Week 1 · Sunday, September 13 · 1:00 PM ET
Why This Game Matters
New Orleans opens Kellen Moore's second season looking to prove their 5-4 close to 2025 — sparked by Tyler Shough's arrival at quarterback — was real progress and not a late-season mirage. Detroit, meanwhile, enters as many analysts' pick to win a wide-open NFC North after a 9-8 finish that still left the Lions out of the playoffs on a tiebreaker. Both teams debut new play-calling right away, with Lions OC Drew Petzing and Shough making his first career Week 1 start.
Real Player Matchups
- NO pass rusher Cameron Jordan (10.5 sacks, 15 QB hits in 2025) vs. a DET offensive line that allowed 39 sacks last season.
- DET pass rusher Aidan Hutchinson (14.5 sacks, 35 QB hits in 2025) vs. a NO offensive line that allowed 49 sacks last season.
- NO's Chris Olave drew a 28% target share in 2025 (+36 receiving EPA) against a DET defense ranked #14 of 32 in EPA allowed.
Real 2025 season production (nflverse), a prior-season baseline pending real 2026 games.
Key Matchups
- Saints QB Tyler Shough makes his first career season-opening start, likely without lead back Alvin Kamara (sprained MCL), against a Lions front that got 14.5 sacks last season from All-Pro DE Aidan Hutchinson alone.
- Newly-extended RB Jahmyr Gibbs and Detroit's Drew Petzing-led offense against a Saints defense that must replace longtime leader Demario Davis, who signed with the Jets.
- Detroit's thin secondary — safeties Kerby Joseph (knee) and Brian Branch (Achilles) both opened camp on PUP — against a Saints passing attack featuring No. 8 pick WR Jordyn Tyson and a holding-in Chris Olave.
- Saints DE Cameron Jordan (hamstring, questionable) and New Orleans' pass rush against a Lions offensive line already missing starting center Cade Mays (fractured wrist).
Injury Report
Alvin Kamara · NO RB
Out (expected ~1 month)
Sprained MCL suffered in a joint practice hit against Dallas; timeline is tight for the Sept. 13 opener at Detroit.
Chris Olave · NO WR
Holding in
Practicing but sitting out full team drills amid a push for a contract extension; not facing a medical restriction.
Cameron Jordan · NO DE
Limited/Questionable
Dealing with a hamstring issue that has kept him out of practice and could cost him time in camp.
Dillon Radunz · NO G
Out for season
Suffered a torn ACL in training camp.
Kerby Joseph · DET S
PUP
Opened training camp on the PUP list with a knee injury that limited him to six games in 2025.
Brian Branch · DET S
PUP
Recovering from a season-ending Achilles tear suffered in Week 14 of 2025; no setbacks reported, could return late in camp or early September.
Tyler Conklin · DET TE
PUP
Opened camp on the PUP list with a calf injury.
Cade Mays · DET C
Out
Fractured his wrist during camp practice and is expected to miss significant time.
Anthony Firkser · DET TE
Out (season-ending)
Suffered a broken fibula in camp; Lions re-signed Zach Horton to help fill the depth void.
Jimmy Rolder · DET LB
Out
Rookie linebacker suffered a hamstring injury in camp after an impressive spring.
Series History
All-time: New Orleans leads the all-time series 14-13-1 heading into their 29th meeting.
Last meeting: Detroit beat New Orleans 33-28 at the Caesars Superdome on Dec. 3, 2023. Jared Goff threw two early touchdowns as the Lions built a 24-7 halftime lead, then held off a Saints rally in which Alvin Kamara and Taysom Hill each scored short touchdowns; New Orleans QB Derek Carr left the game in the fourth quarter with back, shoulder and head injuries.
- · The teams have met only once in the postseason: New Orleans routed Detroit 45-28 in the 2011 NFC Wild Card round at the Superdome.
- · This is just the third time these franchises have opened a season against each other — New Orleans won 45-27 in 2009, while Detroit won 14-10 at home in 2000.
- · New Orleans holds the longest winning streak in series history, four straight games from 2008-2012.
Weather
Ford Field in Detroit is a domed stadium — weather is not a factor for this game.
Records & Rankings on the Line
- · Detroit enters Week 1 ranked No. 12 in this week's power poll and is seen by many as the favorite to win the NFC North after finishing 9-8 in 2025 but missing the playoffs on a tiebreaker.
- · New Orleans checks in at No. 20 after a 6-11 2025 season that ended with a 5-4 stretch under new starter Tyler Shough — a turnaround that has helped push the Saints' 2026 win total to 7.5.
- · New Orleans holds the all-time series edge (14-13-1) but lost the teams' last meeting (33-28 in 2023) and is just 1-3 in September games played specifically in Detroit, despite a 4-3 edge in all-time September meetings between the two franchises.
The Desk Weighs In
Duke Callahan
DET -9
Reasoning not yet published for this pick.
Vega Okafor
DET -6
"Detroit's offense graded out 7th in the league last season, New Orleans's 27th. Twenty spots is a real gap, not a vibes gap."
Sunny Marchetti
DET -3
Reasoning not yet published for this pick.
Reese Thackeray
NO -1
Reasoning not yet published for this pick.
Priest Dunbar
DET -6
Reasoning not yet published for this pick.