Saints Open 2026 Season With Daunting Test Against Lions

Aug 02, 2026; Metairie, LA, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Tyler Shough (6) talks with cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry (1) during training camp at Ochsner Sports Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Saints Open 2026 Season With Daunting Test Against Lions

Originally posted on New Orleans Saints on SI
By Grant Chachere | Last updated Sep 8, 2026 10:26 AM ET

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The New Orleans Saints open their regular season Sunday against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field, facing a formidable opponent in an early-season test.

Despite finishing 9-8 and missing the playoffs during an injury-plagued 2025 campaign, Detroit remains a dangerous squad. Saints head coach Kellen Moore and his team are getting ready for a team that closely resembles the powerhouse Lions of recent years—a 15-2 division champion in 2024 and an NFC Championship runner-up in 2023.

Compounding the challenge is Ford Field itself, where the Lions hold a 20-8 home record, including playoffs, since 2023.

Moore acknowledged the difficult environment and the strategic adjustments required when preparing for Detroit's offense under new leadership.

"I think they've got a ton of talent," Moore said. "They've obviously played some really high-level football for a number of years now. That's going to be a fun environment... What they've done in Detroit, they've created a really challenging environment for everyone that comes into that place."

The Lions Have an Elite Offense

Detroit scored 481 points last season, the second-highest single-season total in franchise history. However, offensive coordinator John Morton was fired after the season due to inconsistencies in the offense, leading to head coach Dan Campbell taking over play-calling duties against the Washington Commanders.

The Lions hired former Arizona Cardinals offensive coordinator Drew Petzing to lead the offense, making him Detroit's third offensive coordinator in three seasons.

Quarterback Jared Goff is coming off a season that saw him reach his fifth Pro Bowl and his third straight season with 4,500 yards and 30 touchdowns.

Goff is joined by two-time All-Pro wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (117 catches, 1,401 yards, 11 touchdowns) and deep threat Jameson Williams (65 catches for 1,117 yards and seven touchdowns).

In the running game, the Lions have one of the best backs in the league in three-time Pro Bowl running back Jahmyr Gibbs (1,839 total yards and 18 touchdowns).

Moore noted that scouting Detroit requires analyzing film from both the Lions' existing core system and Petzing's previous offense with the Cardinals.

"You're going to have to naturally look at Detroit—that group has had a lot of success doing certain things together, I don't think they're going to stray away from that too much," Moore explained. "But there's going to be some assets coming from Arizona that they're going to get to implement."

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

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