The Saints didn’t get the win in Detroit, but their Week 1 showing was enough to keep them from sinking too far in the national conversation. Around the league, New Orleans landed in the middle of the pack in the latest power rankings after pushing the Lions to overtime in a game that turned ugly early, then turned chaotic late.
NFL.com placed the Saints at No. 21, up one spot, and focused on the frustrating missed opportunity in the first half. “I’ll spend the quiet moments of the next few days wondering how Week 1 might have played out had the Saints woken up before the third quarter of Sunday’s loss to the Lions.
What if Jared Goff’s fumble hadn’t been overturned by replay, Jonas Sanker scored and it was a 7-7 game in the second quarter? But the “what if” game is a favorite of fools, and we’re not court jesters.
Tyler Shough and Co. can build off this narrow loss, and hopefully, it’ll produce results before halftime of Week 2.”
Fox Sports was even higher on New Orleans, slotting the Saints at No. 19, a jump of six places. Its read centered on the up-and-down debut from Tyler Shough and the fact that the Saints were right there in the end.
“QB Tyler Shough was terrible. Then he was brilliant.
In the end, the Saints were one two-point conversion in overtime away from pulling off an upset that would’ve defined their season and proven to everyone they might be the surprise of the NFL this year.”
Bleacher Report had New Orleans at No. 22, down two, but still gave the team credit for the way it clawed back from a 21-0 third-quarter deficit. The site noted that Kellen Moore’s group showed fight, even if it couldn’t close the door in overtime.
It also pointed to how far the franchise has come in a short time, writing that a year ago many viewed New Orleans as having the league’s least talented roster and that by the end of the 2025 campaign the Saints were pushing for a potential postseason appearance. The next step, as Bleacher Report put it, is finishing the job when the moment is there.
CBS Sports put the Saints at No. 23, up one, and zeroed in on Shough’s production. “The Saints have to be thrilled with what they saw from Tyler Shough in the opener against the Lions.
He threw for 400 and rallied after throwing picks. That’s a good sign.”
PFN had New Orleans at No. 22 and called the trip to Detroit admirable. The outlet highlighted that the Saints took the Lions into overtime, matched their overtime touchdown, and then fell on a failed two-point conversion to start the year with a narrow loss.
Sports Illustrated ranked the Saints at No. 20 and came away more convinced in the team after what happened in the third quarter. “I’ll say this about Tyler Shough, who I questioned a lot this offseason in terms of how much better he could get after a complete offseason: tough as nails down 21 points in the third quarter against a good team.
He absolutely threw the Saints back into a game with several near-perfect balls. I’m more confident in this team being a legit divisional factor now than I was a few months ago.”
In Other News...
Drew Brees Broncos Twist Could Put Saints In An Awkward Spot
Sean Payton has already tried to cool off the idea of a Drew Brees reunion in Denver, even as reports suggested the former Saints quarterback briefly considered joining the Broncos for their playoff push. Brees ultimately passed because of his arm condition, and Payton said the contact went through Broncos assistants Joe Lombardi and Pete Carmichael rather than landing directly on his desk. For Saints fans, it is one of those familiar crosscurrents involving a franchise icon, a former coach and the lingering connections that still tie New Orleans to the rest of the league.
The part worth watching now is the potential mess around Brees contract rights and whether the league sees anything worth examining further. There has been speculation about a tampering investigation, but nothing official has been announced, leaving the story in a gray area for the moment. Even so, the possibility of an awkward NFL inquiry is the kind of background noise the Saints did not need attached to a player whose legacy in New Orleans is already firmly established. [Read more 🡒]
Saints May Have Found An LSU Pass Rusher Worth Watching Closely
A familiar Louisiana pipeline could be worth tracking again, this time on the edge. Princewill Umanmielen has already shown the kind of pass-rushing burst and athleticism that gets scouts leaning forward, and he has kept producing after stops at Nebraska and Ole Miss before landing at LSU. Early in the season, he has been among the national leaders in sacks, which only adds to the growing sense that his name belongs on the list of players New Orleans will be watching closely over the next couple of years.
For the Saints, the appeal is obvious: a productive LSU rusher with the frame and movement skills to develop into something more if the rest of his game keeps coming along. There are still questions to answer, as there are with most young edge prospects, but the upside is enough to make him a legitimate draft watch as the 2027 NFL Draft approaches. If he keeps stacking performances like this, the Saints may not have to look far for a first-round conversation. [Read more 🡒]
Saints Workout Just Turned Into A Bigger NFL Problem
The Saints recent workout scene came with a league-wide wrinkle after the NFL reminded clubs that defensive tackle Zxavian Harris and tight end DaeQuan Wright are off the board for the rest of this season. Both players had gone after additional eligibility at LSU, but neither appeared in a game, and that choice cost them the chance to circle back to the NFL before the year is done.
For New Orleans, it is a small note on paper but the kind that matters when teams are sorting through depth and trying to squeeze value out of every look. Harris and Wright will be eligible to sign with NFL teams next season without having to go back through the draft, but for now any club that had them on the radar has to move on and wait. [Read more 🡒]