New Orleans
Saints
0-0
21
FINAL
29
Detroit
Lions
0-0
AI Recap
AI RECAPIn a thrilling season opener, the Detroit Lions held off the New Orleans Saints with a final score of 29-21. Both teams were eager to start the 2026 season on a high note, but it was the Lions who emerged victorious, showcasing their potency on offense and resilience on defense.
Jared Goff was the star of the night for Detroit, throwing for an impressive 359 yards and three touchdowns, effectively leading his team down the field. Amon-Ra St. Brown was a standout receiver, racking up an astonishing 218 yards, providing Goff with a reliable target throughout the game. Jahmyr Gibbs contributed as well, adding 60 rushing yards to keep the Saints' defense on its toes.
Defensively, the Lions made key plays that shifted momentum in their favor. Derrick Moore was a disruptive force, recording 1.5 sacks, while Kerby Joseph sealed the game with a crucial interception late in the fourth quarter. The Lions’ ability to apply pressure and capitalize on turnovers proved decisive, allowing them to outlast the Saints and secure the win.
Passing
| Player | Pos | ATT | CMP | CMP% | YDS | TD | INT | QBR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jared Goff | QB | 36 | 22 | 61% | 359 | 3 | 0 | 122.3 |
| Tyler Shough | QB | 46 | 28 | 61% | 276 | 1 | 1 | 75.9 |
Rushing
| Player | Pos | ATT | YDS | YPC | YAC | TD | LNG | FUM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jahmyr Gibbs | HB | 16 | 60 | 3.8 | 27 | 1 | 22 | 0 |
| Travis Etienne Jr | HB | 16 | 44 | 2.8 | 20 | 1 | 13 | 0 |
| Isiah Pacheco | HB | 4 | 18 | 4.5 | — | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| Tyler Shough | QB | 2 | 8 | 4.0 | — | 0 | 4 | 1 |
| Jared Goff | QB | 3 | 7 | 2.3 | — | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| Alvin Kamara | HB | 1 | 4 | 4.0 | — | 1 | 4 | 0 |
| Jameson Williams | WR | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Amon-Ra St. Brown | WR | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Receiving
| Player | Pos | REC | YDS | YPR | YAC | TD | LNG | DROP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amon-Ra St. Brown | WR | 9 | 218 | 24.2 | 146 | 2 | 80 | 0 |
| Jordyn Tyson | WR | 10 | 124 | 12.4 | 22 | 0 | 23 | 0 |
| Jameson Williams | WR | 5 | 83 | 16.6 | 23 | 1 | 24 | 0 |
| Chris Olave | WR | 3 | 59 | 19.7 | 12 | 1 | 25 | 0 |
| Juwan Johnson | TE | 4 | 37 | 9.3 | 7 | 0 | 14 | 1 |
| Devaughn Vele | WR | 5 | 34 | 6.8 | — | 0 | 8 | 0 |
| Sam LaPorta | TE | 4 | 28 | 7.0 | 2 | 0 | 13 | 0 |
| Greg Dortch | WR | 1 | 16 | 16.0 | 4 | 0 | 16 | 0 |
| Noah Fant | TE | 3 | 14 | 4.7 | 8 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| Alvin Kamara | HB | 3 | 8 | 2.7 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Jahmyr Gibbs | HB | 1 | 8 | 8.0 | 6 | 0 | 8 | 0 |
| Isiah Pacheco | HB | 2 | 6 | 3.0 | 4 | 0 | 7 | 1 |
Defense
| Player | Pos | TKL | SACK | INT | FF | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kerby Joseph | FS | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Derrick Moore | REDG | 6 | 1.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Martin Emerson Jr | CB | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jack Campbell | MIKE | 5 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kaden Elliss | WILL | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Davon Godchaux | DT | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cameron Jordan | REDG | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ethan Bonner | CB | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Chase Young | LEDG | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Chuck Clark | FS | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Aidan Hutchinson | LEDG | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Brian Branch | SS | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Justin Reid | FS | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kelvin Joseph | CB | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Alim McNeill | DT | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Julian Blackmon | SS | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kool-Aid McKinstry | CB | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Pete Werner | MIKE | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Christen Miller | DT | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Devin White | WILL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Amare Barno | MIKE | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Christian Izien | SS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Bryan Bresee | DT | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Damone Clark | MIKE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Isaiah Stalbird | WILL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Danny Stutsman | MIKE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tyleik Williams | DT | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Isaac Yiadom | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Keith Abney II | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ennis Rakestraw Jr | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jonas Sanker | SS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Kicking
| Player | Pos | FGM | FGA | XPM | LNG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jake Bates | K | 1 | 1 | 2 | 38 |
| Charlie Smyth | K | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Jack Fox | P | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |

