The New Orleans Saints have reasons to be optimistic entering the 2026 season, but they'll be getting an immediate test on the road. New Orleans opens against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on Sunday, Sept. 13, with little room for mistakes against a team with playmakers on both sides of the ball.
Saints fans are fired up. Their team won four of their final five games last season, giving them something to build on in Year 2 under Kellen Moore. Tyler Shough's development is a big part of that optimism, but carrying that progress into a new season starts with handling a difficult road environment.
Detroit can pressure New Orleans in several ways, whether by getting after Shough or forcing the defense to account for multiple scoring threats. Here
are three causes for concern heading into the opener.
Jahmyr Gibbs can turn one missed tackle into a big play
Simply put, Gibbs doesn't need much space to hurt a defense. He finished last season with 1,223 rushing yards and 616 receiving yards, scoring 18 total touchdowns, while averaging 5.0 yards per carry. For the Saints, that makes tackling a priority, especially when Detroit gets Gibbs the ball in space. Limiting him on handoffs only solves part of the problem because his receiving production gives the Lions another way to get him involves when running lanes just aren't there.
New Orleans will also have to handle that assignment without Cameron Jordan, who was ruled out with a hamstring injury. His absence leaves the Saints without one fewer experienced option on the edge, raising the importance of staying disciplined and preventing Gibbs from getting outside.
Aidan Hutchinson can disrupt the Saints’ offense
Keeping Shough upright starts with accounting for Hutchinson on every passing down. The Lions pass rusher finished 2025 with 14.5 sacks and four forced fumbles, showing how quickly he can turn a play into a possession changer. For tackles Kelvin Banks Jr. and Taliese Fuaga, the challenge isn't just in containing Hutchinson, but in communicating protections in a loud stadium to make sure he doesn't get a free path to the quarterback at any point.
Stabilizing Travis Etienne Jr's presence in the run game matters — and the Saints must do that early. If they struggle to run and leave Shough in obvious passing situations, Hutchinson can attack without having to respect the run game. Moore needs enough production on early downs to keep Detroit from dictating how the offense operates.
Detroit’s receivers will test the Saints’ secondary
Taking away the Lions' primary receiving option will not be enough to stop their offense. Amon-Ra St. Brown caught 117 passes for 1,401 yards last season. Jameson Williams added 1,117 yards and averaged 17.2 yards per reception.
Those numbers are just one of many difficult choices New Orleans faces on Sunday. Giving Williams extra attention downfield can create opportunities for St. Brown underneath, while committing more defenders to Gibbs leaves less help available in coverage.
Kool-Aid McKinstry and Quincy Riley must limit what happens after the catch and avoid giving away easy completions through communication mistakes. The concern is that Jared Goff can move the chains with short throws until an opportunity opens downfield.
This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: 3 causes for concern as the Saints face the Lions in Week 1
