Green Bay - The Green Bay Packers are scheduled to kick off the 2011 National Football League against the New Orleans Saints at Lambeau Field, a front-office source with one of the two teams told the Journal Sentinel this afternoon.
Pending labor negotiations of a new collective bargaining agreement, the game will be played the night of Thursday, Sept. 8.
The game will match the last two Super Bowl champions. New Orleans defeated Indianapolis in the 44th Super Bowl and Green Bay defeated Pittsburgh in the 45th Super Bowl.
Schedules for all NFL teams will be released at 6 p.m. by the league on the NFL Network.
Update: According to a tweet out of Chicago (Carmen DeFalco, host of ESPN 1000), the Packers will host the Bears on Christmas Day.