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It was just one game — one in which the Packers were missing their two starting tackles and their by-default new No. 1 receiver. And of course we should remember the Saints (38-3) drubbed the Packers even worse in last year's opener than the Vikings (23-7) did this year, and Green Bay rallied to finish 13-4.
But we also can't ignore this from what we saw Sunday at U.S. Bank Stadium: Aaron Rodgers made it clear by his on-field play, his non-verbal communication and his postgame words that he's a man who doesn't particularly like his options on offense right now.
When TV cameras weren't showing Rodgers looking at a tablet on the sideline to figure out what went wrong, they were showing facial expressions ranging from frustrated to disgusted.
Rodgers often has a hard time disguising his feelings, and you can put Sunday's game in his Bad Body Language Hall of Fame — something Patrick Reusse and I talked about on Monday's Daily Delivery podcast.
The story line emerged on the Packers' first offensive play from scrimmage, when rookie receiver Christian Watson dropped what would have been an easy 75-yard touchdown on a perfect throw from Rodgers.
It re-emerged frequently thereafter. Whether it was Rodgers upset with himself for a bad decision (like the interception late in the first half) or upset about things his young receivers were doing, his grimaces and play told the story.
ESPN's Rob Demovsky noted that Rodgers didn't try another pass to Watson until late in the fourth quarter and that he similarly stayed away from fellow rookie wideout Romeo Doubs until the second half after the two didn't connect on a third down play in the first quarter.
That's life without star wideout Davante Adams, whom the Packers traded in the offseason. It didn't help that Allen Lazard — a receiver Rodgers trusts who ascended to the top of the depth chart after the Adams trade — was out with an injury.
Rodgers, who made use of his running backs and tight ends more than his receivers, tried to be diplomatic about things after the game but still ended up sounding peeved.
"Look, we've got to have patience with those guys. ... The patience will be thinner as the season goes on, but the expectation will be high," Rodgers said. "We'll keep them accountable, but it's going to happen. There's going to be drops. Hate to see it on the first play, but it's part of it — there's going to be drops throughout the season."
We'll see how much thinner his patience gets, especially as Rodgers has to think about the Vikings having Justin Jefferson — a receiver he called the "best player in the game today" during a postgame hug.
And we'll see whether Sunday's game was another moment for Rodgers to remind us to "R-E-L-A-X" or if it signaled something else.
