New Orleans
Saints
0-0
63
FINAL
11
Detroit
Lions
0-0
AI Recap
AI RECAPThe New Orleans Saints opened the 2026 season with a commanding 63-11 victory over the Detroit Lions, setting a dominant tone for the year ahead. With both teams eager to start the season on a high note, the Saints made a statement with their overwhelming performance on both sides of the ball.
Justin Herbert led the charge for New Orleans with an impressive 373 passing yards and five touchdown passes, showcasing his elite arm and precision. Blake Corum was a standout in the receiving game, racking up 118 yards, while the Saints' offense displayed depth and versatility throughout the contest. Despite the loss, Bijan Robinson shone for Detroit with 92 rushing yards, but it was clear the Lions struggled to keep pace with the Saints’ explosive attack.
Defensively, the Saints were relentless, with Jack Jones making a remarkable impact with three interceptions that shifted the momentum firmly in New Orleans' favor. Denzel Ward's five tackles further anchored the defense, limiting any significant gains from the Lions. The turning point came early in the second quarter when Jones snagged his second interception, leading to a quick touchdown that put the Saints ahead 28-3, effectively putting the game out of reach for Detroit.
Passing
| Player | Pos | ATT | CMP | CMP% | YDS | TD | INT | QBR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Justin Herbert | QB | 21 | 18 | 86% | 373 | 5 | 1 | 138.4 |
| Joe Burrow | QB | 30 | 14 | 47% | 260 | 1 | 8 | 48.6 |
Rushing
| Player | Pos | ATT | YDS | YPC | YAC | TD | LNG | FUM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bijan Robinson | HB | 22 | 92 | 4.2 | 35 | 0 | 19 | 0 |
| Blake Corum | HB | 5 | 60 | 12.0 | 3 | 2 | 55 | 0 |
| Justin Herbert | QB | 3 | 37 | 12.3 | — | 1 | 22 | 0 |
| Khari Blasingame | FB | 1 | 9 | 9.0 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
| Joe Burrow | QB | 3 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Hunter Henry | TE | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Garrett Wilson | WR | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Receiving
| Player | Pos | REC | YDS | YPR | YAC | TD | LNG | DROP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blake Corum | HB | 6 | 118 | 19.7 | 73 | 1 | 42 | 0 |
| Rashee Rice | WR | 4 | 111 | 27.8 | 34 | 3 | 42 | 0 |
| Hunter Henry | TE | 5 | 103 | 20.6 | 55 | 1 | 37 | 0 |
| Ladd McConkey | WR | 5 | 98 | 19.6 | 28 | 1 | 33 | 0 |
| Jakobi Meyers | WR | 2 | 40 | 20.0 | 29 | 0 | 39 | 0 |
| Bijan Robinson | HB | 2 | 31 | 15.5 | 30 | 0 | 18 | 0 |
| Jayden Higgins | WR | 1 | 28 | 28.0 | 1 | 0 | 28 | 0 |
| Pat Freiermuth | TE | 2 | 27 | 13.5 | 15 | 0 | 18 | 0 |
| Garrett Wilson | WR | 1 | 26 | 26.0 | 2 | 0 | 26 | 0 |
| Elijah Higgins | TE | 2 | 20 | 10.0 | 13 | 0 | 13 | 0 |
| Khari Blasingame | FB | 1 | 19 | 19.0 | 15 | 0 | 19 | 0 |
| Michael Pittman | WR | 1 | 12 | 12.0 | 9 | 0 | 12 | 0 |
Defense
| Player | Pos | TKL | SACK | INT | FF | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denzel Ward | CB | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Jack Jones | CB | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Brandon Jones | FS | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Bud Clark | FS | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Donte Jackson | CB | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Max Melton | CB | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Tyler Owens | SS | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Chase Young | LEDG | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Derrick Moore | LEDG | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Robert Longerbeam | CB | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Odafe Oweh | LEDG | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Jamel Dean | CB | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Percy Butler | FS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Kam Curl | SS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Dee Winters | WILL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Fred Warner | MIKE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jalen Pitre | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Kicking
| Player | Pos | FGM | FGA | XPM | LNG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cairo Santos | K | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
| Spencer Shrader | K | 1 | 1 | 0 | 56 |

