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  • Tue., May. 21, 2013 11:30AM - 1:00PM CDT Organized Team Activities (OTAs) The Packers announced details on the remainder of their offseason schedule, including the fact that five of the team’s offseason practices will be open to the public, weather permitting.

    The open practices will be three organized team activities (OTAs) and two mandatory minicamp workouts. The open OTA practices are slated for three Tuesdays — May 21, May 28 and June 11 — and will begin at 11:30 a.m. CT. The two mandatory minicamp practices are scheduled for June 4 and 5 with a start time TBA.

    Due to ongoing preparations on Ray Nitschke Field for training camp, the OTA and minicamp workouts will be held on Clarke Hinkle Field this year. Viewing of the open practices will be standing-room only along the Oneida Street side of Hinkle Field.
  • Tue., May. 28, 2013 11:30AM - 1:00PM CDT Organized Team Activities (OTAs) The Packers announced details on the remainder of their offseason schedule, including the fact that five of the team’s offseason practices will be open to the public, weather permitting.

    The open practices will be three organized team activities (OTAs) and two mandatory minicamp workouts. The open OTA practices are slated for three Tuesdays — May 21, May 28 and June 11 — and will begin at 11:30 a.m. CT. The two mandatory minicamp practices are scheduled for June 4 and 5 with a start time TBA.

    Due to ongoing preparations on Ray Nitschke Field for training camp, the OTA and minicamp workouts will be held on Clarke Hinkle Field this year. Viewing of the open practices will be standing-room only along the Oneida Street side of Hinkle Field.
  • Sat., Jun. 01, 2013 8:30AM - 3:30PM CDT Junior Power Pack Clinic The 16th Annual Junior Power Pack Clinic will take place June 1, 2013 inside the Don Hutson Center, the Packers indoor practice facility. Reserved exclusively for members of the Junior Power Pack kids fan club (ages 5-14), this event features the chance to run skills and drills with other Packer backers and a few up-and-coming Packers players.
  • Sat., Jun. 08, 2013 3:00PM - 5:00PM CDT Jerry Parins Cruise for Cancer The Green Bay Packers are gearing up for the 10th annual Jerry Parins Cruise for Cancer event, set for Saturday, June 8. The event once again features a motorcycle ride, but non-riding fans who want to support the cause are welcome to attend the post-ride party at Lambeau Field’s North Loft, the rooftop deck below the TundraVision in the north end zone.
     
    On the day of the ride, registration begins at 9 a.m. and will continue through 10:30 a.m. at Vandervest Harley-Davidson in Green Bay. The post-ride party begins at 3 p.m. at Lambeau Field in the North Loft, which can be accessed through the Bellin Health Gate. The party will include food and drink for purchase, a silent and live auction and fun while bringing awareness to cancer. Attendees will also have the opportunity to get autographs from Packers players in exchange for a $10 donation to the event.
  • Tue., Jun. 11, 2013 11:30AM - 1:00PM CDT Organized Team Activities (OTAs) The Packers announced details on the remainder of their offseason schedule, including the fact that five of the team’s offseason practices will be open to the public, weather permitting.

    The open practices will be three organized team activities (OTAs) and two mandatory minicamp workouts. The open OTA practices are slated for three Tuesdays — May 21, May 28 and June 11 — and will begin at 11:30 a.m. CT. The two mandatory minicamp practices are scheduled for June 4 and 5 with a start time TBA.

    Due to ongoing preparations on Ray Nitschke Field for training camp, the OTA and minicamp workouts will be held on Clarke Hinkle Field this year. Viewing of the open practices will be standing-room only along the Oneida Street side of Hinkle Field.
  • Wed., Jul. 24, 2013 11:00AM - 1:00PM CDT Packers Shareholders Meeting

    The Green Bay Packers 2013 Annual Meeting of Shareholders will be held Wednesday, July 24, at 11 a.m., at Lambeau Field. The meeting will take place rain or shine.
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News

Mike Spofford

Mike Spofford has worked as a sportswriter in Wisconsin since 1995 and has been a packers.com staff writer since 2006. He has covered the Packers' last two Super Bowl appearances, XXXII and XLV.
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Defense held when it counted most

Posted Sep 8, 2011

By Mike Spofford

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The Packers and Saints combined for 876 total yards on Thursday night, yet, the game came down to two yards New Orleans couldn’t get.

