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The
Lions
will
gladly
take the
Week 1
victory,
but the
game
exposed
concerns
after a
commanding
lead
dissolved.
Detroit
was
outgained
469-369
and
allowed
Shough
to
repeatedly
attack
the
secondary
during
the
second
half.
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Detroit
Lions
escape
New
Orleans
Saints’
21-point
rally in
overtime
thriller
Bunky
McFadden
- Sports
Tell Us
Detroit
News
Bureau
DETROIT
- The
Detroit
Lions
opened
the 2026
season
with a
dramatic
31-30
overtime
victory
over the
New
Orleans
Saints
on
Sunday
at Ford
Field,
surviving
a
21-point
collapse
when New
Orleans’
potential
game-winning
2-point
conversion
fell
incomplete.
Detroit
improved
to 1-0
after
Amon-Ra
St.
Brown
caught a
touchdown
pass
from
Jared
Goff on
the
Lions’
opening
overtime
possession.
The
Saints
answered
with a
touchdown
of their
own, but
coach
Kellen
Moore
elected
to try
for the
winning
conversion
rather
than
kick the
extra
point
and
extend
the
game.
Tyler
Shough’s
pass for
Bryce
Lance in
the end
zone was
incomplete,
sealing
the
Lions’
win.
The
Lions
controlled
much of
the
first
three
quarters,
building
a 21-0
lead
behind a
powerful
performance
from
Jahmyr
Gibbs
and
timely
takeaways
from the
defense.
Gibbs
rushed
for 156
yards on
29
carries
and
scored
two
1-yard
touchdowns,
while
St.
Brown
finished
with 10
receptions
for 67
yards
and two
touchdowns.
His
19-yard
third-quarter
score
helped
Detroit
take
command,
and his
overtime
touchdown
reception
from
Goff
ultimately
decided
the
game.
Goff
completed
26 of 39
passes
for 206
yards,
two
touchdowns
and no
interceptions.
Detroit’s
defense
created
early
opportunities,
intercepting
Shough
twice
and
recovering
a
fumble.
Linebacker
Derrick
Barnes
had an
interception
on the
first
play of
the
second
half, a
sack and
a key
fourth-quarter
stop
that
forced
New
Orleans
to
settle
for a
field
goal.
Safety
Chuck
Clark
added an
interception,
and edge
rusher
D.J.
Wonnum
recovered
a fumble
forced
by
cornerback
Roger
McCreary.
New
Orleans,
held
scoreless
for more
than 40
minutes,
mounted
a major
second-half
comeback
behind
Shough’s
410-yard,
three-touchdown
passing
day.
The
Saints
cut into
the
deficit
with
Kendre
Miller’s
8-yard
touchdown
run and
a 1-yard
Shough
touchdown
pass to
Devaughn
Vele
late in
the
third
quarter.
Daniel
Carlson’s
28-yard
field
goal
made it
21-17
with
7:41
remaining,
and the
Saints
later
tied the
game at
24 when
Shough
found
Juwan
Johnson
for a
9-yard
touchdown
with
1:07
left in
regulation.
The
Saints
had one
final
chance
to win
in
regulation
after
Detroit
went
three-and-out,
but
Carlson’s
62-yard
field-goal
try at
the horn
was
unsuccessful.
In
overtime,
Shough
responded
to St.
Brown’s
touchdown
with an
8-yard
scoring
pass to
tight
end Noah
Fant,
cutting
Detroit’s
lead to
31-30.
Moore’s
decision
to go
for two
ended
the
comeback
attempt
one play
later.
Chris
Olave
was a
major
threat
in the
rally,
catching
10
passes
for a
career-best
182
yards.
Vele
added
seven
receptions
for 69
yards,
while
Shough
completed
35 of 56
attempts
despite
two
interceptions
and a
lost
fumble.
The
Lions
will
gladly
take the
Week 1
victory,
but the
game
exposed
concerns
after a
commanding
lead
dissolved.
Detroit
was
outgained
469-369
and
allowed
Shough
to
repeatedly
attack
the
secondary
during
the
second
half.
The
Lions’
rushing
attack,
turnover
margin
and
overtime
execution
were
enough
to
overcome
those
issues.
Detroit
next
visits
the
Buffalo
Bills on
Thursday
night,
Sept.
17. The
Saints
fell to
0-1 and
are
scheduled
to play
the
Baltimore
Ravens
on Sept.
20.
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