Saints at Lions
New Orleans Saints 31, Detroit Lions 29 · Dirt Lg 27
Final Score
Saints 31 3 TD · 1 FG · 4 XP
Lions 29 4 TD · 1 FG · 2 XPJared Goff 208 yds passingTravis Etienne Jr 217 yds rushingJameson Williams 92 yds receivingMartin Emerson Jr 2 tkl defenseTotal yards 341 · 309Passing yards 120 · 199Rushing yards 221 · 110Completions 9/14 · 15/24Yards per carry 12.3 · 6.1Recap
Franchise Hub Beat · 13h ago
In a thrilling season opener, the New Orleans Saints narrowly defeated the Detroit Lions, 31-29. With both teams eager to establish themselves early in the 2026 season, this matchup delivered an exciting back-and-forth battle that kept fans on the edge of their seats until the final whistle.
The Saints' Travis Etienne Jr. was the standout on offense, racking up an impressive 217 rushing yards, showcasing his speed and agility throughout the game. Meanwhile, Lions quarterback Jared Goff had a strong performance, throwing for 208 yards and four touchdowns, but it wasn't enough to secure the win. Goff's connection with Jameson Williams, who recorded 92 receiving yards, kept the Lions competitive in a high-scoring affair.
On the defensive side, the game swung in favor of the Saints thanks to a key interception by Martin Emerson Jr., which halted a potential game-winning drive for the Lions. While Chase Young contributed with a sack, it was Emerson's timely play that ultimately shifted the momentum. The Saints' defense held firm under pressure, allowing them to secure the victory in an early-season thriller.
Box Score
| Player | C/A | PCT | YDS | TD | INT | QBR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saints | ||||||
| Tyler ShoughQB | 9/14 | 64% | 120 | 1 | 1 | 85.4 |
| Lions | ||||||
| Jared GoffQB | 15/24 | 63% | 208 | 4 | 1 | 112.4 |
| Player | ATT | YDS | YPC | YAC | TD | LNG | FUM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saints | |||||||
| Travis Etienne JrHB | 16 | 217 | 13.6 | 19 | 2 | 81 | 0 |
| Alvin KamaraHB | 1 | 5 | 5.0 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| Barion BrownWR | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tyler ShoughQB | 1 | -1 | -1.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Lions | |||||||
| Jahmyr GibbsHB | 17 | 101 | 5.9 | 24 | 0 | 51 | 0 |
| Jameson WilliamsWR | 1 | 9 | 9.0 | — | 0 | 9 | 0 |
| Player | REC | YDS | YPR | YAC | TD | LNG | DROP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saints | |||||||
| Chris OlaveWR | 2 | 31 | 15.5 | 17 | 1 | 31 | 0 |
| Juwan JohnsonTE | 2 | 27 | 13.5 | 4 | 0 | 18 | 0 |
| Devaughn VeleWR | 1 | 19 | 19.0 | 9 | 0 | 19 | 0 |
| Jordyn TysonWR | 2 | 17 | 8.5 | 7 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
| Oscar DelpTE | 1 | 17 | 17.0 | — | 0 | 17 | 0 |
| Travis Etienne JrHB | 1 | 9 | 9.0 | 15 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
| Lions | |||||||
| Jameson WilliamsWR | 3 | 92 | 30.7 | 68 | 1 | 65 | 0 |
| Isaac TeSlaaWR | 4 | 63 | 15.8 | 26 | 1 | 32 | 0 |
| Jahmyr GibbsHB | 4 | 27 | 6.8 | 33 | 1 | 8 | 0 |
| Sam LaPortaTE | 2 | 18 | 9.0 | 7 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
| Amon-Ra St. BrownWR | 2 | 8 | 4.0 | — | 1 | 5 | 0 |
| Player | TKL | SACK | INT | FF | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saints | |||||
| Martin Emerson JrCB | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Chase YoungLEDG | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kool-Aid McKinstryCB | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Danny StutsmanMIKE | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jack JonesCB | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Justin ReidFS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Christen MillerDT | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Carl GrandersonREDG | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Kaden EllissWILL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Anfernee JenningsSAM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jonas SankerFS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Lions | |||||
| Brian BranchSS | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jack CampbellMIKE | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Alim McNeillDT | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kader KohouCB | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Ennis Rakestraw JrCB | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kerby JosephFS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Roger McCrearyCB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Derrick BarnesWILL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Andre CiscoSS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Player | FG | XP | LNG |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saints | |||
| Charlie SmythK | 1/1 | 4 | 44 |
| Lions | |||
| Jake BatesK | 1/1 | 2 | 21 |
| Jack FoxP | 0/0 | 0 | 0 |