Lions 31, Saints 30: Gibbs' 156, Then a Stop on Two

September 13, 2026 - Detroit - The Lions led 21-0. They still needed a stop on a two-point try in overtime to leave 1-0.

Jahmyr Gibbs ran a career-high 29 times for 156 yards and two touchdowns. He caught all five of his targets for 30 more. The Detroit Lions beat the New Orleans Saints 31-30 in overtime at Ford Field. Aidan Hutchinson had two sacks. Tyler Shough threw for 410 yards and three scores and still walked off with a loss.

Dan Campbell, on Gibbs: "We know what Gibbs is. What he's capable of." New Orleans scored 30 points after halftime. Detroit scored just enough after that.

Two 1-yard runs, and a review that stayed a pass

Gibbs' first touchdown was a 1-yard run with 3:41 left in the first. It was his 50th career touchdown in his 50th game, the sixth player in NFL history to get there that fast. The first half otherwise belonged to the Detroit pass rush. Hutchinson spun to Shough on third down and ended New Orleans' last chance before the break. The Saints had 111 yards and zero points.

Early in the second quarter, Chase Young hit Jared Goff and the ball went backwards. New Orleans scooped it and ran it in. Replay reversed it to an incomplete pass because Goff had already started his throwing motion. Goff said he thought it was a turnover. Campbell thought they would lose the review. They did not.

Gibbs scored again from a yard in the third. 14-0. Detroit reached 21-0. Then New Orleans found the field.

21-0 becomes 24-24, then a long miss

New Orleans scored twice in the third. Kendre Miller from 8 yards. Devaughn Vele from 1 on a Shough throw. Jake Bates later made a field goal, and Detroit led 24-17 with 2:35 left.

Shough still had to convert fourth-and-12. He slipped out of Roger McCreary's grasp and hit Bryce Lance for 15 yards. Chris Olave had already ripped a 42-yarder. Juwan Johnson caught a 9-yard touchdown with 1:07 left. 24-24.

Detroit went three-and-out. New Orleans got in range. Daniel Carlson missed a long try at the gun. Overtime.

Goff found Amon-Ra St. Brown. 31-24. St. Brown finished with 10 catches for 67 yards and two scores. Shough answered to Fant from 8 yards. 31-30. Kellen Moore went for two to win instead of kicking to tie. The throw fell incomplete.

Olave caught 10 for 182 without a touchdown. Shough was 35 of 56, three touchdowns, two interceptions, and a lost fumble before that closing push. Goff was 26 of 39 for 206 yards and two scores with no turnovers. That was the difference Campbell will take. Hutchinson's two sacks were his fifth straight game with one. He passed Bill Gay for fifth in Lions history at 45.0. Alim McNeill, Derrick Barnes, and McCreary also sacked Shough. Detroit finished with five sacks and nine quarterback hits. The Saints still gained 358 yards after halftime. The two-point stop ended it.

AthX Engine on an overtime Sunday

AthX Engine NFL scoring already has the Week 1 lines in. Hutchinson's two sacks land at 73.00, the top player total of all of Week 1, skill included. Gibbs' 156 and two scores are 59.00, fourth among skill players for the week. Olave is 50.50. Shough is 46.80. St. Brown is 33.75. Goff is 28.98.

Fantasy points measure the box. Price is what traders will pay after a 21-point lead became a two-point stop. They move together. They are not the same number.

Track Gibbs, Hutchinson, St. Brown, and both clubs on the marketplace. Detroit visits Buffalo on Thursday night. New Orleans visits Baltimore on Sept. 20.

*Sources: AP recap (ESPN), Lions.com, MLive, Sports Illustrated. AthX Engine Week 1 lines scored from nflverse weekly stats. Information only; not financial advice.*