The Saints began their season with a Week 1 duel with the Detroit Lions. New Orleans would get off to a fast start in the first quarter as quarterback Drew Brees completed a 9-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Marques Colston and a 39-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Robert Meachem. The Lions would answer with kicker Jason Hanson getting a 47-yard field goal. In the second quarter, Detroit came closer as running back Kevin Smith got a 4-yard touchdown run. The Saints would reply with Brees completing a 1-yard and a 15-yard touchdown pass to tight end Jeremy Shockey. The Lions tried to catch up in the third quarter as quarterback Matthew Stafford got a 1-yard touchdown run, yet New Orleans answered with kicker John Carney making a 39-yard field goal. Detroit would respond with Hanson nailing a 24-yard field goal, while the Saints kept pounding away as Brees completed a 58-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Devery Henderson. The Lions would close out the period with safety Louis Delmas returning a fumble 65 yards for a touchdown. In the fourth quarter, New Orleans closed out the game as Brees completed a 13-yard touchdown pass to fullback Heath Evans. With the win, not only did the Saints begin their season at 1-0, but Brees (26-of-34, 358 yards, 6 TDs, 1 INT) became the very first quarterback to throw 6 TD passes in an opening day game, as well as tying Billy Kilmer's franchise record for touchdown passes in a game.. How many yards difference was Kevin Smith's touchdown run compared to Matthew Stafford's touchdown run?