Saints at Lions | Week 4 Matchup
The New Orleans Saints (1-2) will look to bounce back after consecutive defeats this week when they travel to Ford Field for the first time since 2014 to face the Detroit Lions (1-2).
The Saints lost to the Green Bay Packers 37-30 on Sunday night. After defeating Tampa Bay in the season opener, New Orleans has dropped two straight close games and will set to reverse that trend this week.
New Orleans' Sunday night loss to the Packers featured seven lead changes. With the score tied at 27 at the start of the fourth quarter, the Saints had regained the ball near midfield on a big fourth and one stop for no gain by S Malcolm Jenkins and CB Marshon Lattimore. However a fumble by QB Taysom Hill was forced and recovered by Green Bay LB Za'Darius Smith at the Packers' 43-yard line with K Mason Crosby eventually kicking a 49-yard field goal and the Saints behind for the remainder of the contest.
New Orleans had previously tied the score on the next to last play of the third quarter, when QB Drew Brees completed a screen pass to RB Alvin Kamara, who eluded several tacklers for a 52-yard touchdown.
The receiving touchdown capped a standout performance by Kamara, who set career-highs in receiving yardage and touchdown receptions with 13 grabs for 139 yards and two scores, adding 58 rushing yards on 12 carries for 197 total yards from scrimmage. It was the 16th multiple touchdown game of Kamara's career, as he set the club record surpassing Marques Colston and Deuce McAllister.
In a standout campaign, Kamara leads the NFL in receiving with 27 grabs for 285 yards and three touchdowns and leads the league with six touchdowns and 438 yards from scrimmage.
On defense, S Malcolm Jenkins led the way with nine tackles, leading a run-stopping effort where the Saints didn't allow a 100-yard rusher for the 45th consecutive game (regular season and postseason combined) now tied for the third-longest streak in NFL history.
Saints at Lions | Week 4 Broadcast Information
- Date: Sunday, October 4, 2020 – 12:00 P.M. (CST)
- Location: Ford Field - Detroit, MI
- TV: FOX (WVUE FOX 8 locally) – Kenny Albert (play-by-play), Jonathan Vilma (color analyst) and Shannon Spake (sideline)
- LOCAL RADIO: WWL (870 AM and 105.3 FM) – Zach Strief (play-by-play), Deuce McAllister (color analyst) and Steve Geller (sideline)
- SPANISH LANGUAGE RADIO: KGLA (830 AM and 105.7 FM) – Mario Jerez (play-by-play), Juan Carlos Ramos and Victor Quinonez (color analysts)
Detroit Lions | Top Stats in Week 3
- Matt Stafford: 22/31 for 270 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT
- Adrian Peterson: 22 carries for 75 yards and 1 catch for 10 yards
- Kenny Golladay: 6 catches for 57 yards and 1 TD
New Orleans Saints | Top Stats in Week 3
- Drew Brees : 29-36 for 288 yards, 3 TD, 0 INT
- Alvin Kamara : 6 carries for 58 yards and 13 catches for 139 yards and 2 TD
- Emmanuel Sanders : 4 catches for 56 yards and 1 TD
Detriot Lions | Week 3 Recap vs. the Arizona Cardinals
from DetroitLions.com
Kicker Matt Prater had stepped onto the football field 15 times at the end of games in his career and converted game-winning field goals. He was asked to do it a 16th time Sunday for Detroit in Arizona, and his 16th walk-off gave the Lions a much needed, 26-23 victory over Arizona for their first win of the season.
Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford led a 10-play, 70-yard drive that covered the last 4 minutes and 49 seconds to set up Prater's 39-yard field goal.
"He's as clutch as they get," Stafford said of Prater. "He loves that moment. That moment has Matt Prater written all over it."
Detroit put together a much better performance in all three phases to help secure the win.
Saints vs Lions | Series history
This will be the ninth game overall for Coach Sean Payton vs. the Lions with him holding a 5-3 overall edge. The Saints captured the first four contests, three in the regular season and a 45-28 win in the 2011 NFC Wild Card Playoff at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome before losing three straight and winning the last meeting in 2017. New Orleans will be seeking its second consecutive win over Detroit. The regular season series is tied 12-12-1, with the first game ending in a 20-20 tie on Nov. 24, 1968 at Detroit's Tiger Stadium. The two clubs split all 10 meetings from 1970-89. Thirteen contests have been decided by a touchdown or less. The Saints are 3-7-1 in contests played in Detroit:
Check out the Saints vs. Lions action at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.
