Postgame Quotes: Detroit Lions 31, New Orleans Saints 30 | 2026 NFL Week 1

Quotes from Kellen Moore and QB Tyler Shough

Sep 13, 2026 at 07:00 PM

Saints Head Coach Kellen Moore

Opening Statement:
"This was a fun battle. This was a battle against a really good team on the road – Ford Field, great atmosphere. Love the way our guys fought and battled, and we rode a little bit of a roller coaster in all three phases, I think, at times in this game. Gave ourselves a heck of a chance to go win this thing. And so, proud of the way our guys battled and competed and continued to keep going for it. There's a lot of stuff we got to clean up, a lot of stuff we got to get better at. I think our guys should have some positive juice coming out of this game – with the idea of, hey, we got to get better and we got to keep going. This is Week 1 of the NFL season. We got 16 more opportunities and then some, and so we've just got to get better, and so that's the focus of this thing moving forward."

On what made the second half so starkly different from the first:
"Well, I just say – I think our defense did a lot of good things in the first half. I thought they competed, they battled, they kept that offense from scoring for the most part, and so we were able to stay in it because of that. I think in the second half we started slow again on offense, those first two drives on offense, and then I think we just finally got to that point where we started executing, and I think that allowed us to use some tempo offense to get some more plays where we can get the ball downfield. Just felt like the game was very congested with the run game and the pass game in the first half. I thought, credit to Detroit, they did an excellent job of that. I think our guys just finally started – it felt like there was more air in the game moving forward, and so I think in all three phases we're going to have some stuff we like and we're going to have some stuff we've just got to get better at."

On his message to Saints QB Tyler Shough and his team at halftime:
"I just say we just couldn't find the rhythm. We've just got to find it. We've got to play better than we did in the first half, we all know that, run game, action game, drop-back game- all three components of that. We've just got to play better there. I think once we did find some rhythm and earn some first downs, I think that allowed us to play a little bit more the way we're capable of playing."

On whether it was an easy decision to go for two points after the touchdown in overtime:
"Yeah, there's 1:34 left. That's a really talented offense. You have a chance to go win the football game."

On whether he would have still gone for two points if there had been no time left:
"I really viewed it as we're going for two there to win the game if we have a chance."

On starters playing in the preseason:
"We can over-analyze every aspect of training camp and days and preseason. You know, our defense did the exact same thing. They played some really good football early."

On why their Expected Points Added metric was much higher in the second half:
"No, that's a good question. We just got to execute and give ourselves a better look and I got to look at the plan and just make sure we're finding a way to move the football better in that early part because, you know, we spent a lot of time on it and felt good about it going in. We just – the first drive, we were close. We had some opportunities there. We missed the third down after that drive extended, you know, right around the 50-yard line, and then we stalled out. We just had some turnovers and some mistakes there that weren't us."

On why he chose to go for it on fourth-and-12 near the two-minute warning and what he thought of that play:
"I think, at the end of the day, it's fourth-and-12. You control the future at that point as long as you possess the football. If you punt it, you've got to get them to go three-and-out, and you're going to get the ball at basically the same position with no timeouts at that point, potentially even further back depending on how they punt it. Let's control the variables as much as we can. We have a chance to convert here, and you know, credit to our guys getting it done."

On Saints EDGE Chase Young's strip sack being overturned:
"A little bit of a challenging circumstance, but I understand what the rules view it as. Once the arm is moving, really there's no matter where the ball is going. There's a protection there, so unfortunate outcome for us."

On whether the officials explained the overturned call and if his opinion changed as a result:
"No, they explained the rule."

On whether he would have gone for it on fourth down in the red zone instead of kicking:
"The one down kind of in the red zone? Yeah, it was close, it was kind of a flip scenario there as far as going for it. Felt like our defense had been playing some good football. It was 4th-and-4, if it's 4th-and-1 or two, maybe you're in that sneak opportunity, some sort of short-yardage situation. But (Saints WR) Chris (Olave) was out as well on that play, so Chris wasn't out there at that point for a couple of plays, and so we were kind of missing a few pieces there, so it felt like, 'Hey, we can kick this and then we can kind of force these guys at least to a field goal, we have our last possession opportunity."

On whether he would have considered taking a timeout before the delay-of-game penalty on second down:
"I was considering it, but the timeouts we'd already - , we were already down to one or two probably, at that point."

On what Saints WR Chris Olave was dealing with when he went to the injury tent:
"He landed kind of goofy on his back there, on that big catch and then he had just a couple of cramp moments."

