New Orleans Saints vs. Detroit Lions: 2014 Week 7 Recap

Game story

In Week 7 of the 2014 NFL season on 2014-10-19, the Detroit Lions took care of business against the New Orleans Saints, pulling away with a 24–23 final that came down to the wire.

The highest-scoring period was Q4 with 20 combined points — the stretch that most shaped the final margin.

D. Brees (New Orleans Saints) paced the passing game, with +5.18 total EPA, and -5.1% completion percentage over expected.

On the individual side, K. Stills (New Orleans Saints) delivered the top overall EPA impact at +8.37 — the clearest player-of-the-game signal on the analytics sheet.

The momentum swing (-25.2% win probability) landed in the fourth quarter when New Orleans Saints changed the game: (3:20) (Shotgun) 9-D.Brees pass short middle intended for 12-M.Colston INTERCEPTED by 27-G.Quin at NO 37. 27-G.Quin to NO 14 for 23 yards (89-J.Hill).

Line score

Final score and points by quarter.

Stars of the game

Top performers by total expected points added (EPA) across passing, rushing, and receiving.

1. 1 K. Stills · New Orleans Saints · Receiving · +8.37 total EPA · 5 snaps · +1.67 EPA/play
2. 2 G. Tate · Detroit Lions · Receiving · +7.51 total EPA · 13 snaps · +0.58 EPA/play
3. 3 D. Brees · New Orleans Saints · Passing · +5.18 total EPA · 50 snaps · +0.10 EPA/play
4. 4 C. Fuller · Detroit Lions · Receiving · +4.39 total EPA · 5 snaps · +0.88 EPA/play
5. 5 A. Johnson · New Orleans Saints · Receiving · +1.89 total EPA · 1 snaps · +1.89 EPA/play
6. 6 M. Stafford · Detroit Lions · Passing · +1.45 total EPA · 47 snaps · +0.03 EPA/play
7. 7 T. Cadet · New Orleans Saints · Receiving · +1.42 total EPA · 9 snaps · +0.16 EPA/play
8. 8 M. Colston · New Orleans Saints · Receiving · +1.15 total EPA · 10 snaps · +0.11 EPA/play

Player of the game

FantasyHQ analytics player-of-the-game pick based on total EPA and signature plays.

Who scored touchdowns and field goals

Every touchdown and field goal with the player named in official play-by-play.

Touchdowns

• New Orleans Saints — A. Johnson (D. Brees pass) (Q2 44:05)
• New Orleans Saints — K. Stills (D. Brees pass) (Q3 28:50)
• Detroit Lions — J. Bell (Q3 21:24)
• Detroit Lions — G. Tate (M. Stafford pass) (Q4 3:52)
• Detroit Lions — C. Fuller (M. Stafford pass) (Q4 1:54)

Field goals

• Detroit Lions — M. Prater (Q2 35:33)
• New Orleans Saints — S. Graham (Q2 30:05)
• New Orleans Saints — S. Martin (Q3 30:00)
• New Orleans Saints — S. Graham (Q4 13:38)
• New Orleans Saints — S. Graham (Q4 5:29)

How it unfolded, quarter by quarter

A quarter-by-quarter recap built from live scoring plays and play descriptions.

The second quarter: New Orleans Saints won the period 10–3. New Orleans Saints found the end zone from the DET 13 (Q2 44:05) — (14:05) 9-D.Brees pass short left to 35-A.Johnson for 13 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; New Orleans Saints added 1 points from the DET 2 (Q2 43:56) — 3-S.Graham extra point is GOOD, Center-47-J.Drescher, Holder-7-L.McCown.; Detroit Lions connected on a field goal from the NO 3 (Q2 35:33) — (5:33) 5-M.Prater 21 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-48-D.Muhlbach, Holder-6-S.Martin.; New Orleans Saints connected on a field goal from the DET 9 (Q2 30:05) — (:05) 3-S.Graham 27 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-47-J.Drescher, Holder-7-L.McCown..

