Detroit Lions vs New Orleans Saints Box Score on Oct 15, 2017

The Sports Xchange
Oct 15, 2017

NEW ORLEANS -- Defensive end Cam Jordan tipped and then intercepted a Matthew Stafford pass in the end zone -- the third defensive touchdown of the game for New Orleans -- and the Saints withstood a furious 28-point Detroit rally in the second half to escape with a 52-38 victory over the Lions Sunday at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.

The Saints (3-2) appeared to have iced the game with 8 1/2 minutes left in the third quarter when they grabbed a 45-10 lead on cornerback Marshon Lattimore's 27-yard interception return of a Stafford pass for a touchdown.

But Detroit scored 28 consecutive points over the next 16 minutes to cut the deficit to 45-38 with 6:41 remaining. The Lions' final score came on a 2-yard interception return by defensive tackle A'Shawn Robinson, who followed the eyes of Drew Brees and waltzed in for the score.

After the Saints again failed to pick up a first down, punter Thomas Morstead backed up the Lions at their 1-yard line. On second-and-10, Stafford retreated into the end zone, and Jordan tipped the pass and easily cradled the ball for the interception and a 52-38 lead with 5:04 remaining. It was the first touchdown of his seven-year NFL career.

Brees threw two touchdown passes, while Mark Ingram II rushed for 114 yards and two scores.

In winning their third consecutive game, the Saints rose above the .500 mark for the first time since finishing 11-5 at the end of the 2013 regular season -- a span of 1,386 days. The Saints started each of the last four seasons 0-2 and had never risen above .500.

The three defensive scores -- which also included an end-zone sack of Stafford and fumble recovery by safety Kenny Vaccaro on the Lions' first possession - were one more than the Saints had in the previous four seasons combined.

New Orleans raced to a 31-10 halftime lead, expanded it to 38-10 on a 2-yard pass from Brees to tight end Michael Hoomanawanui and then to 45-10 on Lattimore's touchdown with 8:34 left in the third quarter.

Stafford responded with a pair of 22-yard scoring passes to receiver Marvin Jones and tight end Darren Fells to cut the deficit to 45-24 late in the third quarter, and Jamal Agnew raced 74 yards with a punt return for another score to draw the Lions within 45-31 with 11:03 left.

Stafford completed 24 of 51 passes for 317 yards, but was sacked five times and committed five turnovers - three interceptions and two lost fumbles.

The Saints' defense swarmed Stafford in the first half, forcing two fumbles on sacks that led directly to touchdowns.

The Saints backed up Detroit on its first possession when linebacker Nate Stupar downed Morstead's punt at the Lions' 1. Working exclusively out of the shotgun because of his sore right ankle, Stafford was crushed in the end zone by defensive end Alex Okafor, and Vaccaro recovered to put New Orleans up 7-0.

The Saints then went on to score on four consecutive possessions. Stafford's second sack-fumble came early in the second quarter, when linebacker Craig Robertson knocked the ball out of his right hand and recovered for New Orleans at the Detroit 31.

Six plays later, Ingram scored from 1 yard out to put New Orleans up 24-7.

Detroit managed to stay within striking distance in the first half with a 45-yard pass from Stafford to wide receiver Golden Tate, who broke three tackles, and a 41-yard field goal by Matt Prater.

But Brees also connected with Ted Ginn Jr. for a touchdown on a 20-yard crossing route, and Ingram made it 31-10 with a 2-yard run.

Just before halftime, Detroit drove the length of the field to a first-and-goal from the New Orleans 5, but the Lions came away with no points as Stafford threw four consecutive incompletions, preserving the New Orleans 31-10 lead.

NOTES: Detroit QB Matthew Stafford normally takes 65 percent of his snaps in the shotgun, but his sore right ankle forced him to work exclusively from the gun against the Saints. ... The Saints entered the game as one of only three teams in NFL history not to commit a turnover in the first four games, but committed two interceptions and lost one fumble. ... New Orleans RB Mark Ingram's 51-yard run was the longest given up by the Lions this year. The Lions came into the game allowing only 74 yards rushing a game. ... The loss was costly for the Lions. S Glover Quin went out with a head injury and WR Golden Tate left with a shoulder injury.