The New Orleans Saints enter their Week 13 game versus the Detroit Lions looking to pull off the upset. It would also be the first time this year New Orleans beat a team with a winning record. Last time the Saints beat a team that didn’t have a losing record was Week 1.
This is a tough game to try to snap a 2 game losing streak, but a win would be highly beneficial to the Saints in the playoff hunt. That and the attention on Derek Carr are two of the most prominent storyline heading into Week 13 for the New Orleans Saints.
1
Derek Carr's red zone performance
Derek Carr will be under major scrutiny this upcoming week due to lack of on field production and comments he’s made off the field. The attention will be squarely placed on how he performs in the red zone. Scoring touchdowns from inside the 20 yard line has been a cause for concern with the Saints all year. The issue was glaringly bad versus the Falcons.
The quarterback’s tone when asked about the inefficiencies was one of irritation and in turn sparked the same emotion from the fan base about his answer. Carr is at the point where his performance between the 20-yard lines is irrelevant if he can’t perform inside the 20-yard line.
2
Angry Lions
The Lions are going to come into this game frustrated and impassioned. Detroit hasn’t played well over the last two weeks. They struggled against the Bears then lost to the Packers on Detroit’s annual Thanksgiving Day game. Because of this, Detroit is going to use their extended break between games and take this opportunity to prove a point.
3
Playoff implications
The Saints are no longer in competition with only the NFC South. After losing the lead of the division, they now are battling with the rest of the NFC. They wouldn’t make the playoffs if the season ended today, but the middle to bottom of the conference is close in record.
New Orleans currently stands at 10th in the conference. The lowest the Saints can drop as low as 11th with a loss. They could rise to a 6-way tie for the 6th seed or take back the divisional lead with a victory. Every game from now on has playoff implications.
4
Reunion (again)
This is the second week in a row the Saints are facing a team with multiple former Saints players and/or staff members on the team. The head coach, Dan Campbell, and defensive coordinator, Aaron Glenn, were on the Saints coaching staff in 2020. Alex Anzalone is another former Saints, and he is now the leader of the Lions’ defense.
5
Jared Goff's turnover issues
Jared Goff has turned over the ball three times in each of the last two games. He threw three interceptions against the Chicago Bears then turned around and fumbled three times on Thanksgiving Day. The New Orleans defense has forced a turnover in every game but one. If they are able to continue Goff’s woes, this could even the matchup for New Orleans.
