I think the Tyler Shough hype is faker than a fart, and the Detroit Lions are going to spank the New Orleans Saints in Week 1 action at Ford Field.
My early Saints vs. Lions predictions go all in on the home side, with Detroit dominating both sides of the ball.
Find out more in my NFL picks for Sept. 13, with kickoff at 1 p.m. ET.
Saints vs Lions predictions
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Early Saints vs Lions spread pick: Lions -6.5
Betting the Detroit Lions to win by a touchdown at 54% is worth it, and I think any number up to 57% is a go.
Dan Campbell is a psycho, and he'll have his team ready to go after a disappointing 2025. The New Orleans Saints are the perfect opponent to start the season against.
Everyone wants to talk about Tyler Shough's run last year as if all five of his wins didn't come against teams who finished under .500.
NOLA still averaged under 20 points per game in the nine games Shough started, and an injury to rookie WR Jordan Tyson already leaves this offense shorthanded.
The Saints just don't have enough gas in the tank to keep up with a Lions' offense that ranked fourth in points per game last season.
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Early Saints vs Lions total pick: Under 49.5
While I think the Lions can put up plenty of points with Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jahmyr Gibbs leading the charge, it may take some time to get going.
A new OC in Detroit could lead to some faulty drives early as the Lions piece things together. A heavy workload for Gibbs could also lead to plenty of clock bleeding away as his team tries to sustain long drives.
Aidan Hutchinson is ready to go, and he should get to Shough with a middle-of-the-pack O-line guarding him, according to PFF.
As mentioned, I am not buying into NOLA's 5-4 run to end last season, and I can see this game ending 27-14.
Saints vs Lions odds
For help understanding Kalshi probabilities, see our odds calculator.
- Saints vs Lions spread: Lions -6.5 (54%)
- Saints vs Lions moneyline: Saints 26%, Lions 74%
- Saints vs Lions Over/Under: 49.5
How to watch Saints vs Lions
- Saints vs Lions matchup
- Date: Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026, 1 p.m. ET
- City: Detroit, Mich.
- Venue: Ford Field
- TV: FOX
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
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