It's time for our Detroit Lions vs. New Orleans Saints predictions and score picks for Week 1 of the 2026 NFL season.
Both teams missed the playoffs last season, which each finishing at the bottom of their respective division – the Lions at 9-8 and the Saints at 6-11.
Now, Tyler Shough enters his second season as the Saints' starting quarterback in Year 2 under coach (and ex-Lions backup QB) Kellen Moore, and he'll face a Lions secondary with major question marks.
On the other side of the ball, the Lions have some mystery. They have a new offensive coordinator in Drew Petzing and major firepower, but a reshuffled offensive line will be the key to a bounce-back season.
Five Free Press sports writers give their analysis on the game Sunday, Sept. 13,
which kicks off at 1 p.m. from Ford Field in Detroit.
Dave Birkett
There's lots of optimism in New Orleans after the Saints won four of five to close last season with a rookie quarterback, but all of those wins came against teams with losing records and I still see a roster that doesn't compare to the one the Lions will put on the field. The Lions have their own question marks heading into the season, including an undermanned secondary and an offensive line that might need some time to gel. But I think Jahmyr Gibbs and Aidan Hutchinson have big openers and the Lions cruise in the end. The pick: Lions 31, Saints 20.
Carlos Monarrez
It’s a big deal when a new coach faces his former team. But that motivation alone won’t be enough to help Kellen Moore deliver a victory for his Saints, who closed last season on a hot streak, albeit against nobodies. Lions offensive coordinator Drew Petzing will have his hands full in his debut against last year’s ninth-ranked defense. The pick: Lions 26, Saints 23.
Rainer Sabin
The Saints won four of their final five games in 2025. The Lions lost three of their final four. But does momentum really carry from one season to the next? Maybe. Yet even if it does, it won’t have any bearing on the outcome Sunday. The Lions are at home, and their offense should look rejuvenated under the direction of new coordinator Drew Petzing. Expect Jared Goff and Co. to roll to a comfortable victory in the opener. The pick: Lions 30, Saints 20.
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Jeff Seidel
There’s no question the Lions have talent. They have playmakers. And they are gonna have a great season. But I just have too many questions about the offensive line right now – I gotta see it to believe it. As everyone knows, it takes time for an O-line to jell. Add in questions about the secondary and pass rush, and I start to talk myself into an upset. Then I snap out of it. Ford Field will be rockin’, and the Lions will find a way to a come-from-behind, closer-than-expected win. The pick: Lions 24, Saints 21.
Shawn Windsor
New Orleans could conceivably win the NFC South Division, but that isn't saying much. Still, they will give the Lions a reasonable test in the opener. But these Saints aren't last year's Packers, and neither are the Lions, who are eager to show last season was a fluke. Jared Goff and Co. will look much smoother on offense and take care of business. The pick: Lions 29, Saints 22.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Lions vs Saints predictions in NFL Week 1: Who starts 1-0 and why?