Saints vs Lions | Statistical Comparison from 2020
| Saints | Lions | |
|---|---|---|
| Record | 1-2 | 1-2 |
| Scoring Avg. (NFL Rank) | 29.3 (7t) | 23.3 (21t) |
| Opp. Scoring Avg. (NFL Rank) | 31.3 (27t) | 30.7 (26) |
| Total Off. (NFL Rank) | 364.0 (19) | 351.7 (20) |
| Rushing Off. (NFL Rank) | 105.3 (23) | 105.7 (22) |
| Passing Off. (NFL Rank) | 258.7 (11) | 246.0 (15t) |
| Total Def. (NFL Rank) | 352.0 (11) | 409.3 (27) |
| Rushing Def. (NFL Rank) | 100.0 (7) | 172.3 (30) |
| Passing Def. (NFL Rank) | 252.0 (20) | 237.0 (13) |
| Kickoff Return Avg. (NFL Rank) | 28.4 (5) | 28.2 (6) |
| Punt Return Avg. (NFL Rank) | 14.6 (3) | 17.5 (1) |
| Turnover Margin (NFL Rank) | +2 (9t) | +1 (14t) |
| Penalties | 24 | 22 |
| Penalty Yards | 331 | 193 |
| Opp. Penalties | 14 | 21 |
| Opp. Penalty Yards | 126 | 156 |
Saints vs Lions | Connections
- New Orleans running back Dwayne Washington was a seventh round pick of the Lions in 2016 and played for Detroit from 2016-17. Washington and Lions wide receiver Marvin Hall were college teammates at Washington
- Saints center/guard Cesar Ruiz played at Michigan from 2017-19
- New Orleans tight end Adam Trautman prepped at Elk Rapids (Mich.) HS
- Saints fullback Michael Burton played for Detroit from 2015-16 and played with Lions safety Duron Harmon at Rutgers
- Saints defensive tackle Malcom Brown played for Lions Coach Matt Patricia from 2015-17, when he served as defensive coordinator with the New England Patriots. Brown was also patriots teammates with Harmon, Lions WR Danny Amendola, defensive end Trey Flowers, defensive lineman Danny Shelton and linebacker Jamie Collins. Collins prepped at Franklin County (Meadville, Miss.) high school and played at Southern Mississippi. Saints linebacker Demario Davis, Shelton and Collins were teammates in 2016 in Cleveland
- Saints Quarterbacks Coach Joe Lombardi served as offensive coordinator of the Lions from 2014-15
- Detroit running back Adrian Peterson played for New Orleans in 2017
- New Orleans linebacker Alex Anzalone played at Florida with Lions linebacker Jarrad Davis
- New Orleans linebacker Kaden Elliss is the son of former Lions standout defensive lineman Luther Elliss, who was a first round draft pick of Detroit in 1995 and played for the Lions from 1995-2002
- New Orleans defensive end Cameron Jordan and Detroit wide receiver Marvin Jones Jr. were college teammates at the University of California
- Saints Offensive Line Coach Dan Roushar enjoyed a six-year stint at Michigan State from 2007-12, where he served as offensive coordinator/tight ends coach his final two seasons
- Saints Assistant Head Coach/Tight Ends Dan Campbell played for the Lions from 2006-08
- Saints running back Alvin Kamara and Detroit linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin were college teammates at Tennessee
- Detroit safety Tracy Walker starred at Louisiana-Lafayette
- New Orleans cornerback Marshon Lattimore, wide receiver Michael Thomas and Detroit tackle Taylor Decker were college teammates at Ohio State
- Lions assistant defensive backs coach Tony Carter played for the Saints from 2015-16
- Lions defensive line coach Bo Davis is a Magee, Miss. native who played on the offensive line at LSU from 1990-92 and coached for the Tigers from 1995-97 and 2002-05
- Saints Special Teams Coordinator Darren Rizzi, Campbell and Lions Tight Ends Coach Ben Johnson served on the same Miami Dolphins staff
- Saints Senior Defensive Assistant Peter Giunta and Detroit Quarterbacks Coach Sean Ryan served on the same staff with the New York Giants from 2007-14
- New Orleans safety Malcolm Jenkins and cornerback Patrick Robinson played for Detroit Defensive Coordinator Cory Undlin in Philadelphia.
Saints vs Lions | Series Fast Facts
Saints' Largest Margin of Victory: 35 points, Saints won 42-7 on 12/21/08 at Ford Field.
Lions' Largest Margin of Victory: 17 points, Lions won 27-10 on 10/28/90 at Sliverdome.
Current Series Streak: Saints won last contest, 10/15/17-present.
Saints' Longest Win Streak: Three games, 10/4/92–9/21/97 and 12/21/08-12/4/11.
Lions' Longest Win Streak: Three games, 9/3/00–12/24/05 and 10/19/14-12/4/16.
Most Points by Saints in a Game: 52 points, Saints won 52-38 on 10/15/17 at Mercedes-Benz Superdome.
Most Points by Lions in a Game: 38 points, Lions lost 52-38 on 10/15/15 at Mercedes-Benz Superdome.
Most Combined Points (Both Teams): 90 points, Saints won 52-38 on 10/15/17 at Mercedes-Benz Superdome.
Fewest Points by Saints in a Game: Ten points, Lions won 27-10 on 10/28/90 at Louisiana Superdome and 14-10 Lions win on 9/3/00 at Louisiana Superdome.
Fewest Points by Lions in a Game: Three points. Saints won 14-3 on 9/19/13 at Louisiana Superdome.
Fewest Combined Points (Both Teams): 17 points, Saints won 14-3 on 9/19/93 at Louisiana Superdome.
