2011 NFL KICKOFF PREDICTION & SIMULATION

We have waited for so long for this, but it is finally here! Tonight’s game pits the last two Super Bowl Champions as the New Orleans Saints will try to make it back to football’s grandest stage against the defending champion Green Bay Packers. Expect a great matchup between two of the best quarterbacks in the game—Drew Brees and Aaron Rodgers. I think Green Bay has a slight advantage since this is opening night and the Super Bowl champion has yet to lose in the kickoff game. PREDICTION: Packers 27, Saints 24.

I also took the liberty to do a simulation of the game on Madden NFL 12. Sadly for Saints fans, the video game was not as kind.

Packers 30, Saints 7
 
New Orleans      0    0   7  0 --   7
Green Bay         14  13  0  3 --  30

First Quarter
GB – Starks 3 run (Crosby kick), 10:53
GB – T.Williams 92 interception return (Crosby kick), 6:21
Second Quarter
GB – FG Crosby 54, 11:01
GB – FG Crosby 49, 4:43
GB – Jennings 1 pass from Rodgers (Crosby kick), :05
Third Quarter
NO – Thomas 2 run (Kasay kick), :16
Fourth Quarter
GB –  FG Crosby 42, 9:31
 
                                  NO         GB
First Downs                  24          15
Total Net Yards            400        304
Rushes-yards               26-120   37-134
Passing                         280       170
Punt Returns                3-17       2-4
Kickoff Returns            5-107     2-39
Interceptions Ret.         0-0      4-137
Com-Att-Int               28-44-4   16-29-0
Sacked-Yards Lost        9-69      2-11
Punts                         6-49.1     7-43.1
Fumbles-lost                 5-2        0-0
Penalties-yards            1-10        1-5
Time of Possession      31:17      28:43

Individual Statistics
RUSHING – New Orleans, Ingram 22-115, P. Thomas 1-2, Sproles 2-2, Hall 1-1.  Green Bay, Rodgers 5-68, Grant 27-60, Starks 5-6.
PASSING – New Orleans, Brees 28-44-4-349. Green Bay, Rodgers 16-29-0-181.
RECEIVING – New Orleans, Colston 7-142, Henderson 4-51, Graham 4-27, Meachem 3-45, Hall 3-26, Ingram 2-7, D. Thomas 1-26, Moore 1-12, P. Thomas 1-8, Arrington 1-3, Sproles 1-2. Green Bay, G.Jennings 6-62, Nelson 3-35, Grant 3-4, Driver 2-65, Quarless 1-7, Finley 1-8.
MISSED FIELD GOALS- Green Bay, Crosby 58

I will get the rest of the Week 1 NFL predictions and Week 2 NCAA predictions done on Friday, with simulations of Ravens/Steelers, Jets/Cowboys, and Alabama/Penn State.