Detroit Lions 2017 season preview: Week 6 vs. New Orleans Saints

The Detroit Lions lost to the New Orleans Saints in a 2011 NFC Wildcard game by a score of 45-28. Since then, the Lions have beaten the Saints in three straight seasons from 2014 to 2016.

For the third straight year, the Lions will head to the Superdome to try and take down Drew Brees and the Saints. Despite the Lions’ recent success, the Saints are currently a 2.5-point favorite over Detroit.

The Saints made a lot of offseason headlines this year. They added a few high profile names in Adrian Peterson and Ted Ginn Jr. They also grabbed an offensive lineman you may have heard of: Larry Warford.

To help break down all of the Saints moves and storylines, we tapped our friends at Canal Street Chronicles. Here are their answers.

Notable free agent additions: WR Ted Ginn Jr, RB Adrian Peterson, G Larry Warford, LB A.J. Klein, LB Manti Te’o, QB Chase Daniel

Notable free agent departures: S Jairus Byrd (released), OL Tim Lelito, DL John Jenkins, RB Tim Hightower

Trades: WR Brandin Cooks and a 2017 4th Round Pick (118th overall) to the New England Patriots for a 2017 1st Round Pick (32nd overall) and 3rd Round Pick (103rd overall).

Draft picks expected to contribute as rookies:

CB Marshon Lattimore, Round 1 - After the Saints failed to land CB Malcolm Butler in a trade with the Patriots, all eyes will be on Lattimore who will be playing in his place.

OL Ryan Ramczyk, Round 1 - The Saints second 1st-rounder could be thrust into a larger role than originally anticipated with an injury to Terron Armstead.

S Marcus Williams, Round 2 - After the release of Jairus Byrd, Williams could see time his rookie year in three safety sets with Kenny Vaccaro and Vonn Bell.

RB Alvin Kamara, Round 3 - Kamara has all the makings of a future premier back in the NFL, but the Saints have a crowded backfield with Adrian Peterson joining starter Mark Ingram. Even still, it’s expected that Kamara will get time playing with the offense in 2017.

LB Alex Anzalone, Round 3 - Even with AJ Klein coming in to help stabilize the middle linebacker position, the rest of the linebacking corps has plenty of openings for Anzalone to see the field this year if he can stay healthy—and that’s a big “if.”

DE Trey Hendrickson, Round 4 - The sole pass-rusher drafted by the Saints this year, Hendrickson has the chance to get starters minutes rushing the passer opposite Cam Jordan.

Biggest offseason addition:

With all of the focus on the Saints defense, first-round pick Marshon Lattimore stands to be a difference-maker out of the gate. Lattimore will be under the microscope even more than a typical rookie and will have to live up to the comparisons of Malcolm Butler’s play with Saints fans and NFL analysts thinking about what could have been. Compared to what the Saints have been running out at the cornerback position the past two years, though, it’s almost inconceivable for Lattimore to somehow not be an improvement.

Biggest storyline heading into training camp:

How will the Saints find a way to replace Nick Fairley at defensive tackle after learning that Fairley will miss all of the 2017 season due to a heart condition? Will one of the current rostered players be able to step up, or will the Saints be forced to scrape the bottom of the barrel in free agency? Maybe Vince Wilfork needs a job somewhere still.

Under-the-radar storyline heading into training camp:

With the removal of Brandin Cooks but the addition of Adrian Peterson, will the Saints slowly start playing with a more balanced attack on offense? Assuming not, how will the offense gel with second-year WR Michael Thomas now the focal point in the passing game?

Notable injuries heading into training camp:

• DT Nick Fairley (heart condition - out for all of 2017)
• C Max Unger (foot surgery - hopefully back for Week 1)
• OL Terron Armstead (shoulder surgery - 4-6 months)