On what he learned about Saints QB Tyler Shough watching his slow start as a former quarterback himself:
"I think we're a resilient football team, and certainly Tyler showcased that, as far as that wasn't the first half he wanted, any of us wanted, even to start the second half, with the interception and then there's a fumble in there. That's about as challenging as a circumstance as you can have and so I credit our guys for hanging in there. We know we can't have games that look like that in the first half, and the start of the second half. But our guys hung in there and gave ourselves a heck of a chance to go win it on the last play of the game."

On what he thought of Saints WRs Chris Olave and Devaughn Vele making big catches:
"Yeah, some big-time catches, some big-time contributions by both of those guys. They're good players. We expect that, and they expect it of themselves, and I thought there was some big-time moments that they took advantage of."

On what he was going for with the two-point conversion:
"Yeah, a little bit of a traffic thing to get (Saints WR) Chris (Olave) to the front pylon. We have (Saints WR) Bryce (Lance) to the back pylon and (Saints WR Devaughn) Vele was kind of controlling the middle of the field, and so it was a little triangle read, and they matched it well, and we were kind of down to the outside corner shot, and we weren't able to get it done."

On what Saints TE Juwan Johnson's touchdown says about him and his play in big moments:
"Yeah, I think for all of our guys, just keep battling, keep going for it, and you never know when your opportunity is going to present itself."

On why he chose not to play a ton of starters in the preseason:
"I mean, it's a good observation. I think our defense didn't play anything in preseason, and I felt like they played some good football in the first half. Again, we got a lot of snaps through preseason, joint practices, and all the different opportunities. Our guys are prepared. We just didn't get it going early."

On the rotation between Saints CB Quincy Riley, Saints CB Martin Emerson Jr., and within the defense as a whole:
"Yeah, just a little bit of rotation there. Nothing big. Feel really good about all those corners and felt like MJ kind of earned some opportunities to get in there, get his reps and experience going in our system. I felt like those guys did some good things."

On whether the rotation within the defensive lineup was planned in advance:
"Yeah, we talked about it going into it."

Saints Quarterback Tyler Shough

On what his thoughts were on the game overall:
"Yeah, well it wasn't good enough in the end. I am proud of how we fought as a team and how regardless of the adversity and circumstances we kept going. And I just got to play better in the first half. We have got to play better as an offense, we were too inconsistent. Credit to them, they had a lot of really un-scouted looks. And obviously it's the first game, there is going to be some new looks and we have got to be able to handle that swing better and it was a good fight until the end."

On what he thinks plagued him in the first half:
"They just did a really good job on defense presenting some looks. Obviously new year, they are going to change some things up and they kind of broke us down. They Covered 0 quite a bit, they only done a couple times last year. We've got to be able to handle that better. I think we were able to do that in the second half. And it was a little too sped up with my feet that was something I was able to sure up on some of those. And I think we got it fixed, but at the same time I have got to play better. We have got to play better as an offensive. We can't have zero points. We can't have that at all. It wasn't good enough at the end of the day that way. But, I was really proud of against a good defense, against a good offense. Our defense played extremely well. I mean they held them to I mean minimal points the whole time. We've got to be able to play complementary and I think at the end of the day I was really proud of how we finished."

On if confidence was a factor when the team took a turn for the better in the second half:
"Yeah, there's definitely a natural rhythm whenever you start getting some chunks, getting the ball out of your hand. At the end of the day, the first half, they presented some look we weren't necessarily ready for and that starts with us being able to handle that and then also me responding as well as not trying to speed my feet up or force anything. I think a couple of times I have got to be better there and distribute it. And I think we got that shored up and continue to run the ball better. We were kind of going backwards a couple of times there. And I think the second pick, I made a great play on it. So, it just stuff like that. So, I just think it's great for us as a team to face that adversity especially early on and respond. But, that's not how we want to hang our hats on those to come back. We will get fixed up and keep getting better."

On having previous games like this last year with first quarter struggles:
"It is always going to be to be an aspect of early call sheets. They are going to present stuff that is going to be different from maybe what they have presented every single week. There is going to be some nuances and how we manage those. And we are going to do the same thing, but at the same time as you get going you start understanding the flavor of the game and how we manage that. But, at the same time we have to control what we can control and operate within our plays. And that starts with me and we are going to continue to get better at that. I am going to continue to get better at that. I just wasn't necessarily settled in early and I learned from it, we're good. We will continue to get better and that is credit to them for doing a good job on defense."

On when they called his number on fourth down and the two-point conversion:
"Yeah we are always going to be aggressive, that is our mindset. I am going to be aggressive. I threw two picks in the first half, we are down. I don't care, we are going to keep going and responding and he is the same person every single call. Credit to (Saints Head Coach) Kellen (Moore), he did a really good job and credit to our defense for holding them the whole time. We have got to player better for them and that is what I told the guys, and we are going to do that and keep going."

