Saints’ slow start dooms them in 35-27 loss to Lions

“Calvin is doing great”, QB Matthew Stafford said.

“I think some of the changes we have made have fit his strength”, Caldwell said.

Running mates: The Lions’ 150 ground yards were their second most of the season.

On the year, Stafford is completing 64.4 percent of his passes for 27 touchdowns and 13 interceptions with a passer rating of 93.7.

Even Detroit’s writers were at a loss for words at how the Saints managed to come up empty on their last possession of the first half.

She also said that the tickets were not tickets given to players’ families, and that she did not profit off of them. It’s a complex system.

“You haven’t seen very many throughout the years with those kinds of numbers”, Caldwell said. “I’m sure there will be explanations and maybe apologies about that”. “I threw my hands up in the air on that one”. “I know he’s had it looked at, he’s had an MRI”.

Ameer Abdullah and Joique Bell each scored a touchdown and rushed for more than 70 yards in the victory. Bell had 71 yards on eight carries, with a 1-yard touchdown. A lot of times during the week, a guy may practice, may not practice, he may play, he may not play. “You’re going to have losing seasons; everybody does”.

Doug Baldwin having a Pro Bowl season: I have always been of the belief that Doug Baldwin was capable of putting up huge receiving numbers if he played in a traditional passing attack. Four plays to do it. Seems easy enough, right? They’re “warriors.” If an injured player needs to be out of the game, the team needs to make that decision on his behalf.

Defensive end Ziggy Ansah appears to be on the mend after dealing with an illness in the game.

-WR Corey Fuller was inactive for just the second time this year as the Lions went with TJ Jones as the No. 4 receiver.

Detroit were beaten by the Rams 21-14 last week but the Lions picked up their fifth win of the season courtesy of quarterback Matthew Stafford, who completed 22-of-25 passes for 254 yards and three touchdowns. “He’s fighting through and playing, but they are doubling him the whole game”.

Stafford’s 148.6 passer rating was a career high.

New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees (9) has his ankle tended to in the first half of an NFL football game against the Detroit Lions in New Orleans, Monday, Dec. 21, 2015.

The Saints have a roster that needs plenty of work, as evidenced by two straight sub-.500 seasons, and are stuck with undoubtedly the worst salary-cap situation in the NFL. “Unfortunately, we couldn’t match them step for step”. The onside kick would fail, and that’s the way it would stay. The lowlight was kicker Matt Prater missing a 38-yarder that would’ve iced the game with nine seconds left.

What Happened: The Lions started off strong in this one and were able to build a good lead before the Saints came storming back.