Amon-Ra St. Brown gave Detroit the lead in overtime. The Lions’ defense had to make it stand up one more time.

After St. Brown’s four-yard touchdown catch, New Orleans answered with an eight-yard score to Noah Fant and went for two. Tyler Shough’s pass fell incomplete, leaving Detroit with a 31–30 victory Sunday at Ford Field after a three-touchdown advantage had nearly become an opening-day collapse.

The Lions’ official highlights show both halves of that escape: the offense rebuilding a lead in overtime and the defense finally denying the Saints at the end.

St. Brown finishes what Gibbs started

Jahmyr Gibbs carried Detroit’s offense for much of the afternoon. He ran 29 times for 156 yards and two touchdowns, then added five catches for 30 yards. Both rushing scores came from a yard out; his work helped the Lions build a 21–0 third-quarter lead before New Orleans began its comeback.

But Detroit needed more than another handoff in overtime. Jameson Williams supplied a 22-yard catch to move the ball near the goal line, and Jared Goff found St. Brown for the touchdown that restored the lead. St. Brown finished with 10 catches for 67 yards and two scores, giving Goff a dependable target on a day when Detroit’s passing game produced relatively few long gains.

Goff threw for 206 yards without an interception. The contrast with Shough’s 410 yards was striking, but the final possession mattered more than the totals: Detroit got the touchdown it needed when settling for a field goal would have left it exposed.

New Orleans kept finding another chance

The Saints did not fold after falling behind by 21. Kendre Miller’s eight-yard touchdown run and Devaughn Vele’s one-yard scoring catch cut into the deficit. After the teams traded field goals, Shough hit Juwan Johnson for a nine-yard touchdown to tie it at 24.

Chris Olave made the comeback possible with repeated big gains. He caught 10 passes for 182 yards, giving Shough a way to move the offense quickly even after Detroit’s early defensive success. Shough finished with three touchdown passes and two interceptions, a line that captured both the damage he caused and the opportunities Detroit created.

New Orleans still had a chance to win in regulation, but Daniel Carlson missed from 62 yards. Overtime supplied another opening, and Fant’s touchdown brought the Saints within a point.

The Lions’ official post captures the decisive defensive stop. Detroit did not need another scoring drive after this play.

Final: Lions 31, Saints 30, overtime.

For Detroit, the encouraging part was the response after losing control of the game. The uncomfortable part was needing that response at all. Gibbs’ production and St. Brown’s finishing gave the Lions enough offense; one final defended pass made it a win.