On what happened on the two-point conversion from his perspective:
"Yeah, they did a good job. They've always locked a lot of stuff in man, especially on the two-point conversion. They did a good job passing off, so they bumped it off at (Saints WR) Chris (Olave). And then we had a reset to the corner for (Saints WR) Bryce (Lance) in the end zone, it was a close play. Was trying to give him a chance, and they made a good play on it, so just sucks, they had a good response to it. But also, I was really proud of how we got down there, finishing, getting the touchdown. It was just one play away, it's football."

On if he flushed the first half mentally and if he has done that before:
"Yeah, I was flushing every single play, previous start, regardless of what happened, that's the whole goal. Throw a pick, why did I throw the pick, footwork, eyes, deep, guy made a good play, just be analytical about it. And then, maybe we had a good play, why was that, and then next play. I feel like we did a good job as an offense, just keep going, keep battling that way and it was a lot of fun. But at the end of the day, we'll learn from our mistakes and there were some critical ones by myself and all of us early on and we've got to sure that up."

On Saints WR Chris Olave's performance:
"He's just – he's the best bro. He had obviously – went back early and comes back and makes a huge play, huge catch. The whole game, he was steady. I think he was just cramping. He was grinding the whole game, so I was really proud of his performance and who he is. And we were talking to each other the whole game. Man, it's football, there's going to be things that go wrong, dropped ball, pick, protection, sack, all that stuff happens. But we've got to respond and we did. So, we'll figure out how we can get rolling earlier."

On how he learned not to let his internal voice get toxic:
"It just really – there is no, the previous play doesn't affect the next one. And I'm just learning as I'm going, I feel like, I'm learning about what they're trying to call and I'm learning about myself. I was too fast in the beginning, I was trying to distribute it too fast. And just slowing myself down, letting the game come to me a little more but still be aggressive. So just kind of part of it and it's still early, you want those things but how can you respond to those situations, and I think we did. But good play or bad play it doesn't really matter, we just need to keep going."

On his pride in resilience of coming back from 21-0, to having multiple chances to win:
"Yeah, 100%. I mean, that shows the character of this team and the leaders behind it. Everybody kind of sticking together no matter what – playing off of each other. That's a good football team. We're in their environment, and we were able to continue to operate there and we had it really close. Its week one – how do we kind of sustain that growth throughout the entire season, and we'll be in a good spot. But at the end of the day, we reevaluate in how we can get better early on. But it shows what we're made of from that aspect for sure."

On his thoughts on how starters performances may be affected by not playing in preseason:
"No, we were prepared. We had joint practices – all that stuff. Like I said, there is just going to be stuff that they present that will be different. Its week one. You know, later in the year we'll be seeing a lot more film, but we just have to play our style of football and control what we can that way. I'm going to get better at that. I wasn't necessarily in a rhythm early -- how do I get myself better in a rhythm and how do we get going in a rhythm as an offense too – get all those guys going. So, that s part of it, and were going to be ready to go next week."

On his excitement after the coin-flip for overtime:
"Are you being sarcastic?"

On his quick reaction to wanted to begin overtime on defense:
"I told him we wanted to go that way, but—I don't know. We had to go and get a chance and go play. That was my mindset, even when we tied it—we still have football to be played. There's nothing to celebrate yet, so I was just proud of how we responded, I feel."

On what he saw on the fourth and 12 conversion in the fourth quarter:
"Yeah, we were hot. They brought good pressure, and we just kind of avoided it and stepped up. Then fourth down, we got through it and had to make a play, so we just gave (Saints WR Bryce Lance) him a chance and he did a really good job of making a big time catch there in that situation. I was proud of all of our guys the whole day. We've just got to be better with communication and well be fine. We've got to just continue to get better."

On his thoughts on the overturned strip sack:
"Its tough when the ball goes backwards. It felt like, you know, even if your arm is going forward--- the ball went backwards it looks like. But I don't know. I didn't get to see the replay or anything like that. Its obviously a huge momentum swing, but at the end of the day, we weren't good enough on offense to go out there and finish it either. So, you just control what you can that way. That just kind of shows that our defense played their butt off the whole time."

On being aware of his body language and staying positive as a leader despite the fumble that occurred when down by 21 points:
"Yeah, you can't fake that. For me, I was just trying to be neutral. There's nothing to be positive about, it sucked. It was a bad situation, but at the same time, how do we be neutral and be like 'man, that was out of our control?' We got to get out to that guy, you know, we're sliding that way and we got to be better with our communication. Pick was a good play. The first one, I got to be better with my footwork. It's all stuff that we can control, so more than anything, it's just relaying that message of not shooting ourselves, being better that way, and you know, we had everything that we wanted. It was kind of a credit to us as an offense and as a team for staying neutral and staying mission focused."