Green Bay hung on for a 42-34 victory in the 2011 season-opener at Lambeau Field when Saints running back Mark Ingram was stuffed at the goal line on an untimed down to end the game.

Earlier, near the end of the third quarter and facing a similar eight-point deficit, the Saints failed to convert a fourth-and-1 from the Green Bay 7-yard line when quarterback Drew Brees was flushed out of the pocket and threw incomplete.

“You have to find a way to win the game and get the big stops,” linebacker A.J. Hawk said. “If you’re not making those stops when you have to, you’re not going to have a chance.”

The final stop was needed because, trailing 42-27 with 5:35 left, Brees and the Saints caught fire. A 5-yard TD pass to tight end Jimmy Graham got New Orleans within one score with 2:15 left, and the Packers – despite an explosive night on offense of their own – couldn’t run out the clock.

A three-and-out gave the Saints one last shot from their own 20 with 1:08 left. On what appeared would be the final play, Hawk leaped over running back Darren Sproles in the end zone to bat the pass away. Hawk was called for pass-interference, though, giving the Saints an untimed down from the 1-yard line, and Ingram never got close as linebacker Desmond Bishop leaped over the pile, linebacker Clay Matthews got the first hit, and safety Morgan Burnett and a host of others cleaned up.

“I knew we were there because of me, so I wanted to stop them more than anybody,” Hawk said. “Me and ‘Bish’ went over the top and the D-line did an awesome job getting a ton of push to move the line of scrimmage. The whole team was in on that. Clay hit him. A bunch of guys hit him.”

The goal-line stand concluded an aerial bonanza that saw Brees and Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers combine for 59 completions, 85 pass attempts, 731 yards and six TDs. Brees passed for 419 yards, third-most in stadium history, and both gunslingers threw for three scores. Eight receivers totaled at least 50 yards each, including five for the Saints, with Devery Henderson hitting exactly 100 yards. Greg Jennings led the Packers with seven catches for 89 yards and a TD.

“Aaron Rodgers is back,” Jennings said of his quarterback, whose 132.1 passer rating was better than Brees’ 112.5. “Man, we can be a special offense, definitely.”

Both teams also scored on returns, with Sproles taking a punt back 72 yards in the second quarter, and Packers rookie receiver Randall Cobb countering with a 108-yard kickoff return in the third. Cobb’s return was a franchise record and tied the NFL’s all-time record as well.

Cobb, who added a 32-yard TD reception in his NFL debut, gave the Packers a 35-20 lead with his record-breaking return before New Orleans mounted its first comeback. A three-play TD drive followed by a Packers three-and-out and another drive to the Green Bay 7 put the Saints in position to tie – with a score and two-point play – a game they trailed from the opening possession.

But after defensive linemen Jarius Wynn and Howard Green stopped Ingram on third-and-1, Brees went to play-action on fourth down. Chased out of the pocket by Matthews and Wynn, Brees had nowhere to go with the ball and a major scoring opportunity was wasted with 3:02 left in the third quarter.

“That’s a do-or-die play there, and we got off the field,” Matthews said. “We gave up too many yards, too many points, but we made the plays when they counted.”

Taking over at the 7 and leading 35-27, the Packers put together perhaps their most impressive drive of the night, going 93 yards and not even facing a third down until fullback John Kuhn plunged in from the 1 to restore the two-touchdown advantage.

Green Bay’s ground game also produced a rushing score by James Starks, as Starks and Ryan Grant combined for 97 yards on 21 carries, a healthy 4.6-yard average.

The Packers couldn’t grind out one more first down when they had to have it in the final two minutes, though, leading to the clock-at-zero drama.

“Anytime you win a game, you’ll take it,” Matthews said, “whether it’s ugly or not.”

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