# Detroit Lions and New Orleans Saints season opener > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/detroit-lions-and-new-orleans-saints-season-opener > Updated: 2026-09-08T01:02:24.000Z. Sources: 6. Developments: 2. The Detroit Lions and New Orleans Saints are preparing for their Week 1 NFL season opener at Ford Field. Initial reports indicated the Lions were 6.5-point favorites as they managed roster adjustments, including waiving center Seth McLaughlin and running back Jabari Small. The Lions also faced depth issues at receiver and placed running back Isiah Pacheco on injured reserve due to a back injury. As the matchup approached, the Lions' betting advantage increased to 7 points. Detroit is debuting a new offensive system under coordinator Drew Petzing, while the Saints' outlook centers on second-year quarterback Tyler Shough and a backfield led by Travis Etienne Jr., who recently signed a four-year, $48 million contract. Ahead of the game, both teams released initial injury reports. For the Saints, veteran defensive end Cameron Jordan is listed as out with a hamstring injury, while tight end Oscar Delp (hamstring) and running back Audric Estime (thigh) are non-participants. Alvin Kamara is expected to play despite being a limited participant with a knee injury. The Lions reported several players as limited, including defensive end Derrick Moore (hamstring), defensive lineman Mekhi Wingo (groin), and defensive back Christian Izien (groin). Additionally, safeties Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph are on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list and are expected to miss at least the first four games. Lions head coach Dan Campbell expressed optimism regarding offseason upgrades and the competitive atmosphere from training camp. ## Timeline ### 2026-09-08: Lions and Saints release Week 1 injury reports The Detroit Lions and New Orleans Saints released initial injury reports ahead of their Week 1 matchup. Key updates include the return of Alvin Kamara for New Orleans and several limited players for Detroit. 5 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/new-orleans-saints-face-detroit-lions-in-nfl-week-1-opener ### 2026-09-02: Detroit Lions favored as season opener against Saints approaches The Detroit Lions enter their 2026 season opener against the New Orleans Saints as favorites, following roster cuts including center Seth McLaughlin and running back Jabari Small. 5 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/detroit-lions-favored-as-season-opener-against-saints-approaches --- Cite as: Detroit Lions and New Orleans Saints season opener. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/detroit-lions-and-new-orleans-saints-season-opener