The Saints’ 60th season starts with a long road test in Detroit, and nobody on the staff is expecting an easy one.
Five predictions, five different scorelines, and all of them point to the same thing: a Lions win at Ford Field in Sunday’s season opener. The Saints are trying to avoid a second straight 0-1 start, while Detroit brings one of the league’s most dangerous offenses into a building where Dan Campbell’s team has been especially difficult to beat. The Lions have won 20 of their last 28 games at Ford Field under Campbell.
Jeff Duncan sees the game turning into a shootout and has Detroit holding on, 31-26. He noted that the Saints’ six-year run of winning season openers ended last year and said New Orleans will need a strong outing to keep from opening with another loss. His read is that the Saints offense may not be able to match Detroit’s pace.
Zach Ewing also leaned Lions, 30-24, while acknowledging the kind of Week 1 chaos the NFL usually serves up. He pointed to New Orleans adding weapons and confidence in the offseason, along with Detroit dealing with key injuries, especially in the secondary. Even so, he expects the Lions to find enough firepower and a couple of late answers to finish the job.
Luke Johnson was the most cautious of the group about picking against Detroit, settling on Lions 27, Saints 17. He said he had been close to backing the Saints because of what they’ve done this offseason, but after watching the Patriots and Rams struggle earlier this week in games where they also held out their starters in preseason, he decided not to get too bold.
Matthew Paras has it 27-24 for the Lions. He said the matchup could have turned into something wild, even a 41-38 type of game, but that would require both offenses to be firing on all cylinders. With defenses limiting the passing game, he doesn’t see that happening, though he still expects New Orleans to make it competitive before Detroit pulls away.
Rod Walker rounded it out with Lions 26, Saints 20. He said there was a temptation to pick the upset, especially if the game were in the Dome, but Detroit’s motivation at home and the presence of former Saints assistant Dan Campbell make the Lions a difficult call to fade.
He also pointed to Amon-Ra St. Brown as a major problem for New Orleans and noted that while Vegas lists the Saints as a 6½-point underdog, he thinks that number is too large.
In Other News...
Saints Now Have One More Lions Opener Wrinkle To Prepare For
The Lions added another layer to their opener plans by promoting wide receiver and return man Tom Kennedy to the active 53-man roster ahead of their 2026 matchup with the Saints. Kennedy is expected to handle punt and kick return duties, giving Detroit a more defined answer in the third phase of the game as it gets ready for Sunday.
For New Orleans, it is one more detail to sort through before the first real snap of the season, especially in a game where field position can matter early. Detroit also added defensive back Natrone Brooks to its practice squad, a smaller move on paper, but the Kennedy promotion is the one the Saints will be watching closest as they finalize their own opener prep. [Read more 🡒]
Kendre Miller Just Cleared One Saints Concern But Another Is Growing
Kendre Miller no longer appears on the Saints injury report heading into the season opener, which is an encouraging development after he missed practice last week because of an injury. For a player trying to carve out a real role early in the year, simply getting through the final stretch of preparation without an issue matters, especially with New Orleans looking to sort out its backfield rotation from the start.
The larger question now is how much room Miller will actually have once Alvin Kamara is back in the mix. Kamaras return could cap Millers workload, even though there is still a path for him to contribute if he brings the kind of explosiveness the Saints want to see. The expectation is that Miller could see a modest number of carries each game, but his impact may depend on whether he can make the most of those chances. [Read more 🡒]
Saints Need Chase Young To Deliver In A Brutal Week 1 Test
Cameron Jordans absence from the Saints regular-season opener is a significant blow before New Orleans even gets to the first Sunday of the year. Jordan, long one of the most dependable players on the defense, will sit out against Detroit after a hamstring injury in training camp, leaving the Saints to reshuffle their pass-rush plans for a matchup that already looked demanding.
Chase Young is now in line for a much bigger load, and the timing could hardly be tougher. The Lions bring a difficult offense led by Jared Goff, so New Orleans will need pressure up front to keep the game under control and prevent Detroit from settling in. For the Saints, this is the kind of Week 1 test that can quickly show whether Young is ready to carry more of the burden. [Read more 🡒]