Monday Night Football Live Blog Green Bay @ New Orleans, 1st Half

Are you ready for some football? Some Monday Night Football? Well I certainly am and this one should be a dandy.

My prediction: Packers 38, Saints 35. Feel free to leave your predictions in the comments section.

The fun gets underway at 8:30. See you then!

Picks
Steve: Green Bay
Emmitt: Green Bay
Stuart: New Orleans
Coach: Green Bay
Key: New Orleans
Cris: Green Bay
TJ: Green Bay
Boomer: Green Bay

Tony with a lot of hyperbole already. (Via 49er16)

That surprises you somehow? Hyperbole is the Doc's speciality.

"Feels a little different than last week in open-air Buffalo where it was minus 45 degrees." - Dr. Kornheiser

More hyperbole!

The kickoff is taken to the 21 and here comes Aaron Rodgers. 1st and 10 and Rodgers throws to Jennings for 5.

"It's the Sarah Palin moment for John McCain." - Dr. Kornheiser on the Pack switching to Rodgers.

Methinks the Doc loves Sarah Palin. Grant takes the run for a couple on 2nd down and it's 3rd and short for the Pack. Timeout Green Bay. 3rd and short and Rodgers tries to get it to Driver but it's incomplete and on will come Frost to punt and it's downed at the 23.

Deuce McAllister takes the 1st down carry for a yard which he loses and then one more on 2nd down. 3rd and 11 for Nawlins and Brees will throw for the first time and it's incomplete for Pierre Thomas.

"This is what Green Bay will do to you, spread you out with 3 wide receivers."-Jaws Ummm, Jaws, doesn't every NFL team do that? (Via J)

Yeah, yeah they do. The punt by Pakulak is taken by Blackmon all the way into Saints territory at the 37! Rodgers throw is incomplete on 1st down. Screen to Ryan Grant on 2nd down puts the Packers a couple yards short of the marker.

Ryan Grant with a big run on 3rd down and they are at the NO 12! Grant takes the carry on 1st down for 6.

"It's kind of a prehistoric formation" - Jaws on the I-Formation

Yeah, when cavemen played football, they used the I. Grant picks up a 1st down and it's 1st and goal for the Pack at the 2.

Kuhn on the carry gets to the 1. They hand it off again to the full back and HE GETS IN THE ENDZONE! TOUCHDOWN GREEN BAY! Crosby connects with the extra point and it's 7-0 Packers.

Who knew Tony would know more about hockey than football? (Via 49er16)

Dr. Kornheiser knows more about quantum physics then football. Coby takes the kickoff to the his own 30 and Brees will come back on the field.

Does ground beef taste the same as beef on the ground? It's a question I ponder everyday.

On 1st down, Brees passes it to Lance Moore who MAKES THE CATCH AND RUNS AWAY FROM EVERYBODY INTO THE ENDZONE! TOUCHDOWN SAINTS! Hartley kicks the PAT and it's tied at 7.

"At least you know there's a crowd here." - Tony Kornheiser (Via SSR)

Oh yeah, so many empty seats. Kickoff is taken to the 30 and Grant is stuffed in the backfield on 1st down for a loss of 6! Rodgers pass is knocked down on 2nd down. 3rd and 16 for the Pack. Rodgers throws it down the seam on 3rd down and it's nearly picked off. Frost shanks one out of bounds and the Saints will have the ball at the Pack 41.

"Tonight Bobby McCrae is going to have to play well." - Jaws (Via SSR who wants to be killed.)

From the GB 41, Brees fires it to Pierre Thomas who gets to the outside Pierre Thomas who takes it to the GB 27. Jeremy Shockey sighting! He catches the 2nd down pass for 3 yards. Pierre Thomas catches one for the 1st down at the 13.

"That's a pretty graphic." - Dr. Kornheiser

No comment. Brees throws over the middle to Devry Henderson who takes it to the 4 and is a yard shy of the marker.

"He's completing passes to guys found on Bourbon Street." - Dr. Kornheiser
"Bourbon Street?" - Jaws
"Well maybe St. Louis Street" - Dr. Kornheiser

Pierre Thomas takes the handoff AND HE TAKES IT TO THE HOUSE! TOUCHDOWN SAINTS! The PAT is good and the Saints now lead 14-7.

"They rushed only 3. That means they dropped 8 into coverage." - Jaws...who think our football intelligence is no higher than a Turkey. (Via SSR)

Gobble Gobble. Blackmon takes the kickoff to the 28 and on 1st down Rodgers scrambles for 7. Grant and Rodgers each pick up 2 for a GB 1st down. Grant bounces one to the outside and he picks up 6. 2nd and 4 and Rodgers drops back and Jennings just dropped a touchdown pass!

3rd and 4 and Rodgers from the gun finds Driver who takes it all the way to the 30! 25 yards on that one and here come the Pack.

