The New Orleans Saints opened the 2026 NFL season with a gut-punch in Detroit, dropping a 31-30 overtime decision to the Lions and starting the year 0-1.
It looked bleak early. New Orleans fell behind by 21 points before flipping the script and dragging the game into overtime. The comeback never quite finished the job, though, as the Saints came up empty on a two-point try after their final touchdown.
That late push was powered by Tyler Shough, who piled up 410 passing yards and three touchdowns while going 35-for-56. He also threw two interceptions and lost a fumble in a wild opener that never stopped swinging.
His first touchdown of the season came on a 1-yard strike to Devaughn Vele, who finished with seven catches for 69 yards and the score. Shough later hit Juwan Johnson for a 9-yard touchdown, then found Noah Fant on an 8-yard touchdown to tie things in overtime.
The Saints also got on the board with a pair of rushing scores and a field goal. Kendre Miller punched in an 8-yard rushing touchdown after New Orleans had already dug into that 21-0 hole. Daniel Carlson added a 28-yard field goal for his first official make of the season.
Chris Olave was the big playmaker in the passing game, catching 10 passes for 182 yards. Travie Etienne Jr. ran for 46 yards on nine carries, while Miller finished with 30 yards and a touchdown on nine attempts.
Defensively, the Saints had to chase the game all afternoon and night. They allowed 204 passing yards and two passing touchdowns, while Detroit also ran for 165 yards and two scores at 5.0 yards per carry.
New Orleans recorded three turnovers, gave up five sacks for 32 yards, and finished with six penalties for 53 yards. The Saints were 8-for-17 on third down and perfect on fourth down, going 2-for-2.
Jonas Sanker led the defense with 10 tackles, seven of them solo, along with one tackle for loss and one “should-be” touchdown. Kaden Ellis added nine tackles and a pass defended.
Ryan Wright handled five punts for 238 yards, a 47.6 average, while Carlson finished 1-for-2 with a long of 28.
The Saints now head to Baltimore for a Week 2 matchup with the Ravens, who beat the Indianapolis Colts 41-23.
In Other News...
Chase Young Just Showed What This Saints Team Will Not Accept
After a close season-opening loss to the Lions, Chase Young made it clear the Saints are not interested in walking away with any sense of consolation. His message was simple and pointed: this is a team that does not accept moral victories, even while working through the realities of a rebuild. For a New Orleans roster trying to establish a new standard, that kind of voice matters as much as anything that shows up on the field.
Youngs stance also says plenty about the culture the Saints are trying to build in the locker room. The losses may be part of the process, but the expectation inside the building is to compete for actual wins, not lessons wrapped in positives. In that sense, Youngs comments were less about one game than about the kind of accountability this group wants to carry forward. [Read more 🡒]
Saints Just Got Pulled Into A Notable Joey Porter Jr. Rumor
A fresh round of trade chatter has pulled the Saints into the Joey Porter Jr. conversation, with the Steelers cornerback now linked to several teams as his long-term future in Pittsburgh remains unresolved. For New Orleans, the rumor lands in a familiar place: a club that is always watching for help in the secondary and now finds itself mentioned alongside the Cowboys, Bears, Panthers, Giants and Packers in a possible market that could eventually open up.
For now, though, the noise seems to be running ahead of the reality. The Steelers are expected to have options to keep Porter in place, and a 2026 trade is viewed as unlikely if Pittsburgh chooses the franchise tag route and pushes the contract issue down the road. Still, the Saints being part of the discussion is a reminder that whenever a young defensive back with talent and no extension gets unsettled, New Orleans tends to wind up on the short list of teams worth monitoring. [Read more 🡒]
Saints Head To Baltimore With One Officiating Concern Looming
Veteran referee Clete Blakeman will be on the field when the Saints travel to Baltimore for their Week 2 road game, adding a familiar name to a matchup that already carries plenty of weight. Blakeman has worked 16 Saints games and 16 Ravens games over the years, so both sides will know the style and tempo his crew tends to bring into a game.
Last season, Blakemans group was one of the quickest to flag penalties and finished fifth in total fouls, a profile that can shape how a game flows long before the fourth quarter. For a Saints team heading into a tough road environment, the officiating assignment is one more detail worth watching as the matchup unfolds. [Read more 🡒]