The New Orleans Saints won’t get much time to ease into the 2026 NFL season. Their year opens on the road in Detroit against the Lions, one of the NFC’s toughest and most physical teams. For a Saints team that’ll be looking to establish an identity early, this is about as strong an opening test as a schedule could offer.
The Lions have become one of the league’s toughest home opponents, and opening the season in Detroit gives the matchup a different feel than if it were in New Orleans. The Saints have had success in the all-time series, but the Lions won the most recent meeting and will now look to extend their winning streak to two games. Can the Saints pull off a stunner in Week 1?
Upcoming game in Saints vs. Lions
- When: Sunday, Sept. 13 (Week 1) at Noon CT
- Where: Ford Field, Detroit, Mich.
- Record: Saints lead 14-13-1.
Last meeting in Saints vs. Lions
- Lions won 33-28 on Dec. 3, 2023.
An ascending Lions team took home the win in a high-scoring affair late in 2023. It was a tall task for the Derek Carr-led Saints, who were sitting around .500, but a late-game comeback made things interesting in the final minutes. Carr threw for 226 yards and a touchdown, but gave an interception to Brian Branch and the Lions’ defense — and it could’ve been the difference in the game. Taysom Hill led the Saints in rushing yards with 59 alongside Alvin Kamara, who rushed for 51 yards on 3.64 yards per carry. Both combined for three touchdowns on the ground.
The Lions did most of their damage early. Goff threw touchdown passes to Sam LaPorta and Amon-Ra St. Brown, and David Montgomery added a rushing touchdown in the first quarter. The Saints responded in the second half behind Kamara and Hill, cutting the lead to 24-21 in the third quarter, but the Lions answered just enough to escape with the win.
Common connections in Saints vs. Lions
Lions head coach Dan Campbell spent five seasons with New Orleans as the Saints’ assistant head coach and tight ends coach before landing the job in Detroit. He has since established a tough, winning culture with the Lions and has seen much success in his tenure.
Saints head coach Kellen Moore began his NFL playing career with the Lions. He spent three seasons in Detroit before being released during the 2015 training camp.
Notable changes since the last meeting in Saints vs. Lions
- The Lions remain one of the NFC’s most complete rosters. Detroit still has Jared Goff, Jahmyr Gibbs, Amon-Ra St. Brown, and Sam LaPorta. They parted ways with David Montgomery, trading him to the Houston Texans early in the offseason.
- Detroit has given both pass-rusher Aidan Hutchinson and linebacker Jack Campbell long-term contract extensions since their last matchup against the Saints. Campbell was recently rewarded with a four-year, $81 million extension, and Hutchinson signed a four-year, $180 million deal in October. Both have emerged as the centerpieces of the Lions’ defense.
- The Lions made a few notable moves in free agency, including signing former Carolina Panthers center Cade Mays to a three-year, $25 million contract. Detroit also re-signed linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez and added former Kansas City Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco on one-year deals.
This is not the type of season opener the Saints can afford to spend a quarter figuring things out. Detroit’s offense is too talented, Ford Field will be too loud, and the Lions have enough pieces to pummel a team with a slow start. The Saints learned that in their last meeting, a bad opening stretch forced New Orleans to play from behind for the rest of the game.
For the Saints, the road to an upset begins with composure from their second-year signal caller, Tyler Shough, who will need to handle the noise and protect the football. New Orleans will need to manage the persistent threat Hutchinson poses. If he comes down with two, three, or even four sacks, Hutchinson can single-handedly wreck the game.
Defensively, the Saints must limit St. Brown’s yards after catch and force Gibbs to accept short gains, rather than turning dead plays into explosive gains. If they can avoid the early avalanche of points that hurt them in the last matchup, the Saints will have a real opportunity to make an early statement to the rest of the league.
This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: 2026 Saints Schedule: Previewing Week 1 season opener vs. Lions