Saints Party like it’s 2011 in Crazy 52-38 Win Over Lions

Coming off their bye week, the New Orleans Saints (3-2) were looking to get over .500 for the first time since the 2013 season when they played the Detroit Lions (3-3) on Sunday afternoon in the Mercedes Benz Superdome. In what turned out to be an absolutely insane game, the Saints found a way to hold on 52-38 despite committing three turnovers, their first of the whole year.

The defense played a game reminiscent of the great Saints teams of 2009 and 2011, scoring three touchdowns, playing aggressive, opportunistic defense. The offense, which started by gashing Detroit in the first half, played a wretched second half and was nearly part of the Lions comeback. At one point, Detroit scored 28 straight points after trailing 45-10.

In the end, the Saints will take the win and work to correct the mistakes. For now, let’s celebrate the fact that New Orleans is over .500 for the first time in four years. That’s a step in the right direction.

Here’s a quarter by quarter recap of the game:

1st Quarter

• Saints start the game with the ball
• Saints stall near midfield and have to punt
• A great punt by Thomas Morstead pins the Lions close to their endzone
• Matthew Stafford gets sacked on 3rd and 8 in his own end zone and fumbles
• Kenny Vaccaro recovers the fumble in the end zone for a defensive TD
• Wil Lutz makes the PAT
• NO: 7 - DET: 0
• After the kickoff, Detroit starts their second possession
• Pass interference on Marshon Lattimore gives Detroit their first “first down”
• Stafford finds Golden Tate for a 45-yard TD
• NO: 7 - DET: 7
• Saints start with Mark Ingram rumbling down the sideline for 51 yards
• Brees finds Ted Ginn Jr. for a TD and the game looks like a shootout in the making
• NO: 14 - DET: 7
• Lions take the ball, stall on 3rd and 7 and have to punt
• Saints start deep in their own territory
• Saints use a good mix of runs and passes and get into Lions territory
• Saints stall on 3rd and 10 and Lutz converts on a 41-yard field goal
• NO: 17 - DET: 7
• Lions take the ball at their 25-yard line as the quarter ends

2nd Quarter

• Lions convert a 3rd and 3 to get to midfield
• Craig Robertson makes and incredible strip sack and scoop on Stafford
• Saints take over the ball at the Lions’ 30-yard line
• Brees completes a 3rd and 4 to Willie Snead for a 1st down. Welcome back Willie!!!
• Saints get to the one-yard line of Detroit
• Mark Ingram runs into the end zone for a TD
• NO: 24 - DET: 7
• Lions start with a long run by Ameer Abdullah to the Saints 41-yard line
• On a 3rd and 9 from the Saints 40-yard line, Lions get a first down
• Matt Prater makes a 41-yard field goal
• NO: 24 - DET: 10
• Saints move quickly from their 25-yard line to midfield
• Faced with a 4th and 1 at the Lions 40-yard line Saints take a timeout
• Saints convert with a trick play toss to Alvin Kamara
• Saints get deep into the Lions red zone as the two-minute warning hits
• Mark Ingram runs into the end zone for his second TD of the game
• Wil Lutz has to kick the PAT three times after Senio Kelemete two lining penalties
• NO: 31 - DET: 10
• PA Announcement: we may get a forty burger, y’all!
• Wil Lutz kick offs out of bounds and gifts the Lions 15 yards
• Lions get into the Saints red zone
• Lions go for it on 4th and goal with 16 seconds left on the clock
• Saints stop the Lions and go into the locker room up by 21

3rd Quarter

• Lions start at their 25-yard line after a touchback
• Cam Jordan sacks Stafford on 3rd and 5 and the Lions go 3-and-out
• Lions punt and Saints get the ball at their 30-yard line
• On Saints first play of 2nd half, Brees’ pass to Mike Thomas is deemed an interception
• Thomas appeared down on the play when Darius Slay stripped the ball
• Not enough to overturn on replay and Saints commit their first turnover of the season
• Lions stall on 3rd and 8 and try a 56-yard field goal
• Prater misses and Saints get the ball back
• NO: 31 - DET: 10
• Saints get into Lions territory
• Saints get into the red zone on run plays by Ingram and Kamara
• Alvin Kamara looks ridiculously good
• Brees finds a wide open Michael Hoomanawanui for a TD
• NO: 38 - DET: 10
• Lions start at their 25-yard line after the touchback
• Matt Stafford’s pass is deflected, picked off by Marshon Lattimore for a pick six!
• Lattimore gets his first NFL interception and scores his first NFL touchdown and
• FORTY BURGER ACCOMPLISHED!
• NO: 45 - DET: 10
• Lions take the ball at their 25-yard line after the kickoff
• Detroit gets deep into Saints territory
• Stafford finds Marvin Jones for a TD with 5:56 left in the third quarter
• NO: 45 - DET: 17
• Lions go for an onside kick, Nate Stupar recovers on Detroit’s side of the field
• Senio Kelemete’s penalty pushes the Saints back
• New Orleans throws the ball three times in a row
• Mark Ingram fumbles on the third pass and Lions get the ball
• Lions convert on a 3rd and 5, get into Saints territory
• On 3rd and 10, Detroit gets another first down
• Lions get into the red zone
• A Cam Jordan sacks forces Detroit into 3rd and 17
• Stafford finds his tight end Darren Fells for a TD
• NO: 45 - DET: 24
• Saints go three-and-out as the quarter ends

4th Quarter

• After a good punt return, Lions start their drive in Saints territory
• Saints force a three-and-out and the Lions have to punt
• Saints are pinned down near their own end zone
• New Orleans goes three and out again
• Saints allow a 74-yard punt return for a TD
• NO: 45 - DET: 31
• The Lions have now scored 20 unanswered points
• Saints offense has lost all rhythm
• Saints have to punt again after yet another three-and-out
• Lions take the ball at their 20-yard line
• Detroit stalls on a 3rd and 13 and Lions punt
• After yet another special teams penalty, Saints are pinned down to their 5-yard line
• Brees throws a pick six to A’Shawn Robinson from inside his own end zone
• NO: 45 - DET: 38
• And it’s a 28-0 run by the Lions at this point of the game
• Saints take the ball at their own 25-yard line after the kickoff
• On 3rd and 3, Saints fail to convert yet again and have to punt
• Lions are pinned to their one-yard line
• Cam Jordan bats the ball in the air and intercepts it for a TD
• WHAT IS GOING ON???
• NO: 52 - DET: 38, FIDDY BURGER
• Lions start from their 31-yard line
• Pass interference on Ken Crawley quickly has Detroit in Saints territory
• Saints deflect Stafford’s pass and Kenny Vaccaro picks it up
• This is an insane game
• Saints offense goes three-and-out again. A miserable second half for Brees and Co
• Lions get the ball again and go backwards with a holding penalty
• On 3rd and 18, Stafford is sacked by Vonn Bell
• Lions punt and the Saints take over near midfield
• Saints can’t get a yard on 3rd and 1
• After a Morstead punt, Saints defense holds as the clock runs out
• Saints win, Saints win!
• Final Score: NO: 52 - DET: 38