Week 1: Shorthanded Saints Visit Lions at Ford Field
The New Orleans Saints open at the Detroit Lions on Sunday, September 13. Tyler Shough starts his first full season for New Orleans without Alvin Kamara, who is expected to miss several weeks with an MCL sprain, and without first-round receiver Jordyn Tyson, on injured reserve with a hamstring injury. Detroit has its own absences, with safeties Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph on the PUP list and running back Isiah Pacheco on IR, but Jared Goff and Jahmyr Gibbs are healthy and new coordinator Drew Petzing takes over the play-calling.
New Orleans is missing its two best skill players
Kamara's knee and Tyson's hamstring leave Travis Etienne Jr. and a young receiver group to carry Shough in his season debut.
Detroit's secondary is a real weakness right now
Both starting safeties are out at least four games, the one area where a healthy Saints offense could have found an edge.
Petzing's first game calling plays
Dan Campbell changed coordinators again after one season under John Morton, and Gibbs is now the every-down back with Pacheco out and David Montgomery traded.
AI Prediction
Saints 
Lions Detroit's healthy offense against a depleted Saints attack
Goff, Gibbs and Amon-Ra St. Brown are all available, while New Orleans opens without Kamara and Tyson and with Bryan Bresee reportedly lost for the year.
Ford Field and a two-touchdown talent gap
Detroit went 9-8 in a down year; New Orleans went 6-11. Indoors, with the better quarterback and line, that gap should show.
Detroit's missing safeties are the one path to an upset
Shough will see a secondary without Branch and Joseph, which is why the projected margin stays at 10 rather than wider.
The clearest lean of the early window. The Saints' injury list at running back and receiver is the deciding factor.
Lions Leaders
Saints Leaders
Venue
Closing Line
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Lions Injuries