The New Orleans Saints’ season opener versus the Detroit Lions is one of the biggest games on the Saints schedule, and that doesn’t appear to be a one way street. Lions expert Adam Stark listed Week 1 as one of the three biggest games on the Lions schedule.Â
It actually speaks volumes the Saints were included in the bunch. The Lions are looking for a bounce back season and are prime candidates to be contenders once again. It’s no surprise to see them on a list of biggest games for the Saints. Seeing the inverse lets you know a little about how the Saints are being viewed.Â
Stark highlighting this matchup tells you the Saints are a team even the contenders look at as a potentially tough game. It doesn’t mean the Saints have arrived, but it paints the picture that they’ve progressed beyond being viewed as an easy game. The Lions share a division with the Packers, Bears and Vikings. They also play the Patriots and Bills. The Saints finding a way into the three biggest games holds weight.Â
Saints are far from an easy out for anyone
Part of what made Stark put the Saints as one of the Big 3 is it's a season opener. There is an unpredictable component of Week 1, as he noted, but that's not enough to surpass the other top opponents on their schedule. He also mentioned the improvements on the Saints offense. That's the biggest reason the Saints could give any team a run for their money, if everything goes right.
"Detroit opened as a seven-point favorite, but New Orleans shouldn’t be overlooked. Second-year quarterback Tyler Shough looked like a legitimate starter over the final five games of last season, winning four of them. The Saints also improved their offense by adding Pro Bowl running back Travis Etienne and drafting wide receiver Jordan Tyson with the eighth overall pick. Combined with veterans Chris Olave and Alvin Kamara, New Orleans has a much more dangerous offense than many expect."
Stark doesn't shy away from his belief that this should be a victory. It doesn't sound like a toss up, but it's still a tough matchup. The Saints will be underdogs looking to make a statement against the Lions. That statement starts with the revamped offense.
The ceiling is high all around the offense. The Saints could field one of the best running back duos and receiver duos in all of the NFL. Shough is going into his second year looking to continue the momentum from his abbreviated rookie campaign. You put it together and you have an offense that is capable of threatening anyone. It just has to come together.
THe defense isn't a slouch either despite receiving a fraction of the fanfare this offseason. That unit is banking on some continued progression from key players. Chase Young, for example, is a veteran, but the Saints need him to taka step forward to go from a 10 sack layer to a 12 sack player. The youth at cornerback taking a step forward solidifies the passing game.
The Saints have the pieces to be more than a big fish in the small NFC South pond. It's questions they have to answer before they can even be considered that, but Stark's list shows it's more than just Saints fans who have some belief in their ceiling.
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