After a Green Bay punt, Brees marched the Saints to the Packers 9-yard line and spiked the ball with 3 seconds left. Green Bay’s A.J. Hawk was called for pass interference and the ball was placed at the 1.
The Packers swarmed rookie Mark Ingram, and the game was over.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP’s earlier story is below.
GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Aaron Rodgers threw three touchdown passes and rookie Randall Cobb tied an NFL record with a 108-yard kickoff return, giving the Green Bay Packers a 35-27 lead over the New Orleans Saints after three quarters on Thursday night.
It was a high-scoring beginning to the NFL season, and the Packers got off to a fast start in their title defense.
Rodgers threw three first-quarter TD passes — finding Greg Jennings, Jordy Nelson and Cobb as Green Bay’s offense picked up where it left off after a 31-25 win over Pittsburgh in the Super Bowl.
The Saints cut the Packers lead to 28-20 on John Kasay’s 38-yard field goal before Cobb’s return. He avoided one tackle and broke through four other defenders for Green Bay’s first kick return for a score in 11 years.
Drew Brees and New Orleans answered when he found Devery Henderson for a 29-yard touchdown that made it 35-27 heading into the fourth.
Trailing 21-10 early in the second quarter, New Orleans got its own special teams boost when Darren Sproles returned a punt 72 yards for a touchdown. Sproles turned his back on the crowd, pointing emphatically to his name plate as Reggie Bush’s replacement while a smattering of “Who Dat’’ chants could be heard in the overwhelmingly partisan Packers crowd.
Green Bay took a 28-17 halftime lead by using the run, and James Starks dragged safety Roman Harper into the end zone for a 17-yard touchdown following key blocks by Scott Wells and T.J. Lang.
Rodgers, the reigning Super Bowl MVP, was 21 of 29 for 257 yards heading into the fourth quarter to continue his strong string of performances after leading the Packers to four postseason wins for the team’s first title since 1997.
The Packers have won a record 13 NFL championships, including four Super Bowls.
