The Detroit Lions will open Week 1 at home against the New Orleans Saints on Sunday, with the game airing on FOX.
Detroit comes into 2026 riding four straight winning seasons — tied for the second-longest run in franchise history — and shares the NFL’s best three-year record (36-15) with Buffalo and Philadelphia. Still, the Lions regressed in 2025: after back-to-back 12-plus-win campaigns and NFC North titles in 2023-24 (an NFL-best 27-7 across those two years), they slipped to 9-8 and missed the playoffs. The offense remained strong, averaging 28.3 points per game (fourth in the league), ranking fifth in total offense (388.7 yards per game) and third in passing, but the defense struggled, surrendering 24.3 points per game (22nd) and 351.4 yards per game (19th).
New Orleans has had consecutive 10-loss seasons for the first time since the late 1990s, but the Saints closed last year on an upswing, winning four of their final five games. Quarterback Tyler Shough was a key reason for that finish, piling up 1,316 yards and ranking among the NFL leaders in completion rate and big completions late in the season. The Saints revamped their offensive line in the offseason and added Travis Etienne Jr. to the backfield; Etienne rushed for 1,107 yards (11th in the league), caught 36 passes for 292 yards and six receiving touchdowns (tied for second among running backs), and finished with 1,399 scrimmage yards and 13 total TDs.
These clubs last played in 2023, when Detroit beat New Orleans 33-28 on the road. Below are the FanDuel Sportsbook odds as of Sept. 13:
– Moneyline: Lions -335 (bet $10 to win $12.99 total); Saints +270 (bet $10 to win $37 total)
– Spread: Lions -6.5 (-120; bet $10 to win $18.33 total); Saints +6.5 (+100; bet $10 to win $20 total)
– Total: Over/Under 49.5 (-110 both sides; bet $10 to win $19.09 total)
FOX Sports Research expects a shootout. Detroit hired Drew Petzing as offensive coordinator (his third OC in three seasons), and his Arizona offenses averaged 4.9 yards per carry, second-best in the NFL over his tenure — a strong complement to an already explosive Lions attack. Jared Goff has thrown for at least 4,500 yards in three straight seasons and led the league with 20 touchdown passes against single-high safety looks in 2025, which matters because New Orleans lined up in single-high on 62.9% of snaps last year (second-most in the NFL). Conversely, Shough’s late-season form (strong completion rate, yards per attempt and passer rating from Weeks 9-18) pairs well against Detroit’s tendency to play man coverage (39.7% of snaps, the second-highest rate) — a scheme that also allowed 58 completions of 20+ yards (tied for fourth-most). With injuries in the Lions’ secondary, the Saints could generate explosive plays, so an early-season high-scoring affair is likely. FOX’s pick: Over 49.5.
Game details:
– Date: Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026
– Time: 1 p.m. ET
– TV: FOX
– Streaming: FOX One (3-day free trial), FOXSports.com, FOX Sports App
– Venue: Ford Field, Detroit, MI
Fan Take: This matchup matters because it pits a proven, high-powered Lions offense against a Saints team that has momentum and a quarterback who can exploit Detroit’s coverage tendencies — a clash that could highlight whether defensive upgrades are Detroit’s true offseason priority. If the Saints can sustain their late-season sparks and Etienne stays productive, this game could signal New Orleans’ potential to be competitive in a wide-open NFC and provide an early test for how defenses adjust to modern passing attacks.
Source: www.foxsports.com
