Detroit hung with NO for 3 quarters and then fell apart. Stafford's late INT was a terrible choice on his part, and Brees' fumble that was whistled dead was a game-changer. 2 or 3 legitimate shots at intercepting Brees that were dropped didn't help either.
Still, Det couldn't tackle and they made plenty of mistakes, but they did generate some pressure on Brees and that made a difference for a while but their secondary was awful.
It will be hard for SF to beat NO but they have the tools to do it. A far better defense, less prone to mistakes, and I don't think that NO's defense is as good as its made out to be. Still, SF will probably have to put up 30 points to win this one. They can slow NO down but they certainly won't stop Brees and co.
Big matchups to me are: Frank Gore vs. NO run defense and whether or not SF can get pressure on Brees.