Saints Look To Tame The Lions In Week 1 of NFL Regular Season

NFL News - September 7th, 2009 - Written by Jimmy

The Detroit Lions will be on the road, for week 1 of the NFL schedule, as they go to New Orleans to visit the Saints in the Superdome. The Lions are looking to find something to build off of as the 2008 season was a complete disaster. The New Orleans Saints fell short of expectations in 2008 by missing the playoffs. The 2008 season saw the Saints win six of eight games at home, while going two of eight on the road. Both teams are looking for a critical win to begin the 2009 campaign.

2008 could not have gotten much worse for Detroit, as they were the first team to ever go 0-16 in a NFL season. The Lions ranked dead last in almost every defensive category last year but look to change that with the addition of several free agents such as Larry Foote. Detroit is going to look much different, all around, in 2009 with new Head Coach Jim Schwartz and number 1 draft pick QB Matthew Stafford. The Lions are hoping the rookie will be the franchise quarterback they have been missing. Detroit has craved someone who is able to get the ball to their explosive skill players like Calvin Johnson. It is unknown who will start the season for the Lions under center. Originally it looked to be Daunte Culpepper, however it may be Stafford getting the start, due to a foot injury Culpepper sustained at home.

The Saints displayed the highest scoring offense in the NFL last season and look to continue that dominance in 2009. QB Drew Brees is coming off a Pro Bowl season in which he threw for over 5,000 yards, coming up just a few yards short of Dan Marino's all time record. Brees will likely have another big year in 2009 with plenty of talented players surrounding him on offense of the likes of Marques Colston, Reggie Bush, and Jeremy Shockey. New Orleans addressed some concerns on defense in the offseason with some new acquisitions in the form of Dan Morgan, Darren Sharper, and Jabari Greer. Look for New Orleans to improve on their 8-8 record from a season ago.

In Week 16 of the 2008 NFL regular season, the Lions hosted the Saints in a game that was thoroughly dominated by New Orleans. The Saints cruised to victory, winning the game by a score of 42-7. Drew Brees crushed the Lions' secondary by throwing for 351 yards and two touchdowns. The Lions were unable to slow down the Saints offense as New Orleans did not have a single punt all afternoon.

New Orleans is listed as 13 1/2 point favorites for this NFL week 1 matchup against the Detroit Lions. Detroit will have a tough time contended with a fired up New Orleans crowd and what is sure to be one of the league's top offenses in 2009. It will not surprise anyone if the Saints take control of this early and cruise to an easy victory, but will they cover the spread? Two touchdowns is not insurmountable for the Saints. If this game is anything like the last meeting, covering the spread will be a comfortable bet. Right now, oddsmakers have the over/under at 49 1/2 points with both sides paying evenly. Straight up, the Lions have very little chance which is why they're at +650 on the moneyline. The Saints pay next to nothing at -900 when bet straight up. The first half lines are basically a split between the game lines. Detroit is 7 point underdogs in the first half with a payout slightly better than the Saints. Over/under for the first 30 minutes is set at 25 points. These lines are subject change, but can be found at just about every online sportsbook. Bettors wanting action on this game will need to get their bets in before Sunday.

Odds found at: Bodog, Bookmaker and DSI Sportsbooks

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