The third quarter: New Orleans Saints won the period 10–7. New Orleans Saints connected on a field goal from the DET 35 (Q3 30:00) — 6-S.Martin kicks 65 yards from DET 35 to end zone, Touchback.; New Orleans Saints found the end zone from the DET 46 (Q3 28:50) — (13:50) (No Huddle, Shotgun) 9-D.Brees pass deep right to 84-K.Stills for 46 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; New Orleans Saints added 1 points from the DET 2 (Q3 28:42) — 3-S.Graham extra point is GOOD, Center-47-J.Drescher, Holder-7-L.McCown.; Detroit Lions found the end zone from the NO 1 (Q3 21:24) — (6:24) 35-J.Bell left end for 1 yard, TOUCHDOWN.; Detroit Lions added 1 points from the NO 2 (Q3 21:19) — 5-M.Prater extra point is GOOD, Center-48-D.Muhlbach, Holder-6-S.Martin..

The fourth quarter: Detroit Lions won the period 14–6. New Orleans Saints connected on a field goal from the DET 30 (Q4 13:38) — (13:38) 3-S.Graham 48 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-47-J.Drescher, Holder-7-L.McCown.; New Orleans Saints connected on a field goal from the DET 18 (Q4 5:29); Detroit Lions found the end zone from the NO 73 (Q4 3:52) — (3:52) (No Huddle, Shotgun) 9-M.Stafford pass short right to 15-G.Tate for 73 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Detroit Lions added 1 points from the NO 2 (Q4 3:38) — 5-M.Prater extra point is GOOD, Center-48-D.Muhlbach, Holder-6-S.Martin.; Detroit Lions found the end zone from the NO 5 (Q4 1:54) — (1:54) (Shotgun) 9-M.Stafford pass short middle to 10-C.Fuller for 5 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Detroit Lions added 1 points from the NO 2 (Q4 1:48) — 5-M.Prater extra point is GOOD, Center-48-D.Muhlbach, Holder-6-S.Martin..

Turning points

Plays that moved win probability the most — the swings that decided the game.

• New Orleans Saints (Q4 3:20) — (3:20) (Shotgun) 9-D.Brees pass short middle intended for 12-M.Colston INTERCEPTED by 27-G.Quin at NO 37. 27-G.Quin to NO 14 for 23 yards (89-J.Hill). [WPA -25.2% · EPA -5.11]
• New Orleans Saints (Q4 0:27) — (:27) (No Huddle, Shotgun) 9-D.Brees pass incomplete short right to 17-R.Meachem (23-D.Slay). [WPA -18.0% · EPA -2.07]
• Detroit Lions (Q4 8:53) — (8:53) 9-M.Stafford pass short left intended for 82-J.Thompson INTERCEPTED by 32-K.Vaccaro at NO 6. 32-K.Vaccaro to DET 49 for 45 yards (9-M.Stafford). [WPA -17.9% · EPA -7.49]
• New Orleans Saints (Q4 1:34) — (1:34) (Shotgun) 9-D.Brees scrambles up the middle to NO 33 for 13 yards. [WPA +17.5% · EPA +1.53]
• Detroit Lions (Q4 1:54) — (1:54) (Shotgun) 9-M.Stafford pass short middle to 10-C.Fuller for 5 yards, TOUCHDOWN. [WPA +16.9% · EPA +2.83]

Impact plays

Highest expected-points added snaps that flipped field position and scoring chances.

• Detroit Lions (Q4 8:53) — (8:53) 9-M.Stafford pass short left intended for 82-J.Thompson INTERCEPTED by 32-K.Vaccaro at NO 6. 32-K.Vaccaro to DET 49 for 45 yards (9-M.Stafford). [WPA -17.9% · EPA -7.49]
• Detroit Lions (Q4 3:52) — (3:52) (No Huddle, Shotgun) 9-M.Stafford pass short right to 15-G.Tate for 73 yards, TOUCHDOWN. [WPA +9.6% · EPA +7.13]
• Detroit Lions (Q1 45:23) — (:23) 9-M.Stafford pass short right intended for 15-G.Tate INTERCEPTED by 28-K.Lewis at DET 29. 28-K.Lewis to DET 29 for no gain (87-B.Pettigrew). The Replay Official challenged the incomplete pass ru [WPA -15.6% · EPA -5.29]
• New Orleans Saints (Q4 3:20) — (3:20) (Shotgun) 9-D.Brees pass short middle intended for 12-M.Colston INTERCEPTED by 27-G.Quin at NO 37. 27-G.Quin to NO 14 for 23 yards (89-J.Hill). [WPA -25.2% · EPA -5.11]

Quarterback report card

D.Brees led all passers in efficiency for New Orleans Saints, setting the tone in the passing game according to FantasyHQ analytics.

