The Detroit Lions pulled off a gritty 31-30 overtime win against the New Orleans Saints on Sunday, September 13, 2026, at Ford Field. A win is a win in September, especially as teams are still getting into the groove of a new season. But beyond the scoreboard, the snap counts from Week 1 really tell the story of who’s getting the reps and what we can expect from this Lions roster moving forward.
Jahmyr Gibbs was the absolute bell-cow back, just like we all thought he’d be. The man carried the ball a league-leading 29 times, absolutely shredding for a league-leading 156 rushing yards. Seriously, 156 yards in Week 1? That’s pure fire! He even tacked on five receptions for another 30 yards. Gibbs was on the field for 57 snaps, a full 74% of the time. However, that left 20 snaps for RB2 Sione Vaki, plus two plays where they were on the field together. Vaki, in his first real run as the primary backup, had an up-and-down day. He showed flashes, holding his own in pass protection and as a receiver. But after the game, you could feel his frustration. When asked what parts of his game he was happy with, Vaki didn’t hold back. He said, “To be honest, I couldn’t tell you. I feel like there’s nothing but improvement that needs to happen.” That’s real talk, and it tells you everything about his drive. It’s worth noting that 20 of his 22 reps were on passing downs, which screams confidence from the coaching staff in his ability in those critical situations. Quarterback Jared Goff played all 77 snaps, though he had an average day with the run game doing its thing, partly due to the Saints’ fast tempo.
Looking at the pass catchers, the Lions rolled with just three receivers on offense. Amon-Ra St. Brown led the way with 69 snaps (90%), followed closely by Jameson Williams at 65 snaps (84%), and Isaac TeSlaa getting 52 snaps (68%). The real unsung hero, though, might be Tay Martin. While he didn’t get any offensive snaps, Martin absolutely balled out on special teams, securing a career-high three tackles as a gunner on punts and on kickoff coverage. He said, “I just wanted to make sure I made Dan (Campbell) right for believing in me. I’ve been waiting on this chance my whole life, to go out there on the 53-man roster and make some plays.” That’s the kind of hustle that gets you noticed. At tight end, there weren’t any huge surprises. Sam LaPorta took the lion’s share of snaps with 62 (81%), with Brock Wright adding 39 (51%) and Tyler Conklin getting 10 (13%). It looks like they’re sticking to the plan of utilizing all three of their top tight ends.
So, as the Lions move past Week 1 with a gritty win under their belts, they’ll be looking to iron out those early-season adjustments. Keep an eye on Vaki’s development in the passing game and how Martin continues to make an impact on special teams. This team has some serious talent, and watching these early trends evolve is what September football is all about.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pride of Detroit.
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