The Detroit Lions open their 2026 NFL regular season on September 12, 2026, hosting a New Orleans Saints team under defensive coordinator Brandon Staley. Detroit enters the home matchup missing three defensive starters, while New Orleans looks to build on a strong second-half finish from the previous year.
Football is officially back, and the Detroit Lions host the New Orleans Saints on Sunday at Ford Field for a Week 1 showdown that carries plenty of subplots for both franchises. Dan Campbell’s squad looks to wash away the ghosts of last year’s opening stumble, drawing an opponent that helped forge Campbell’s coaching identity. Meanwhile, New Orleans arrives in Motown with a young, ascending roster looking to make some early noise in the NFC South.
Brandon Staley’s Resurgent Saints Defense
The Saints authored a tail-of-two-halves narrative last season, shaking off a dismal 1-8 start to finish on a robust 5-3 tear. That late-season surge was anchored by defensive coordinator Brandon Staley, whose unit finished the final stretch ranked inside the top 10 in defensive DVOA and top five in passing and rushing EPA allowed.
Edge rusher Chase Young proved particularly disruptive down the stretch, racking up 36 total quarterback pressures—tied for 11th among all league defenders—while lining up predominantly on the right side. On the opposite flank, Carl Granderson saw his pass-rush win rate jump to 12.3%. That formidable edge duo will test Detroit’s newly entrenched bookends, pitting Young against Penei Sewell and Granderson against rookie Blake Miller.
Further back, the Saints secondary found its footing over the final eight weeks. Cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry watched his early-season struggles evaporate, dropping his allowed passer rating from 120.0 down to 73.3 while committing zero penalties across the second half of the year. Linebacker Pete Werner and third linebacker Danny Stutsman also elevated their play, giving Staley a cohesive young foundation.
Secondary Shortages Test Kelvin Sheppard’s Lions Defense
On the other side of the ball, Detroit defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard takes over a unit that finished 2025 ranked 18th overall, surrendering 24.3 points and 217 passing yards per game. While the Lions managed 49 sacks and forced 13 interceptions last season, they will open this campaign severely shorthanded.
The Lions will be missing three former starters in their secondary for Sunday’s contest. Cornerback Terrion Arnold was released following off-the-field issues, while safeties Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph both open the year on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list.
That leaves an opening for New Orleans offensive coordinator Kellen Moore and quarterback Tyler Shough to test a depleted Detroit back end.
Disrupting Jared Goff and Controlling the Trenches
Goff released the ball at a rapid 2.57 seconds on average last season, relying heavily on timing and a clean platform.
The addition of rookie defensive tackle Christen Miller should aid that interior push while shoring up a run defense that remains a focal point for improvement. Meanwhile, the Saints must also account for a major departure on their own second level: stalwart linebacker Demario Davis returned to the New York Jets, paving the way for Kaden Elliss to step into a prominent linebacker role alongside Werner and Stutsman.
Elliss arrives with a disruptive reputation, having generated a 17.6% pressure rate last season and a 21.5% rate the year prior.
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