The Saints are a 6.5-point favorite to win the game, according to Vegas Insider.
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Commentator Ronde Barber repeatedly brought up the fact that when he asked head coach Sean Payton if the Saints were in playoff mode, Payton responded, “I wouldn’t say that”.
Meanwhile, Saints quarterback Drew Brees struggled against the Detroit defense throughout the entire day.
“I should have high-pointed it instead of letting it come down and slipping through my hands”, Moore said. You name it, it happened.
Overall, Sunday’s game was one of the best, if not the best, games the Lions have played this 2016-17 season.
The Lions improved to 8-4 on the season with the win and had no issues in a tough environment. New Orleans chucks around the ball better than anyone, but Stafford has looked good enough that the Lions can keep up in a track meet, especially against a suspect Saints pass defense.
Brian Allee-Walsh is a longtime Saints reporter based in New Orleans. “It tests your grip a little bit”.
The immediate reviews after the game were that the offense looked sluggish and didn’t execute well.
Stafford was unstoppable in the first half, completing 19 of 23 passes for 175 yards and one touchdown en route to the Lions’ 13-6 halftime lead.
“We’re not worrying about first place or second place”, safety Glover Quin said. Along with Jacksonville, New Orleans is one of two teams that have not been above. They’re in the Superdome.
In the middle of the field, the linebackers consistently showed discipline on play-action and misdirection, allowing them to be in position to effectively cover the middle of the field.
This week, with a chance to move within one game of the NFC South, Payton was completely empty. With Jay Cutler now out for the year, the Bears are relying on Matt Barkley to win them games down the stretch.
“Obviously Drew Brees is a great player with great talent around him; we knew it was going to be a challenge, so we locked in – all week, ” Quin said. “He’s got some moxie, got some savvy”. And now that times are good, he is certainly not going to get caught up in the excitement among a fan base desperate for a winning National Football League team to root for in the Motor City.
Detroit nickel and dimed its way down the field through three quarters with only one gain of 20 or more yards, but got a huge payoff on Matthew Stafford’s 66-yard touchdown pass to Golden Tate in the fourth period. Detroit’s game plan on defense shut down the Saints better than any team since the Giants in Week 2, and the Lions offense were touchdowns in the red zone away from completely humiliating the Saints. But the number that really jumps out is that his lowest completion percentage in any of those games is 71.8.
Theo Riddick also scored on a 1-yard catch for the Lions, who were serenaded with “Let’s Go Lions” chants by visiting fans as the final seconds ticked off the clock.
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Historically bad defensive units under multiple coordinators. That’s why he was pleased with how his defense played against Minnesota QB Sam Bradford (31 of 37) last week.
