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The Lions found a way to win, but the time to clean things up is overdue

The Detroit Lions kicked off their season at Ford Field on September 13, 2026, edging out the New Orleans Saints in a chaotic 31-30 overtime victory. Despite jumping out to an early cushion and nearly squandering it, Dan Campbell's group pulled off the narrow triumph before shifting focus toward an upcoming matchup against the Buffalo Bills.

Following the final whistle, Campbell presented game balls to a trio of key contributors while emphasizing in his postgame address that the squad must correct numerous mistakes going forward.

Major defensive concerns lingered throughout the contest, particularly within a depleted secondary missing both Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch due to health issues. Those absences proved costly as the unit yielded upwards of 400 total yards and endured a massive statistical outing from Tyler Shough.

Quarterback Jared Goff brushed aside external criticism regarding the sloppy nature of the win, while Campbell offered measured defense of his beleaguered backfield amidst mixed reactions from supporters questioning the coaching staff.