Tyler Shough and the New Orleans Saints are finally set to begin their 2026 campaign on the road against the Detroit Lions this Sunday. After a relatively disappointing season that finished with a positive swing in momentum last year, expectations and vibes surrounding the team are now higher than they’ve been in over five years. Ahead of this weekend’s kickoff, let’s take a look at the offensive matchup for the Saints.
Detroit’s defense will be down a couple of key players in its secondary as CB
Kerby Joseph and SS Brian Branch both landed on the injured reserve list, meaning each will be out at least the first four weeks of the season. The Lions’ defense had a down year in 2025 after giving up an average of over 330 yards per game.
Luckily for the Lions, DE Aidan Hutchinson is still an elite edge rusher and with Dan Campbell’s defensive background, the Michigan product should be able to make an impact in the backfield even if just hurrying the processing time of the offense.
Although the Saints will have limited options at the WR position available on Sunday due to injuries and roster cuts, Shough’s ability to build chemistry with his pass catchers early on could become a critical factor in New Orleans’ chances to steal a win in the Motor City. New Orleans’ initial depth chart for this weekend showed just three options at wideout to go along with the typical three tight ends.
New Orleans struggled to put points on the board last season, averaging just 18 per contest, a mark that ranked 28th in the league. Now, with a full offseason under their belts in the Big Easy, head coach Kellen Moore and Shough will seek to improve the team’s efficiency when in possession of the football, especially when inside of the redzone.
With new additions to the Saints such as RB Travis Etienne Jr., OL David Edwards, TE Noah Fant, and more, it is seemingly likely that New Orleans will find more success for their offensive production between the tackles. This, in turn, should allow other areas such as the play action passing game to open up further.