• D.Brees (New Orleans Saints) · 50 dropbacks · 56.0% completion · -5.1% CPOE · +0.10 EPA/play · +5.18 total EPA
• M.Stafford (Detroit Lions) · 47 dropbacks · 57.4% completion · -2.6% CPOE · +0.03 EPA/play · +1.45 total EPA

Team stats comparison

Side-by-side offensive and defensive efficiency from FantasyHQ analytics.

By the numbers

Both offenses finished within striking distance on EPA per play (New Orleans Saints -0.04, Detroit Lions -0.06) — a true toss-up on the analytics sheet.

• Detroit Lions: 12 drives, -5.34 total EPA, 4 scoring drives
• New Orleans Saints: 12 drives, -3.25 total EPA, 5 scoring drives

Key takeaways

What to remember for fantasy research, film review, and follow-up box score digging.

• Detroit Lions leaves with the win and the better postgame narrative for Week-to-week momentum.
• One-score margin — fantasy managers should double-check garbage-time stats before drawing conclusions.
• K. Stills (New Orleans Saints) is the first name to pull up for highlight reels and prop-retrospective research.
• D. Brees (NO) finished below expected efficiency — volume may have masked accuracy issues.

Every scoring play

Chronological scoring with field position and full play-by-play context.

1. New Orleans Saints TD (+6) — Q2 44:05 · DET 13 · Score 6-0
   (14:05) 9-D.Brees pass short left to 35-A.Johnson for 13 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
2. New Orleans Saints XP (+1) — Q2 43:56 · DET 2 · Score 7-0
   3-S.Graham extra point is GOOD, Center-47-J.Drescher, Holder-7-L.McCown.
3. Detroit Lions FG (+3) — Q2 35:33 · NO 3 · Score 7-3
   (5:33) 5-M.Prater 21 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-48-D.Muhlbach, Holder-6-S.Martin.
4. New Orleans Saints FG (+3) — Q2 30:05 · DET 9 · Score 10-3
   (:05) 3-S.Graham 27 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-47-J.Drescher, Holder-7-L.McCown.
5. New Orleans Saints FG (+3) — Q3 30:00 · DET 35 · Score 10-3
   6-S.Martin kicks 65 yards from DET 35 to end zone, Touchback.
6. New Orleans Saints TD (+6) — Q3 28:50 · DET 46 · Score 16-3
   (13:50) (No Huddle, Shotgun) 9-D.Brees pass deep right to 84-K.Stills for 46 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
7. New Orleans Saints XP (+1) — Q3 28:42 · DET 2 · Score 17-3
   3-S.Graham extra point is GOOD, Center-47-J.Drescher, Holder-7-L.McCown.
8. Detroit Lions TD (+6) — Q3 21:24 · NO 1 · Score 17-9
   (6:24) 35-J.Bell left end for 1 yard, TOUCHDOWN.
9. Detroit Lions XP (+1) — Q3 21:19 · NO 2 · Score 17-10
   5-M.Prater extra point is GOOD, Center-48-D.Muhlbach, Holder-6-S.Martin.
10. New Orleans Saints FG (+3) — Q4 13:38 · DET 30 · Score 20-10
    (13:38) 3-S.Graham 48 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-47-J.Drescher, Holder-7-L.McCown.
11. New Orleans Saints FG (+3) — Q4 5:29 · DET 18 · Score 23-10
    (5:29) 3-S.Graham 36 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-47-J.Drescher, Holder-7-L.McCown. Penalty on DET-26-D.Carey, Running Into the Kicker, declined.
12. Detroit Lions TD (+6) — Q4 3:52 · NO 73 · Score 23-16
    (3:52) (No Huddle, Shotgun) 9-M.Stafford pass short right to 15-G.Tate for 73 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
13. Detroit Lions XP (+1) — Q4 3:38 · NO 2 · Score 23-17
    5-M.Prater extra point is GOOD, Center-48-D.Muhlbach, Holder-6-S.Martin.
14. Detroit Lions TD (+6) — Q4 1:54 · NO 5 · Score 23-23
    (1:54) (Shotgun) 9-M.Stafford pass short middle to 10-C.Fuller for 5 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
15. Detroit Lions XP (+1) — Q4 1:48 · NO 2 · Score 23-24
    5-M.Prater extra point is GOOD, Center-48-D.Muhlbach, Holder-6-S.Martin.