Maybe New Orleans was onto something.
The Saints stumbled through much of Kellen Moore's first season before winning four of their final five games, providing at least some reason to believe their 2025 finish was the beginning of something rather than a late-season mirage.
Now Tyler Shough gets a chance to prove it. Shough went 5-4 after taking over as the starter during his rookie season and enters Year 2 as the unquestioned quarterback of an offense that added Travis Etienne Jr. to a group featuring Alvin Kamara, Chris Olave and Juwan Johnson. The problem? New Orleans' first assignment is Detroit.
The Lions remain loaded offensively with Jared Goff, Jahmyr Gibbs and Amon-Ra St. Brown, and Sunday's matchup at Ford Field gives the Saints an immediate
indication of how much progress they have actually made. New Orleans won't necessarily arrive at full strength, either. Kamara returned to practice Thursday but was limited after dealing with a knee injury. Longtime defensive leader Cameron Jordan has been ruled out with a hamstring injury. Jordan's absence could be particularly significant against a Detroit offensive line that remains the foundation of everything the Lions want to do.
The Saints do have some talent up front. Chase Young is coming off a 10-sack season, and Carl Granderson remains part of a defense coordinated by Brandon Staley, but slowing one of the NFL's most explosive backs in Gibbs while also finding enough pressure to make Goff uncomfortable is quite an opening-week assignment.
Detroit has something to prove, too. After consecutive seasons among the NFC's elite, the Lions entered last year with championship expectations and fell short of the playoffs. The roster remains talented enough to make another run. The Saints would like to believe the same about their late-season momentum. One team is trying to get back where it believes it belongs. The other is trying to prove it finally belongs there.
Lions vs Saints odds, moneyline, over/under
Opening lines
- Spread: Lions -7.5
- Moneyline: Lions -390; Saints +310
- Total: 49.5
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Saints at Lions score predictions
Adam Kaufman: Lions 31, Saints 17
It's my favorite play on the Week 1 board. On the heels of back-to-back division crowns, the Lions lost both coordinators, still managed a hot start to last season, then completely imploded. From being considered among the Super Bowl favorites to not even making the postseason. That'll motivate anyone. The Saints are a fun story. Maybe they are in fact on the rise. But that won't matter to Dan Campbell. New Orleans will be without Cam Jordan, and slowing Detroit's offense at Ford Field is a tall enough task at full strength. Campbell will have Jared Goff, Jahmyr Gibbs, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams and Sam LaPorta ready for a rout. Just one of many high-scoring performances we can expect from Detroit in 2026.
Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz: Lions 34, Saints 21
Both of these teams were my leading contenders for worst-to-first transformations within their respective divisions. But while I expect New Orleans to make marked improvement, it could take a while to materialize. The Lions, by contrast, should be able to tap into the explosive element of their offense right away, even as new play-caller Drew Petzing finds his comfort zone. That should be enough to overwhelm an overachieving New Orleans defense that still might not measure up against the league's elite attacks.
Nate Davis: Lions 30, Saints 24
Look out for the Saints, my dark horse pick to win the NFC South in 2026. And second-year QB Tyler Shough could make hay against a Detroit secondary still stuck without its dynamic safety combo of Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch for the foreseeable future. I'm still taking a high-octane Lions offense - one that averaged 32.5 points at home last season - to roll in this one, particularly against a New Orleans defense that's already compromised to a degree by injuries.
Richard Morin: Lions 35, Saints 14
The Saints may scrape across a couple touchdowns, but that's all they'll manage on the road in Detroit. New Orleans is an attractive play because of a couple key injuries to the Lions' secondary (Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph), but that won't affect Jared Goff and Co. going to town in an offensive onslaught. I like Tyler Shough, but this won't be his 2026 breakout game. The Saints should still contend for the NFC South.
Where to watch Saints at Lions
- Matchup: Lions vs. Saints
- Date: Sept. 13
- Time: 1:00 p.m.
- Venue: Ford Field
- Location: Detroit, Michigan
- TV: Fox
NFL Week 1 Sunday picks and predictions
- Buccaneers at Bengals
- Saints at Lions
- Jets at Titans
- Ravens at Colts
- Falcons at Steelers
- Bears at Panthers
- Browns at Jaguars
- Bills at Texans
- Dolphins at Raiders
- Packers at Vikings
- Commanders at Eagles
- Cardinals at Chargers
- Cowboys at Giants
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Saints at Lions: Predictions, picks and odds for NFL Week 1 game
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