rusher in the season-opening game was in 2006
The Saints and Packers play on Sept. 12 at 3:25 p.m. in Jacksonville.
Can the Packers make it seven season-opening wins in a row? If history is any indication, all signs appear to be pointing to a win.