The New Orleans Saints and the Green Bay Packers have one of the oldest rivalries in the NFL. Every time these two teams meet, fans want to know one thing: who had the best game? In this article, we look at the player stats from their most recent matchup, review the long history between these teams, and explain what the numbers really mean. We also answer some common questions fans ask about this matchup.
A Long History Between Two Teams
The Saints and the Packers have played many times over the years. These two teams have met 29 times, with the Saints winning 10 games and the Packers winning 19 games. This shows that the Packers have had the upper hand in this series for a long time. But football is a game that changes every season, and old records don’t always tell you who will win the next game.
This rivalry includes some big names in NFL history. Legends like Aaron Rodgers and Drew Brees have faced off in this matchup, along with more recent stars like Alvin Kamara and Josh Jacobs. Watching how the stats change from one era to the next is part of what makes this rivalry fun to follow.
The Most Recent Matchup: Packers 34, Saints 0
The last time these two teams played, on December 23, 2024, the result was not close. The Packers shut out the Saints 34-0 in a Week 16 game, which helped Green Bay clinch a Wild Card spot in the NFC playoffs. This was also the Packers’ fifth playoff berth in six seasons under head coach Matt LaFleur.
Let’s break down how each side performed.
Green Bay Packers Player Stats
Quarterback Jordan Love had a solid, if not spectacular, night. Love went 16-of-28 for 182 yards with one touchdown pass to receiver Dontayvion Wicks. His passer rating for the game was 88.7, which was actually lower than his recent games. This score broke his streak of five straight games with a triple-digit passer rating. Even so, Love did his job and helped the team control the game from start to finish.
Running back Josh Jacobs was the real star of the night. Jacobs posted 107 total yards from scrimmage, made up of 69 rushing yards and 38 receiving yards, along with one touchdown. This score was important for another reason too. It was his 14th touchdown of the season, which set a new record for the most touchdowns by any Green Bay player in his first year with the team. On top of that, Jacobs had rushed for a touchdown in six straight games, putting him just one game away from the longest such streak in Packers team history.
As a team, the Packers ran the ball well all night. Green Bay rushed for 188 yards as a team, showing how much they leaned on their ground game to control the clock and wear down the Saints defense.
The Packers also got off to a fast start. Green Bay scored touchdowns on each of its first three possessions, becoming the first team since 2020 to do this. That kind of start put the Saints in a hole they never climbed out of.
New Orleans Saints Player Stats
Things were much harder for New Orleans that night. Quarterback Spencer Rattler struggled to get things going. Rattler finished the game 15-of-30 for 153 yards with one interception, giving him a passer rating of just 51.1. Part of his trouble came from pressure. Rattler was sacked three times, and those sacks cost the Saints 24 yards, mostly on drives when the team was already in Packers territory.
The running game did not help much either. Running back Kendre Miller had a tough night on the ground. Miller’s eight carries for only 15 yards showed how well the Green Bay defensive line controlled the game.
In the passing game, the ball was spread out but never really got moving. Jordan Mims led the Saints with five catches, but gained only 16 yards on those catches, and no other Saints player had more than two receptions.
The Saints also had chances to score but could not finish drives. New Orleans went 0-for-2 on fourth-down attempts and reached Green Bay territory more than once, but came away with nothing, committing two turnovers in scoring range. On defense, things were not much better. Green Bay’s defense delivered the NFL’s first shutout of the 2024 season, and they did this despite missing four starters.
Injuries were also a factor for New Orleans that night. Saints center Erik McCoy left the game with an elbow injury, and left guard Lucas Patrick was hurt late in the game as well.
Why This Game Mattered
This was not just a normal regular-season game. For the Packers, the win locked up their playoff spot. For the Saints, the loss was part of a rough stretch. New Orleans fell to 5-10 on the season and was officially eliminated from playoff contention. The huge gap in the score, 34-0, tells the story on its own, but the deeper stats show just how one-sided the game really was in almost every area, from passing to rushing to defense.
Looking at Their Current Season Matchup
Beyond their last meeting, fans also want to know how each team is doing right now. Heading into their next matchup, the two teams show different strengths on offense and defense.
The Packers are averaging 21 points per game this season, which ranks 18th in the league, while the Saints are averaging 27 points per game, ranking 9th. This shows that New Orleans has actually been more productive on offense in the early part of this season.
The gap continues when you look at total yards. Green Bay is averaging 309 yards per game, ranked 16th in the NFL, while New Orleans is putting up 383.5 yards per game, ranked 7th. This means the Saints have been moving the ball more freely than the Packers this year, a big change from their last meeting.
Time of possession also favors New Orleans. The Saints are holding the ball for 32 minutes and 10 seconds per game on average, ranked 6th in the league, while the Packers are at just 26 minutes and 59 seconds per game, ranked 30th. Controlling the clock like this often means a team is running the ball well and staying on the field, which fits with what we see in the Saints’ yardage numbers.
On defense, though, Green Bay has an edge in one key area. The Packers have recorded 7 total sacks this season, ranked 4th in the league, while the Saints have just 4 sacks, ranked 17th. This means Green Bay’s pass rush has been more disruptive this year compared to New Orleans.
Turnovers are close between the two sides. Both teams have just 1 total defensive interception so far this season, and Green Bay has a turnover differential of -2 while New Orleans sits at -1. Neither team has been great at forcing turnovers, but both have also given the ball away more than they have taken it, which is something both coaching staffs will want to fix.
What These Stats Tell Us
When you put the numbers side by side, a clear picture starts to form. The Packers, historically, have had the advantage in this rivalry, and their last meeting with the Saints was about as lopsided as it gets. Josh Jacobs proved to be a workhorse back who can carry an offense, while Jordan Love showed he could manage a game without needing gaudy numbers.
On the other side, this season’s early numbers paint a different picture. The Saints have shown they can move the ball and control the clock, which are two things that did not happen for them back in December 2024. If New Orleans can keep protecting the football and finishing drives in the red zone, they have a real chance to turn things around against a Green Bay defense that has been getting after the quarterback all season.
Stats never tell the whole story of a football game, but they do give fans a good starting point. Watching how a running back performs week after week, or how a defense handles pressure situations, helps explain why some games end in blowouts and others come down to the final play.
Final Thoughts
The Saints vs Packers rivalry always brings interesting storylines, whether you look at the long history between these two franchises or just the most recent game. The last matchup was a clear win for Green Bay, led by a strong showing from Josh Jacobs, while Spencer Rattler and the Saints offense could never find its rhythm. This season, though, the story looks different on paper, with New Orleans putting up better offensive numbers so far. Whatever happens next time these two teams meet, the player stats will once again tell fans exactly how the game was won and lost.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won the last game between the Saints and the Packers?
The Green Bay Packers won the last matchup 34-0, shutting out the Saints in Week 16 of the 2024 season. This win helped the Packers clinch a playoff spot that year.
Who had the best individual performance in the last Saints vs Packers game?
Packers running back Josh Jacobs had the best game, gaining 107 total yards from scrimmage and scoring a touchdown. His performance set a new Packers record for touchdowns by a player in his first season with the team.
Which team leads the all-time series between the Saints and Packers?
The Green Bay Packers lead the all-time series with 19 wins compared to 10 wins for the New Orleans Saints, out of 29 total meetings. This makes Green Bay the more successful team in this matchup over the years.
