Tate’s long TD catch changes tone
Brees fails to throw scoring pass for first time in 60 home games
NEW ORLEANS — Matthew Stafford’s powerful arm and fourth- quarter poise delivered the Detroit Lions their most comfortable victory yet in a season that looks destined to culminate in a playoff berth.
Maybe a first division crown in two decades, too.
Stafford passed for 341 yards and two touchdowns, the Lions became the first team in 60 home games for the New Orleans Saints to stop Drew Brees from throwing a touchdown pass, and the Lions pulled away from the mistakeprone Saints 28- 13 on Sunday.
“It feels good to come in here and play a little bit closer to a 60- minute game,” Stafford said. “Our defense played unbelievable.”
Stafford was at his best when the Saints were on the brink of seizing momentum early in the fourth quarter and locking the Lions into another high- stress affair.
The Superdome crowdwas deafening after Stafford’s second- down pass had been batted and nearly intercepted by Cameron Jordan in Lions territory. The Saints had scored on their previous drive to pull to 19- 13 and needed a stop on third- and- 10 to set up Brees and Co. with a chance to drive for a goahead score.
Stafford said he sensed the Saints were about to blitz, adding, “We had a different play call and I checked to one I thought would be good.” He thought right. Golden Tate broke into the clear behind cornerback B. W. Webb, with safety Vonn Bell too far away to help out. Stafford rifled a long, accurate pass Tate caught, then cut across the field for a 66- yard touchdown .
“Mentally, we stayed locked in and ready, and we kept our foot on the pedal,” Tate said. “We’re rolling.”
The Lions ( 8- 4), who have won seven of eight, dominated statistically. But four opportunities inside the Saints’ 20 ended with Matt Prater field goals, allowing the Saints ( 5- 7) to stay close until Tate’s big play. This time, in sharp contrast to seven previous victories by between one and seven points, the Lions cruised.
Brees finished 31- for- 44 for 326 yards, but was intercepted three times, by Glover Quin, Tavon Wilson andMiles Killebrew .
Brees called the first half, “abysmal.” Saints coach Sean Payton said his team looked, “sluggish, like we came off a short week or something.”
Tate finished with eight catches for 145 yards.
Statistical dominance
The Lions were outgaining the Saints 422 yards to 294 before the Saints’ final drive. The Lions also controlled time of possession, 36: 52 to 23: 08 while running 67 plays to the Saints’ 57.
It could have been a rout if five drives hadn’t ended with Prater field goals: two from 27 yards, and one each from 29, 32 and 52 yards.
“We kept them around with how inefficient we were in the red zone,” Stafford said. “We’re going to have to do better at that and find ways to get the ball in the end zone, because we moved the ball great today.”