No comeback needed as Lions beat Saints

NEW ORLEANS - For once during their season of crazy, fourth-quarter comebacks, the Detroit Lions had absolutely nothing to fear.
Matthew Stafford threw for 341 yards and two touchdowns, including a clinching 66-yarder to Golden Tate in the fourth quarter, and Matt Prater kicked a career-high five field goals to lift the Lions to a 28-13 victory over the New Orleans Saints on Sunday at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.
“Any time you get a victory, especially in a place like this, it feels terrific,” Stafford said. “I’m especially proud of the way we moved the ball up and down the field.”
In winning for the seventh time in eight games, the Lions (8-4) took control of the NFC North and dealt a critical blow to any playoff hopes for the Saints (5-7). Detroit is seeking its first division title since 1993.
It was the only game this season in which the Lions have not trailed in the fourth quarter. The Detroit defense held Saints quarterback Drew Brees without a touchdown pass for the first time in 60 consecutive home games and intercepted him three times.
“The defense did a tremendous job,” Detroit coach Jim Caldwell said. “That guy (Brees) is one of the most dangerous players in the league. He can generate some points, particularly at home.”
The most dangerous guy on Sunday was Stafford, who completed 30 of 42 passes - including a 1-yard flip to running back Theo Riddick in the first half. Stafford also bought time on several plays, picking up 22 yards on three carries, to keep the Saints’ defense off balance.
Prater kicked field goals of 27, 29, 32, 27 and 52 yards.
After the Saints closed the deficit to 19-13 with 13:32 left on John Kuhn’s 1-yard plunge, Stafford applied the clinching shot on the Lions’ next series.
Against heavy pressure on third-and-10 from the Detroit 34, Stafford found Tate running past cornerback B.W. Webb on the right sidelines and completed a 66-yard touchdown pass for a 25-13 lead with 11:38 remaining.
Tate caught the pass on the right side and ran diagonally across the field to beat safety Vonn Bell to the end zone. Tate, one of the NFL’s best receivers in yards after the catch, said Detroit’s offensive staff noticed the Saints defense taking chances on third-and-long.
“Matt did a great job of understanding what they were trying to do to us,” said Tate, who caught eight passes for 145 yards. “We knew that at times the safeties weren’t going to get over and the cornerbacks would have their eyes in the backfield. I just ran by the guy, and then it was off to the races. I turned into a running back and scored.”
“He’s got a penchant for big plays,” Caldwell said of Tate.
The Lions built a 13-6 halftime lead. Stafford’s only incompletion in the first two possessions, when Detroit led 10-0, was a sideline throw that bounced off the hands of receiver T.J. Jones and nearly was intercepted for a pick-six by cornerback Sterling Moore.
Brees threw for 326 yards, but most came in garbage time with the Lions playing a soft zone.
The Saints got off to a rocky start, going with an empty backfield on third-and-a-foot, but Brees fumbled the shotgun snap for a 20-yard loss.
“I don’t know if it set the tone but it kind of defined what we did all game,” Brees said. “I was looking up the field and took my eyes off the ball.”
“Third-and-1, we were awful,” Saints coach Sean Payton said. “We had trouble staying on the field. Then you are not going to have the time of possession - all of the little things we talk about. I have to do a better job. Obviously, we looked sluggish. “
Stafford was unstoppable in the first half, completing 19 of 23 passes for 175 yards and one touchdown en route to the Lions’ 13-6 halftime lead.
The Saints’ high-powered offense was stuck in the mud for most of the game. After rolling up 555 yards and 49 points on the Los Angeles Rams last week, the Saints put up just 369 yards and one TD. The Saints punted on their first three possessions before Brees engineered drives for field goals of 40 and 32 yards by Wil Lutz.
It wasn’t nearly enough. In winning their third straight against New Orleans, the Lions scored on seven of their first eight possessions and controlled the clock for 36:52, keeping Brees off the field.