Lions beat Saints 31-30 in overtime after Saints fail two-point try in Detroit
DETROIT — Detroit beat New Orleans 31-30 in overtime Sunday in Detroit. Amon-Ra St. Brown caught a 4-yard touchdown pass from Jared Goff in overtime and Jake Bates converted the extra point to put the Lions ahead. New Orleans answered with an 8-yard touchdown from Tyler Shough to Noah Fant but failed on the ensuing two-point conversion attempt, leaving the final margin at one point. Neither team was able to put the game away in regulation, forcing the extra period.
Jahmyr Gibbs rushed for two 1-yard touchdowns, scoring in the first quarter and again in the third quarter to help Detroit move the ball in short-yardage situations. St. Brown had two touchdown receptions, a 19-yarder from Goff in the third quarter and the 4-yard overtime score. Goff finished the game using St. Brown as a primary target on key drives. The Lions built leads and responded when the Saints rallied in the second half.
Tyler Shough threw multiple touchdown passes for New Orleans, including a 1-yard strike to Devaughn Vele late in the third quarter and a 9-yard touchdown to Juwan Johnson with 1:07 remaining in the fourth that kept the Saints within striking distance. In overtime Shough connected with Noah Fant on an 8-yard touchdown that brought New Orleans within one, but the Saints failed to convert a two-point try to tie. The failed two-point attempt preserved the Lions’ one-point advantage. New Orleans scored several times in the second half to force the extra period.
Field goals also influenced the late stages. Daniel Carlson converted a 28-yard field goal with 7:41 left in the fourth quarter, and Jake Bates hit a 23-yard field goal with 2:32 remaining to keep the game close. The contest featured multiple lead changes and late scoring, and Detroit held on in overtime to secure the win.
NFL Sports Blog Take
Detroit relied on short-yardage execution and timely plays from Amon-Ra St. Brown to prevail in a one-point overtime game. The Lions manufactured key touchdowns while the Saints kept responding, and the failed two-point attempt in overtime decided the outcome. Detroit will take the win but will need cleaner defensive play to avoid similar late-game scares in the future.