Can Saints and Packers rebound?
A look inside the numbers reveals whether either team will get back on track
If you took a look at the Week 4 schedule sometime before this NFL season started, the New Orleans Saints' trip to Lambeau Field to take on the Green Bay Packers would have to be considered the marquee matchup on the slate. Two of the past three Super Bowl champions. Teams that combined to go 28-4 in 2011 before disappointing losses in the divisional playoffs. Former Super Bowl MVP quarterbacks who led video-game offenses and finished 1-2 in the MVP voting.
With the Saints opening with three teams that averaged six wins in 2011 and the Packers starting off with two home games and an "easy" matchup against a Seattle squad starting a rookie quarterback, you might have thought this would be a matchup of two 3-0 teams vying for early-season NFC supremacy.
As Chris Berman would say, "That's why they play the games!" Both teams suffered heartbreaking defeats in Week 3; the Saints coughed up an 18-point second-half lead at home, and the Packers well, let's not dwell on it now that the replacement referees are gone. The teams are a combined 1-5 heading into Sunday's game.
Let's look at how Green Bay and New Orleans are struggling so far, and what the numbers say about their chances of getting back on track.
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NFL WEEK 4 COVERAGE

Fantasy Football on ESPN.com
Clayton's Last Call | NFL Nation blog
Total QBR ratings
WEEK 4 PICKS
MNF: Bears at Cowboys, 8:30 ET
On ESPN and WatchESPN.com
- Seifert: Where's Chicago's firepower?
- Hot Button: Jay Cutler or Tony Romo?
- Taylor: What Jason Garrett must do
- Archer: Sean Lee has look of a legend
- ESPN Dallas | ESPN Chicago
- Monday Night Headquarters
CLAYTON / FOX / SCHEFTER
- Clayton: 1st and 10 for Week 4
- Fox: Vick at crossroads -- again
- Schefter: Massive pressure on coaches
- Clayton mailbag: RBs are back in style
- Fox: Plenty of blame to go around
- Schefter: Kickoff reform not imminent

FINAL WORD
COMMENTARY/BLOG POSTS
- Walker: No panic on Patriots
- Williamson: Right scheme for McFadden?
- Kuharsky: Watt breaking the DE mold
- Simmons: The Goldengate Mailbag
- Yasinskas: Falcons' patience pays off
- Klosterman: The problem with Chris Johnson
- Rovell: Packers ticket list about dreams
- Sando, Seifert: How refs impact betting

- MVP Watch: Ryan strengthens case
- Hensley: Identity change in AFC North
- Knee-jerk Reactions: True, or not quite?
INSIDER ANALYSIS
- Pattani: Can Saints, Packers rebound?

- Jaworski: How the Eagles can protect Vick

- Horton: Which injuries are most impactful?
- Joyner: Are the Cardinals for real?

- Scouts Inc.: Week 4 previews

- Joyner: Cardinals can win NFC West

- Rookie Watch: Wilson's got game

- Edwards: Can Saints fix their defense?

- FBO: Steelers doomed without Polamalu?

- Williamson: Can Texans go undefeated?

FANTASY COVERAGE
- Berry: Love/Hate for Week 4
- Sit Eli, start Packers receivers

- Week 4 projections | Free-agent finds
- Joyner: Is it time to trade Vick?

STATS & INFO
- SEA-G.B.: Win probability of final play
- Matt Ryan off to torrid Total QBR start
- Lions: Bad communication or bad decision?
SPORTSNATION
2013 NFL DRAFT
- Horton: How Eagles adapt to Kelly's scheme
- Millman: 2013 NFL win total picks
- Tuley: Best early-season win-total bets
- Red Flags: NFC East | North | South | West
- Kiper: 2014 Big Board | Top TEs | OLBs | ILBs

