The Detroit Lions and New Orleans Saints are playing on Monday night football in Week 15 and the game from the Superdome starts at 8:15 pm ET for the NFC matchup. The two teams are not making the playoffs this year, but there is still plenty to play for as Calvin Johnson, Matthew Stafford and Drew Brees battle.
The Lions come into the game at 4-9 on the season and they are looking to try and save some jobs after major changes during the season. The Lions have bounced back after an 0-9 start, but the team will miss the playoffs again and it could mean Jim Caldwell could be gone for next season. Matthew Stafford has been playing well over the last stretch of games with nine touchdowns and one pick in his last three and he will try and take down the Saints on the road.
The Saints come into the game at 5-8 on the season and the defense has been hit hard this season by QBs, allowing over 3600 passing yards and 36 scores. The defense stepped up last week against the Buccaneers and the team will try and do that again on Monday night. The Saints have Tim Hightower taking over as the starting running back with Mark Ingram out for the season and he has played well since coming in for Ingram.
Johnson is coming into the game banged up for the Lions and he is expected to play along with Eric Ebron, who dealt with an illness earlier in the week. Ebron should get the chance to step up with Brandon Pettigrew out for the season. Johnson comes in with 71 catches this season for 981 yards and seven touchdowns, while Matthew Stafford has 24 touchdowns and 13 picks.
Brees comes in with nearly 4000 yards passing and 25 touchdowns with 11 picks this season and his leading receiver has been Brandin Cooks. The game has potential to be high scoring with the two quarterbacks in action and both defenses have struggled at times this season.
The Lions finish the season with the Saints, 49ers and Bears on the schedule and the team will be looking to end the year strong after all the previous struggles to start 2015. The Saints are in a transition right now and the team finishes the season with the Lions, Jaguars and the Falcons on the schedule. The Saints were not close to the playoff race, but they were alive until the weekend, which saw the Seahawks and the Vikings win, putting New Orleans officially out.
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