Lions vs. Saints: Live score updates, highlights, injury news

Following along with the action of Detroit Lions vs. New Orleans Saints, including score updates, highlights, and injury news.

The Detroit Lions and New Orleans Saints face off in a big NFC showdown. Both teams are in the thick of the NFC Playoff picture, but both aren’t trending in great directions. The Saints ceded the NFC South lead to the Falcons after losing to Atlanta last week. And while the Lions are still comfortably first in the NFC North, two shaky performances against divisional foes has fan confidence at a season low.

The Saints come in a little beat up on both sides of the ball. The following players will not be playing:

• WR Michael Thomas (IR)
• WR Rashid Shaheed (thigh)
• LB Pete Werner (shoulder)
• CB Marcus Lattimore (IR)
• S Marcus Maye (shoulder)

The good news for them is that they’re getting a couple players who looked like they may miss the contest, particularly WR Chris Olave and defensive lineman Cameron Jordan.

The Lions are a much healthier team heading into Sunday. The only starter who will miss the game is linebacker Alex Anzalone, who is dealing with a hand injury. Most importantly for Detroit, they are getting back starting left guard Jonah Jackson, who has missed the five out of the last six games. His return will give Detroit their five starting offensive linemen available for just the third time this season.

Will that be enough to get back on the winning track? Or will it be the Saints who break their losing streak and make a big step toward recapturing the NFC South lead?

We will be providing live updates for Lions vs. Saints as they come in. Just come back to this page at kickoff (1 p.m. ET) and refresh as the game continues on.

First quarter

The Saints won the toss and deferred, giving Detroit the opportunity to get the ball first. After a false start to start the drive, the Lions ran the ball twice to David Montgomery and got themselves into a third-and-7. Detroit went right back to MOntgomery on a draw play and it moved the chains. A few plays later, Jared Goff withstood a hit and found Jameson Williams for 12 yards—and a roughing the passer added another 15 to it. From there, Jahmyr Gibbs picked up 36 yards on a brilliant run to set the Lions up first-and-goal. David Montgomery punched it in for there for an early 7-0 Lions lead.

On the very first play of the Saints’ first offensive possession, a Derek Carr pass bounced off a tight ends hands, and rookie Brian Branch made an impressive catch for the interception.

Three plays later, Goff found tight end Sam LaPorta for a 13-yard touchdown and an early 14-0 Lions lead.

Detroit’s defense showed up again, with a couple of pass breakups: one by Jalen Reeves-Maybin and another by Cameron Sutton—to force a quick three-and-out.

It only took three plays for the Lions offense to tack on a third touchdown. After a failed run, LaPorta picked up 29 yards on a catch-and-run. Then Amon-Ra St. Brown followed it up with his own YAC King impression, taking a short pass for a 25-yard touchdown. 21-0 Lions.

The defense picked up another quick three-and-out. A tackle for loss from Jack Campbell set up a third down, and recent addition Bruce Irvin ended the drive with a sack:

Detroit didn’t add to their lead, though, as Jared Goff was sacked on third-and-11 with an impressive pass rush move from Zack Baun on Penei Sewell.

The Saints finally moved the chains for the first time with four minutes left in the first quarter after Taysom Hill scampered for 21 yards. But that would be in for the drive, after Carr airmailed a ball on third-and-9.

The Lions would punt the ball right back to them, though. On a third-and-7, Goff just missed Josh Reynolds for a big gain. On the punt, the Saints committed a holding penalty that forced their next offensive drive to start inside their own 20-yard line.