Aug 28, 2026; Arlington, Texas, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Tyler Shough (6) warms up before the game against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Early Odds: Saints vs Rams

Originally posted on New Orleans Saints on SI
By Doug Joubert | Last updated Sep 8, 2026 1:34 PM ET

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The New Orleans Saints open year two of the Kellen Moore era on the road for the first two weeks of the season.

Week 1 has the NOLA boys heading to Detroit to take on the Lions on Sunday, September 13th. Then a week later, the Saints are in Baltimore to battle the Ravens. Then, it's three weekends in a row in the Caesar's Superdome.

When the Saints are in Detroit this weekend, early odds from DraftKings Sportsbook have the Lions as a 7-point favorite, with the over/under set at 49.5 points.

Detroit Offense Packs a Punch

The Lions bring back one of the stronger offenses in the NFL. Over the last three seasons, the Detroit offense has been one of the top performers in the NFL, averaging almost 30-points per game, but after the 2024 season, offensive coordinator Ben Johnson left to become the head coach of the Bears.

Head coach Dan Campbell appointed John Morton as the new OC for the Lions, but Campbell was not happy with how the Detroit offense looked, so he took over play-calling duties and let Morton go at the end of the season. The newest of the new offensive coordinators is Drew Petzing, however expect Campbell to continue to call plays.

The Lions feature one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL. Jared Goff has placed 2nd in the entire NFL in passing yards three years in a row and has improved his passer rating to 2nd in the NFL in 2024 at 111.8 and 3rd in the league in 2025 with a rating of 105.5.

Up and Down for the Detroit D

It's been a roller coaster on the defensive side for Detroit. In 2023, when the Lions appeared in the NFC Championship game, it was all Detroit offense, as the Lions D was ranked 23rd in the NFL in points allowed per game. They did better in 2024, bumping up to 7th in the league in points allowed, but dropped back to 22nd last season. However, Detroit got after the QBs last year, getting 49-sacks on the season, tied for 4th in the NFL.

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This article first appeared on New Orleans Saints on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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