Detroit Lions Vs. New Orleans Saints: Live Score Updates, Highlights, Analysis

The Detroit Lions and New Orleans Saints face off in a sneaky-big NFC showdown in the midst of a stacked Week 1 lineup.

The Lions are hoping to put the stench of 2025 behind them. While not a disaster, it certainly wasn’t a good year for Detroit, as they fell apart late in the season following a 5-2 start. Detroit finished last in the division and were swept by both the Vikings and Packers. That kind of season is no longer acceptable. There’s simply too much talent on this team to miss the playoffs.

The Saints, on the other hand, finished last year—their first season under head coach Kellen Moore—on a high note. Not only did they win four of their last five games, but they may have found a franchise quarterback, and the team looked a little more settled in both their offensive and defensive scheme. They enter 2026 with expectations to compete for an NFC South title, and maybe even something beyond.

So as these two teams kick off at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday (available locally on FOX), we will be providing updates from the game right here in this post. We’ll have drive-by-drive analysis, live score updates, highlights, and any injury news that may happen during the game. Simply pull up this page, hit the refresh button occasionally, and watch the updates come in.

When the game concludes, this will turn into our full-game recap, with comprehensive news, analysis, and highlights.

So sit back, try to relax, and GO LIONS!

First quarter

The Saints won the coin toss and deferred, meaning the Lions’ offense was up first. They went three-and-out quickly after Jahmyr Gibbs was taken down for a 3-yard loss on third-and-1.

New Orleans faced early, back-to-back third-and-1s of their own. They were able to convert the first, but the second Saints quarterback Tyler Shough sent well over the head of Noah Fant. The Saints punted and pinned the Lions at their own 11-yard line.

Detroit’s offense put together a pretty impressive drive from there. Early, Jared Goff escaped some pressure and found Sam LaPorta for 19 yards.

Then the running game got going with Jahmyr Gibbs breaking out for gains of 21 and 11 yards on back-to-back plays. On the second play, Lions starting left guard Christian Mahogany suffered an injury and was replaced by Ben Bartch.

On a key third down in the red zone, Goff found Jameson Williams down to the 1-yard line, and on the next play Gibbs walked in for the first score of the game. 7-0 Lions.

On the ensuing drive, the Lions defense forced a three-and-out. On third down, the Lions sent extra pressure, and safety Thomas Harper made a great drive on the ball, forcing an incompletion.

On the ensuing drive, the Lions picked up a pair of first downs, with a bomb to Jameson Williams dropped in between the movings of the chains. The first quarter would come to a close with the Lions at their own 47-yard line.

Second quarter

Detroit’s drive stalled immediately out of the second quarter thanks to a holding penalty on Tate Ratledge. On third-and 15, Goff couldn’t connect with St. Brown and they punted back to New Orleans. A solid kick from Jack Fox pinned the Saints at their own 13-yard line.

The Saints used some tempo to throw the Lions defense off, and it worked… for one play. Shough found a wide-open Chris Olave for 22 yards. But he would follow it up with three straight incompletions, including a near completion to Olave on a deep shot that would’ve put them in the red zone. Instead, it was New Orleans’ third straight punt, and the Lions took over at their own 21-yard line.

Detroit’s next offensive possession was plagued my mistakes. On an trick play end around, Jameson Williams fumbled the exchange with Goff, which set up a third-and-16. On that play, Goff took a sack from Chase Young, fumbled the ball, and the Saints recovered for a touchdown. But upon review, officials determined Goff’s arm was moving forward, and despite the ball going backwards, it was deemed an incomplete pass.

The Saints were able to convert a third-and-9, with Shough taking a big hit but finding Olave for 11 yards. Then on the next series of downs—a third-and-10—Derrick Moore and Alim McNeill provided the pressure to force Shough to intentionally ground it.

During the drive, Lions safety Avonte Maddox got a pass breakup, but suffered and injury and went straight to the locker room. He would return on the next defensive possession.

A strong punt return from Tom Kennedy (17 yards), put the Lions at the Saints’ 44-yard line to start their next drive.

However, on the very first play of the drive, Gibbs caught a pass, was caught from behind, and fumbled the ball away. Though he was initially called down, replay showed his hand coming off the ball, and the Saints took over at their own 40-yard line.