By the Numbers: Saints vs. Lions in Week 4

The New Orleans Saints (2-2) defeated the Detroit Lions (1-3), 35-29, on Sunday afternoon at Ford Field.

New Orleans scored 35 consecutive points after trailing 14-0 to Detroit in the first quarter. The Saints (2-2) return home to host the Chargers (1-3) on Monday Night Football at 7:15 PM CST inside of the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.

Let us look inside the numbers from the Saints Week 4 victory over the Lions.

2: Tre'Quan Smith Records His Career's Second Multiple TD Game

“Ball out bro.” Michael Thomas sent this message via text to Tre'Quan Smith just prior to kickoff on Sunday. Smith replied with the “100” emoji and did exactly what his teammate asked and provided his second career multiple TD game of his young career. The UCF standout WR finished Sunday's contest 4 catches for 54 yards and 2 touchdowns en route to the Saints second victory of the 2020 NFL season.

Smith's NFL career has seen its peaks and valleys. Nevertheless, in the last three weeks, the former third-round pick has been the most consistent receiver for the team. In Michael Thomas' absence, Smith has stepped up in a big way collecting 13 receptions for 182 yards and two touchdowns over the last three weeks.

Before Sunday's victory, Smith's lone multiple touchdown game came on national television his rookie season in 2018. Smith caught the 62-yard TD pass that made Drew Brees the NFL's All-Time Leading passer and later hauled in 25-yard touchdown grab to extend the Saints led to 20 against the Washington football team. He finished his Monday Night Football debut with 3 receptions for 111 yards and 2 touchdowns.

5: Drew Brees led the Saints to 5 Consecutive Touchdown Drives

Fans and analysts had heavily scrutinized the Saints offense over the first three weeks of the 2020 NFL season despite averaging 27 points per game. Drew Brees received the most critical backlash, particularly for averaging the least amount of air yards per pass attempt. However, in Week 4, Brees and the Saints offense silenced a lot of the noise. He led New Orleans by scoring on five consecutive drives. The passing game was the most fluid it has been since the season began versus the Buccaneers.

After falling behind 14-0 in the first five minutes of Sunday's contest, the Saints offense returned to their vintage ways. New Orleans scored touchdowns on five consecutive drives while running nine or more plays on four of the five possessions.

Brees and the entire offense looked on the same page from start to finish for the first time since late last season. Though the numbers were not staggering (392 offensive yards), the Saints rushing attack led the way (164 yards) and keeping the defense honest. The running game ultimately allowed the Saints' passing attack to open up and allow Brees time to move the ball downfield.

10: Patrick Robinson Played Only 10 Snaps in 2020 Before Starting

Patrick Robinson re-joined the Saints in 2018 after stints with the Chargers, Colts, and Eagles. Following his Super Bowl title with the Eagles, the Saints expected Robinson to play a large role in the secondary. Unfortunately, injuries to “P-Rob” have relegated him to the sidelines as a backup.

Prior to Week 4, the former first-round pick played only ten snaps for the Saints. Robinson had not started an NFL game since Week 1 of 2018, and injuries caused him to missed significant time in 2018 and 2019. The veteran defensive back had appeared in only 14 games over his first two years back in the Big Easy; however, Saints defensive coordinator Dennis Allen expressed his full trust in Robinson before his first start in two years.

The Super Bowl champion defensive back provided the game's turning point in the second quarter of a tied game. Following an interference call on safety Marcus Williams, Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford threw a jump ball up to TE T.J Hockenson in the front corner of the end zone. Robinson leaped to intercept the football and created a turning point in the game for the Saints. The turnover allowed the Saints to go on a 9 play, 80-yard drive. New Orleans then scored on back-to-back drives. The momentum swung in the Saints' favor, and they scored 21 additional unanswered points.

67: The Saints Commit a Season-Low 67 Yards in Penalties

“Bad teams beat themselves and that' right now what we're doing. We're being a bad team, we're beating ourselves and that's the definition of a bad team.”

Through the first three weeks of the season, the Saints led the league in penalty yards (331) and were second in total penalties, trailing only the Arizona Cardinals. Without six starters, including two starting defensive backs, mental lapses became a huge area of concern ahead of Week 4.

After the Lions first scoring drive (8 plays for 77 yards and a touchdown in 3:02. The Saints defense settled in and played a smart and disciplined ball game. The Saints committed only four penalties against the Lions, and while two of the most damaging penalties were on the defense, both were questionable calls on linebacker Alex Anzalone.

The shorthanded Saints played a smart and disciplined game on Sunday, something they did not do throughout the first three weeks of the season. In Week 4, New Orleans showed their true potential and proved they remain amongst the league's best when they play smart and disciplined football.

127.7: Through 4 First 4 Games, Kamara has the 5th most PPR Fantasy Points since 1950 with 127.7

Alvin Kamara's hot start to the 2020 season had comparisons to his electric start to 2018 when fellow Pro-Bowl running back Mark Ingram II was suspended for the first four weeks of the season. In the first four games of this season, Kamara has found pay dirt seven times, setting a new franchise record. His efforts have him as the NFL's top fantasy football scorer in PPR leagues after the first quarter of the year.

With 127.7 PPR fantasy points, the 2017 AP Offensive Rookie of the Year is the only player since 1950 to place within the top 5 twice in points scored through the first four weeks of a season.

The list of top scorers is below:

136.1 Alvin Kamara, (2018)
133.7 Jim Brown, (1958)
133.5 Wes Welker, (2011)
130.3 Emmitt Smith, (1995)
127.7 Alvin Kamara, (2020)

After his Week 4 performance, Kamara has recorded 100+ scrimmage yards in the consecutive games and has scored a touchdown in six straight games dating back to last season.

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