Lions escape season opener with 31-30 OT win over Saints

The Detroit Lions felt fortunate to escape with a 31-30 victory in overtime over New Orleans on Sunday for at least a few reasons.

The Lions had to defend a two-point conversion to hold on for the victory. They blew a three-touchdown lead in the third quarter. And, a review went their way that overturned a touchdown for the Saints.

“Football is a weird game,” Jared Goff said.

Indeed.

The Saints had a chance to score a touchdown in overtime to extend the game and Tyler Shough connected with Noah Fant for an eight-yard throw in the end zone.

After coach Kellen Moore chose to go for the win instead of tying the game with time on the clock, Shough threw an incomplete pass in the end zone on a two-point attempt.

“The Lions have a great offence, and I didn’t want to give them 1:34 to try to make a play and beat us,” Moore said.

Detroit was at its best with the ball when Jahmyr Gibbs had it.

Gibbs finished with a career-high 29 carries for 156 yards and two touchdowns along with five catches for 30 yards.

“That guy is our hot hand,” Lions coach Dan Campbell said.

New Orleans rallied from a 21-0 deficit and pulled into a 24-all tie on Shough’s nine-yard touchdown pass to Juwan Johnson with 1:07 left in the game.

Detroit went three and out on offence on the subsequent drive, giving the Saints the ball with a chance to win it but Ryan Wright missed a 62-yard field goal attempt as time expired.

“We hung in there and made the last play to win and that’s the most important thing,” Campbell said.

Goff was 26 of 39 for 206 yards with two touchdown passes without turning it over and that proved to be a difference in the game.

Shough, coming off a promising rookie year, threw two interceptions and lost a fumble before closing strong to finish 35 of 56 for 410 yards and three scores.

“Our defence did a lot of good things in the first half to keep us in the game,” Moore said. “We just couldn’t find a rhythm on offence.”

The Saints suddenly showed signs of life on offence late in the third, scoring two touchdowns on Kendre Miller’s eight-yard run and Slough’s one-yard pass to a fully extended Devaughn Vele to pull within a touchdown.

Trailing by seven late in the game, Shough converted a fourth-and-12 from his 23 with a 15-yard pass to rookie receiver Bryce Lance. Three snaps later, he threw a 43-yard pass to Chris Olave to set up the touchdown pass to Johnson.

The Lions advanced to the New Orleans one late in the fourth with a chance to seal the victory, but a holding penalty pushed them back and led to a field goal for a 24-17 lead with 2:32 left.

Pivotal call

The Saints had a touchdown overturned by video review early in the second quarter.

“I’ll be the first to say, I thought we lost that one,” Campbell said.

Goff dropped back to pass and was sacked by Chase Young, forcing what appeared to be a fumble that was scooped up for a defensive touchdown.

The veteran quarterback said he didn’t know why the rule went in his favour.

“I was trying to figure it out on the fly,” Goff said.

While it looked like a fumble, the call on the field was changed by review because Goff started his throwing motion to make it an incomplete pass.

“It’s unfortunate, but we know what the rule says,” Moore said. “Once the arm starts forward it doesn’t matter where the ball ends up.”

Up next

Saints: Play at Baltimore on Sept. 20.

Lions: Play at Buffalo on Sept. 17.