Brad Holmes sign as Saint head coach
The last encounter between the Detroit Lions and the New Orleans Saints took place on October 10, 2017, at the former Mercedes-Benz Superdome. The Saints throttled the Lions 52-38 in that game. This Sunday, when the teams meet at the Caesars Superdome, the dynamics will be different.
The 8-3 Lions aim to strengthen their division lead, currently holding a 2.5-game advantage over the Minnesota Vikings in the NFC North. The 5-6 Saints, on the other hand, seek a crucial win as they pursue the top spot in the NFC South, currently held by the Atlanta Falcons.
Statistically, the Lions boast a top-five offense, ranking second in the NFL with 405.5 yards per game. Quarterback Jared Goff leads the team with an average of 268.5 passing yards per game, ranking third in the league. The Lions also score an average of 26.7 points per game, placing them seventh in the NFL.
Despite their offensive prowess, the Lions have faced defensive challenges in recent weeks. Since their Week XX matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers, the Lions’ pass defense has struggled, ranking 20th in the NFL with an average of 227.5 passing yards allowed per game. Overall, they are 24th in points allowed per contest, conceding an average of 318.8 points.
In contrast, the Saints’ offense ranks 12th in the NFL with 347.1 total yards per game and averages 20.8 points per game, placing 19th. Their passing game is solid, standing 11th with 242.7 passing yards per game, while their rushing performance is mid-tier, at 19th with 104.4 rushing yards per game. On third downs, they hold a 37.0% conversion rate, placing 21st in the league. In terms of yards per play, the Saints are 21st in the NFL with 5.3 yards.
Considering these factors, the upcoming game promises to be intriguing for both teams. As we approach Sunday’s matchup, let’s delve into a few storylines heading into Week 13 in New Orleans.
Homecoming for a pair of Lions coaches
Besides the previously mentioned implications for both teams, Sunday holds great significance for Lions head coach Dan Campbell and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn as they return to New Orleans for the first time since their departure. For Campbell, not only did he play his final NFL season (2009) with the Saints, but he also served as their assistant head coach and tight ends coach from 2016 to 2020 under his mentor and former Saints coach, Sean Payton. In Glenn’s case, he too played his final NFL season with the Saints (2008) and served as their defensive backs coach during the same time period as Campbell.
Both departed for Detroit just ahead of the 2021 NFL season as part of the retooling of the franchise under new Lions principal owner Sheila Hamp and newly hired general manager Brad Holmes.
Campbell and Glenn know how tough of an environment it is to play in New Orleans, perhaps better than anyone in the organization. That’s why Campbell is prepared for the significant test ahead.
“They’re very good. It’s a tough place to play, too. This is going to be an unbelievable environment. And it’s hard to win there, but it’s exactly what you want,” Campbell told reporters on Monday. “I mean, this is exactly what you want. This is another one of those—you start talking about these places you get to go play at. Man, we talked about Arrowhead; you talk about going to Lambeau; you get to go to the Superdome. I mean, there’s nothing sweeter than this. You come out with a win in that environment.
So, it’s a formidable opponent; it doesn’t matter how many guys they have out; it’s all—it doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter who we’re going to have out because we’ll probably have a couple out again. It’s about getting ready to play your best football against a team you have to assume is going to play their best football. That’s what it is.”
Which version of Derek Carr will emerge against the Saints?
Over the past few weeks, there has been a lingering question about which Jared Goff would show up from game to game, given his recent string of uncharacteristic turnovers. Similar uncertainties surround Saints quarterback Derek Carr, who has proven to be a model of inconsistency on a weekly basis.
In their recent loss to the Atlanta Falcons, Carr, despite throwing for 304 yards, including 117 to Chris Olave, struggled to lead the Saints into the end zone. All of the Saints’ points came from five field goals by Blake Grupe.
Carr played a significant role in Atlanta’s victory on Sunday, throwing an interception to Falcons safety Jessie Bates III in the red zone. Bates returned the interception 92 yards for a pick-six, giving Atlanta an early lead they would not relinquish for the rest of the afternoon.
So far this season, Carr has amassed 2,535 yards, throwing 10 touchdowns and five interceptions. He is currently tied for the third-fewest touchdowns this season among quarterbacks with at least 11 starts. In four games, including the most recent one, Carr finished with zero interceptions, yet the Saints lost three of those games.
Carr is going to have a tough task going against this Lions’ defense because it appears he’ll be shorthanded in the wide receiver corps, but in order for the Saints to have any chance to make it competitive, he’ll have to step up.
Saints could be down their top two wide receivers
New Orleans was already thin in the wide receiver department, with Michael Thomas sidelined due to a knee injury. However, Sunday’s loss to the Falcons brought more bad news, as both second-year wide receivers, Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed, are also nursing injuries. Olave suffered a brain injury after an awkward fall, slamming his head onto the turf.
With Olave in concussion protocol, chances are slim that he’ll be cleared in time to suit up. In Shaheed’s case, he injured his thigh on the very first play of the game, prompting the Saints to shut him down for the remainder of the game by halftime.
Both Olave, Shaheed, and even Thomas, for that matter, are the Saints’ leading receivers, leaving New Orleans in flux with viable throwing targets heading into Sunday.
