Going down 28-3 was the real problem with the Saints' 35-27 loss to Detroit, but it's hard not to scratch your head at the way the first half ended.

Multiple flags, the Lions called a timeout they didn't have, and the Saints came away scoreless only yards away from the goal line...yep, the end of the first half was a bit odd to say the least. It ended up being the difference in the game. Drew Brees tried to put together a valiant second half comeback, but there was a score missing at the end of the half they could have dearly used.

On another note, the Saints defense let another quarterback go bonkers.

Matt Stafford passed for 254 yards and 3 TD's (all three scores in the first half), and the Lions averaged 6.5 yards a pop (23 rush, 150 yards, 2 TD's) running the ball against a defense that struggled yet again. It wasn't Brandon Browner's fault, which was refreshing, but the result ensured the Saints a losing season. The best they can do now is 7-9, which is what their record was last year.

With Brees approaching the backside of his career, the trend should be upward for the Saints. Clearly, that's not the case.

Brees passed a couple records on his way to another great stat line (34/52, 341 yards, 3 TD's). If we're just looking at stats, Brandin Cooks played great too (10 catches, 124 yards, 1 TD), but the wins are what matter. What makes matters worse is this happened at home in primetime, where the Saints usually shine in the bright lights.

Let's go back to the end of the first half though. It was one of the weirder sequences ever. The Saints scored the ball multiple times, but the refs took the points off the board time and time again. How were the Lions allowed to stop the clock with no timeouts?

All of it is baffling, but the loss counts on the schedule. It's the ninth one of the season, and it's sure to leave a sour taste in Who Dat Nation's mouth.

 

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