Today at 1:00 p.m. ET the New Orleans Saints (2-3), fresh off a bye week, will head to Detroit to take on the Lions (4-2) and their top-ranked defense on Fox. Live stream the game by clicking this link; Saints fans can hear the radio broadcast on WWL 870, while Lions fans may do the same on WXYT 1270.
This matchup in the preseason promised to be a heavyweight matchup of top offenses, but injuries are threatening the potency of both passing attacks. The Lions will likely be without star wide receiver Calvin Johnson, while New Orleans may have to forge ahead this week without tight end Jimmy Graham.
While Johnson is almost assuredly out while he nurses his injured ankle to full strength, Saints coach Sean Payton said Graham was able to do more in practice on Thursday than expected. "We're still optimistic on him," Payton said.
Having Graham in the lineup will be important for Saints quarterback Drew Brees, who hasn't had his usual success in 2014. The last time fans saw Brees, in a Week 5 overtime win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, he had thrown three interceptions bringing his 2014 total to six. Brees has been picked off in four of his five games thus far, and has yet to throw more than two touchdowns in any single game.
This week won't be easy though, as the Lions defense has been a terror all season. Per FootballOutsiders.com the Lions rank first against the pass and third vs. the run.
Brees' counterpart Matthew Stafford has also experienced a dip in his production, throwing for 416 yards and just two touchdowns in his last two games. Part of that can be blamed on Johnson's injury, but overall his yards per game has dropped by 25.
Saints Injury Report
Ramon Humber
LB
Ankle
Did Not Participate In Practice
Out
Kyle Knox
LB
Ankle
Did Not Participate In Practice
Out
Jonathan Goodwin
C
Knee
Full Participation in Practice
Probable
Mark Ingram
RB
Hand
Full Participation in Practice
Probable
Erik Lorig
RB
Ankle
Full Participation in Practice
Probable
Keenan Lewis
CB
Toe
Limited Participation in Practice
Probable
Ronald Powell
LB
Illness
Limited Participation in Practice
Probable
Charles Thomas
RB
Illness
Limited Participation in Practice
Probable
Patrick Robinson
CB
Hamstring
Did Not Participate In Practice
Questionable
Jimmy Graham
TE
Shoulder
Limited Participation in Practice
Questionable
Lions Injury Report
Eric Ebron
TE
Hamstring
Did Not Participate In Practice
Doubtful
Theo Riddick
RB
Hamstring
Did Not Participate In Practice
Doubtful
Joseph Fauria
TE
Ankle
Did Not Participate In Practice
Out
Travis Lewis
LB
Quadricep
Did Not Participate In Practice
Out
Reggie Bush
RB
Ankle
Full Participation in Practice
Probable
Jeremy Ross
WR
Ankle
Full Participation in Practice
Probable
Ezekiel Ansah
DE
Toe
Limited Participation in Practice
Probable
Calvin Johnson
WR
Ankle
Did Not Participate In Practice
Questionable
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