On finding a cadence with Saints TE Noah Fant, the intended target in his earlier interception, later in the game:
"He great because he's got the athleticism, he's got the big body. I was just a little too quick. We had the option route. I thought he was going to sit down, he broke out, which he was right in doing, and the guy made a good play on it diving. It sucks that way, but for me, like I said, I learned about how I can slow myself down there and in that situation. It's part of it, part of football, and he's going to continue to make really good plays for us because he's a great player and that was him staying neutral too. It was good to bounce back."

On how he learned not to let his internal voice get toxic:
"It just really – there is no, the previous play doesn't affect the next one. And I'm just learning as I'm going, I feel like, I'm learning about what they're trying to call, and I'm learning about myself. I was too fast in the beginning. I was trying to distribute it too fast. And just slowing myself down, letting the game come to me a little more, but still be aggressive. So just kind of part of it and it's still early, you want those things, but how can you respond to those situations, and I think we did. But good play or bad play, it doesn't really matter, we just need to keep going."

On his pride and resilience in coming back from 21-0 to having multiple chances to win:
"Yeah, 100 percent. I mean, that shows the character of this team and the leaders behind it. Everybody kind of sticking together no matter what – playing off of each other. That's a good football team. We're in their environment, and we were able to continue to operate there and we had it really close. Its Week 1 – how do we kind of sustain that growth throughout the entire season, and we'll be in a good spot. But at the end of the day, we reevaluate how we can get better early on. But it shows what we're made of from that aspect for sure."

On his thoughts on how starters' performances may be affected by not playing in preseason:
"No, we were prepared. We had joint practices – all that stuff. Like I said, there is just going to be stuff that they present that will be different. It's Week 1. You know, later in the year we'll be seeing a lot more film, but we just have to play our style of football and control what we can that way. I'm going to get better at that. I wasn't necessarily in a rhythm early. How do I get myself better in a rhythm, and how do we get going in a rhythm as an offense too – get all those guys going. So, that's part of it, and we're going to be ready to go next week."

On his excitement after the coin-flip for overtime:
"Are you being sarcastic?"

On his quick reaction to wanting to begin overtime on defense:
"I told him we wanted to go that way, but—I don't know. We had to go and get a chance and go play. That was my mindset, even when we tied it—we still have football to be played. There's nothing to celebrate yet, so I was just proud of how we responded."

On what he saw on the 4th-and-12 conversion in the fourth quarter:
"Yeah, we were hot. They brought good pressure, and we just kind of avoided it and stepped up. Then fourth down, we got through it and had to make a play, so we just gave (Saints WR Bryce Lance) him a chance and he did a really good job of making a big-time catch there in that situation. I was proud of all of our guys the whole day. We've just got to be better with communication and we'll be fine. We've got to just continue to get better."

On his thoughts on the overturned strip sack:
"It's tough when the ball goes backwards. It felt like, you know, even if your arm is going forward, the ball went backwards it looks like. But I don't know. I didn't get to see the replay or anything like that. It's obviously a huge momentum swing, but at the end of the day, we weren't good enough on offense to go out there and finish it either. So, you just control what you can that way. That just kind of shows that our defense played their butt off the whole time."

On being aware of his body language and staying positive as a leader despite the fumble that occurred when down by 21 points:
"Yeah, you can't fake that. For me, I was just trying to be neutral. There's nothing to be positive about, it sucked. It was a bad situation, but at the same time, how do we be neutral and be like, 'Man, that was out of our control?' We got to get out to that guy, you know, we're sliding that way, and we got to be better with our communication. Pick was a good play. The first one, I got to be better with my footwork. It's all stuff that we can control, so more than anything, it's just relaying that message of not shooting ourselves, being better that way, and you know, we had everything that we wanted. It was kind of a credit to us as an offense and as a team for staying neutral and staying mission focused."

On finding a cadence with Saints TE Noah Fant, the intended target in his earlier interception, later in the game:
"He's great because he's got the athleticism, he's got the big body. I was just a little too quick. We had the option route. I thought he was going to sit down, he broke out, which he was right in doing, and the guy made a good play on it diving. It sucks that way, but for me, like I said, I learned about how I can slow myself down there and in that situation. It's part of it, part of football, and he's going to continue to make really good plays for us because he's a great player and that was him staying neutral too. It was good to bounce back."

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Check out the game action photos from the New Orleans Saints game against the Detroit Lions in Week 1 of the 2026 NFL season on Sept. 13, 2026 at Ford Field.