38. Packers 30, Panthers 23 (2011)

Green Bay was coming off a week one win over New Orleans and was playing the No. 1 overall pick, Cam Newton, and the Carolina Panthers. The defending Super Bowl champions started slow out of the gate, but were able to make plays in the second half to hang on to beat the Panthers 30-23.

I mentioned the defending champions started slow.....well, before Aaron Rodgers actually touched the football, his team was trailing 10-0. Carolina received the opening kickoff and went on an 85-yard drive to score the first points of the day. Newton, coming off a record-breaking debut in Arizona, threw a 3-yard touchdown to Brandon LaFell to open the scoring. Newton was 6-7 for 85 yards on the opening drive.

If that wasn’t bad enough, on the ensuing kickoff, rookie wide receiver Randall Cobb fumbles and Carolina recovered at the Green Bay 26. The Packers defense was able to hold up and force an Olindo Mare field goal and Carolina’s lead was 10-0.

When Rodgers and Co. were able to finally get their hands on the football, they went three and out and Carolina’s red hot offense took over after the Packers punt. They picked up right where they left off, motoring down the field on the strength of two Newton passes, totaling 55 yards. But Carolina was unable to punch it in the end zone again and had to settle for another Mare field goal and a 13-0 lead. You just knew all these field goals would come back to bite them, right?

Green Bay would take the ball after the kickoff and drive down for the score and not only bring this back to a one score game, but also give the defense a much-needed rest. Facing a 3rd-and-7 on the drive and trying to avoid a second consecutive three and out, Rodgers needed to make a play. He did just that by completing a 39-yard pass to Jermichael Finley to put the ball inside the Panthers 40.

The defenses would not allow a point the rest of the half and Carolina went to the break with a 13-7 advantage.

Carolina’s lead did not last long into the second half. On the first drive of the half, Green Bay had driven to the Panthers 49 and was facing a 2nd-and-2. That is when the Green and Gold decided to try for the home run. Rodgers did a play action pass and launched a deep pass over the middle to a wide open Greg Jennings for the touchdown and the Packers had their first lead of the game.

Charles Woodson put an end to the next Carolina possession by picking off Newton deep in Panthers territory. Green Bay would kick a field goal after the turnover and it was 17-13. That Woodson interception would be the first of three straight possessions for Carolina that would end in a turnover.

The turnover parade continued for Carolina when Newton found Steve Smith, who made his way well into Packers territory before fumbling and Woodson recovered. A James Starks 40-yard run put the ball inside the Panthers 30. Green Bay would once again have to settle for three and it remained a one-score game at 20-13.

Morgan Burnett, who had forced the Smith fumble on the last drive, was able to intercept Newton on the next drive and the Packers took over in Carolina territory. Green Bay would drive into the red zone, but would once again have to settle for a field goal and a 23-13 lead.

The Panthers were able to get one field goal back to cut it to 23-16 early in the fourth. It would stay that way until late in the game.

Carolina was able to drive down the field on the Green Bay defense and faced a 4th-and-4 from the Packers 6. Newton ran the ball and was able to only pick up three yards and was stopped by Clay Matthews one yard short of the first down, so the Packers took over.

Two plays later, Rodgers and Jordy Nelson essentially ended the game. After a 12-yard run by Starks on first down, Rodgers went to the air and found Nelson over the middle at the 30 and then found open space along the left sideline. He raced down the sideline, being pursued by two Panthers. Jennings made a crushing block at the 28 of Carolina to spring Nelson for the score to give the Packers a 30-16 lead with 2:14 left.

Newton, who would throw for 432 yards and run for 53 more, would run in from four yards out to cut it to 30-23 with less than a minute remaining. However, Donald Driver would recover the onside kick and the Packers were able to take a knee to end the game and Green Bay would escape with the seven point win.

It would be the second of 13 straight wins to open the season for Green Bay as it had the best regular season in its history, going 15-1. The game was not all roses for the Packers, though, as Pro Bowl safety Nick Collins would suffer a career-ending neck injury in the fourth quarter trying to tackle Jonathan Stewart.