"McCarthy with a red pen today. I don't know if this a political statement." - Tony Kornheiser He is on fire tonight, and my TV could be the same if he keeps up with this. (Via SSR)

Grant gets a yard on 1st down. 2nd and 9 and a gain of 8 by Grant and it's 3rd and a yard. Timeout Nawlins.

"Gotta get a little rub element there." - Jaws (Via SSR)

"11 seconds left in the longest 1st quarter in the NFL. This game's been going on for an hour." - Dr. Kornheiser

Um, you hit the air at 8:30 ET. It's now 9:20 ET. You've been on the air for less than 50 minutes, and remember, the 10-minute open? Sigh.....3rd and one and Grant has the first down.

That's the end of the first quarter and the Saints lead the Packers 14-7.

"A shot of Brees. He may pass Dan Marino tonight." - Dr. Kornheiser

1st and 10 from the 21 and Rodgers completes it to Driver who seriously looked like he was being humped by Young on that tackle. 2nd and 1 and Rodgers hands it to Grant who takes it to the 7 and another Green Bay first down. Rodgers drops back on first down AND HE THROWS IT TO GREG JENNINGS IN THE ENDZONE! TOUCHDOWN PACKERS! The extra point is good and we're now tied at 14.

Why is there a blimp for a dome game? Phone call, be back in a bit.

Sorry about that. The Saints have an impressive drive going and that carry by McAllister puts them at the GB 23. Thomas takes it to the outside and he'll pick up a first down at the 14! 1st and 10 and Brees drops back and connects with LANCE MOORE AT THE 3, TURNS AROUND AND GOES AIRBORNE INTO THE ENDZONE! TOUCHDOWN NEW ORLEANS! The PAT is up and through and the Saints lead 21-14.

Well it took awhile, but these two, as expected are lighting it up now. Kickoff is taken by Blackmon to the 17. 1st down Grant picks up 4. 2nd down and Grant picks up another 4 and it's 3rd and 2. Rodgers rolls out and connects with Driver for a Packer first down. Rodgers airs it out way deep for Jennings.....Incomplete! Overthrew him. I spy with my little eye a non-pass interference call. Rodgers finds Jennings on the pass for a gain of 9 and it's 3rd and 1.

Grant busts one up the middle and he has a Packer first down at the GB 48! Grant takes the handoff on 1st down into Nawlins territory.

"Green Bay was so desperate in their runniing bakc search." - Mike Tirico

Yeah, that generally happens when you turn to Samkon Gado. Rodgers throws it deep and he finds Jennings for a 22 yard catch to the Saint 26! And here we go again. Grant picks up a yard on 1st down. 2nd and 9 and Rodgers from the gun connects with Donald Lee who's a yard shy of the yard marker.

Favre reference by Dr. Kornheiser! DRINK! 3rd and a yard. Rodgers hands it off to Brandon Jackson and will you look at that Andy Reid? A big running back who easily plows his way through the pile for a 1st down on a 3rd and short situation. How incredible is that! Sorry about that, no more. I promise.

Grant picks up a yard on 1st down and that's the 2-minute warning. Pack ball at the 12 when we come back.

"40:30 that's the number that sticks out to me. The amount of time the Jets had the ball." - Mike Tirico
"I thought you were talking about today's score." - Dr. Kornheiser

Rodgers to Grant on 2nd down and that picks up 4. Timeout Saints. 3rd and 6. Will the Pack convert again on 3rd down? Rodgers out of the gun, can't find a man, SCRAMBLES AND FINDS HIS WAY INTO THE ENDZONE! TOUCHDOWN GREEN BAY! The PAT is good and now we're tied at 21.

"He laid out, nothing touched the ground." - Ron Jaworski

And now we've got more Favre talk! DRINK TIL YOU DIE!

"They're a high-fiveing, back slapping bunch of guys." - Jaws
"I agree and I know you're going to poo-poo this..." - Dr. Kornheiser

Ah, I love a good poo-poo. Rody takes the kickoff return AND HE BOUNCES TO THE OUTSIDA AND TAKES IT ALL THE WAY TO THE PACKER 32!

Shockey makes the catch for the first down inside the redzone having dragged a Packer for 5 yards. Brees over the middle for Moore for 5. Thomas picks up 7 and the Saints have a first down at the Packer 5.

False start on the Saints move them back 5. And once again Drew Brees is threatening Donovan McNabb's record of 22 consecutive completions. It was over 2 games, but that's the record. 1st and goal for the Saints and Brees throws an incompletion. You can thank me later, Donovan. Brees under pressure, still alive, and he fires one into the endzone but it's incomplete!

Here's Hartley from 30-yards out. It's up....IT'S GOOD! 24-21 Saints.

"That would have been good all the way from 32." - Dr. Kornheiser

Jordy Nelson takes the kickoff to the 25 and that's the end of the 1st half.

One half down and one to go. The Saints lead the Packers 24-21 at the break and I will see you in the second half thread.