The New Orleans Saints rebounded from a 14-10 halftime deficit and set an NFL postseason single-game record with 626 total net yards to defeat Detroit 45-28 in the NFC wild card playoff and advance to the divisional round. After the Lions struck first on a 10-yard TD pass from QB Matthew Stafford to TE Will Heller, the Saints evened the score on a two-yard TD run by RB Darren Sproles. Stafford found WR Calvin Johnson for a 13-yard TD midway through the second quarter, but the Saints would score 17 unanswered points through the third quarter to take the lead for good. Overall, the Saints would outscore the Lions 35-14 in the second half, powered by three TD passes by QB Drew Brees and Sproles' second rushing score and a one-yard rush for a TD by RB Pierre Thomas. Two fourth quarter interceptions by CB Jabari Greer would stifle Stafford, Johnson and the potent Detroit offense, ending their season.
Detroit Lions * 7 7 7 7 *28
New Orleans Saints 0 10 14 21 45
DET NO
Total First Downs 22 34
Total Net yards 412 626
Rushes-yards 10-32 36-167
Net yards Passing 380 459
Passing (A-C-I) 43-28-2 43-33-0
Sacked-yards 0-0 2-7
Punts-Average 3-42.3 0-0.0
Fumbles-Lost 0-0 2-2
Penalties-yards Lost 7-64 3-18
Time of Possession 22:24 37:36
RUSHING
DET: Smith 6-21; Young 1-8; Burleson 1-2; Stafford 2-1
NO: P.Thomas 8-66, 1 TD; Sproles 10-51, 2 TDs; Ivory 13-47; Henderson 1-4; Brees 4-(-1)
PASSING
DET: Stafford 43-28-2, 380 yards, 3 TDs
NO: Brees 43-33-0, 466 yards, 3 TDs
RECEIVING
DET: Johnson 12-211, 2 TDs; Burleson 4-5; Pettigrew 4-49; Young 4-33; Smith 2-10; Heller 1-10, 1 TD; Scheffler 1-7;
NO: Colston 7-120; Graham 7-55, 1 TD; P.Thomas 6-55; Meachem 4-111, 1 TD; Sproles 4-34; Henderson 2-64, 1 TD; Collins 2-20; Arrington 1-7
