1. When these two teams met at the Superdome Dec. 4, Drew Brees was masterful, going 26-for-36 for 342 yards and three touchdowns. The Lions’ talented defensive line, led by Ndamukong Suh, needs to try and disrupt Brees’ rhythm early in order to keep him from getting on track.
2. In that first meeting, the Saints jumped out to a 17-0 lead, allowing the raucous New Orleans crowd to get involved and the Saints’ defense to pin its ears back and target Matthew Stafford. The Lions need to get an early lead in order to try and seize the momentum and quiet what will surely be a frenzied Saints fan base inside the Superdome.
3. Brees’ excellence often overshadows a Saints running game that ranked sixth in the NFL this season with more than 130 yards per game. The game could be decided on whether the Saints are able to run the ball effectively or not.