DETROIT - The Saints didn’t just need Bryce Lance on Sunday. They leaned on him.
That was clear on the biggest snap of the day, when New Orleans faced fourth-and-12 with under two minutes left in regulation, trailing by seven and staring at the edge of defeat in its 31-30 overtime loss to the Detroit Lions. Tyler Shough felt the blitz, climbed the pocket and delivered a throw toward Lance.
D.J. Reed was draped on the rookie wideout, but Lance still fought through it and came down with the first down.
Devaughn Vele, who had several big grabs of his own, said that was the moment that stood out to him most.
“That’s what we look for and that’s why we trust in those guys,” Vele said.
That trust didn’t stop there. With Jordyn Tyson (hamstring) on injured reserve, Lance had already stepped into a major role as New Orleans’ clear No. 3 receiver in Week 1. He was on the field for 62 snaps, which accounted for 69% of the offense’s total.
And when the Saints got one more chance to win it, Shough went right back to him.
On the failed 2-point conversion in overtime, with Chris Olave and Vele covered, Shough spotted Lance on a corner route and gave the 6-foot-3 receiver another shot. The pass fell incomplete, but the decision itself said plenty about where Lance stands with this offense already.
“Obviously I wanted that last play back,” Lance said. “But I think it was a good learning experience. I know it’s a long season, so I’m going to try and just get better as the weeks go on.
“I should have come down with it,” he said later.
Even with that final miss, Lance had plenty to show for his day. He finished with three catches for 42 yards.
His workload stood out, too. Lance played more snaps than running back Travis Etienne, who had 53, and tight end Noah Fant, who had 37. Another rookie receiver, Barion Brown, a sixth-round pick out of LSU, was on the field for only five offensive snaps.
“I’m excited to keep going forward,” Lance said.
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