The Detroit Lions will play the New Orleans Saints on NFL Monday Night Football tonight, in a big clash from the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. The game has a scheduled start time of 8.30 p.m. ET and can be watched on TV on the ESPN network or online through live stream via the link below.

Today's game will have little bearing on how the Playoffs turn out this season. However, for both of these two teams this is a massive game as there are likely to be big shake ups in both camps in the off season, and that means how the players perform, and how the results go between now and the end of the season can be make or break for coaches, staff and players.

Last week a 21-14 loss at St Louis finally put the Detroit Lions out of their misery and confirmed their elimination from postseason contention. General Manager Martin Mayhew was already fired back in early November, so it is extremely premature for talk about Jim Caldwell's future, however, he will know that he has to weed out the unwanted and verify in his heart who he wants around for the coming season, as starting next year the judgment falling upon him will come much faster and be much more severe than anything landing on him in the aftermath of this poor season for Detroit.

Detroit are already likely to suffer an 11th season since 2001 with just six wins or fewer. Unless they win out the remainder of the season that unwanted accolade will be theirs.

Caldwell has said, "They're still keeping score in this game and we have guys that are professionals. With the right kind of people that know how to approach the game, you'll see them come out and fight with the same kind of energy that they always do."

One positive for Caldwell and the Detroit Lions though is that they do have a realistic opportunity to close out the season well. Their final three games this season will be against three sub .500 teams, as they come up against the New Orleans Saints tonight, followed by the horrible San Francisco 49ers, and the blowing hot and cold Chicago Bears.

The Saints will be looking at the Lions in the same manner though, and will see today's game as a good opportunity to notch up another win on the board.

However, if the Saints are to claim the win today they simply must do something about their defense. New Orleans has allowed opposition teams to post 3,624 passing yards against them as well as a league high 36 touchdowns.

Against the Saints, opposing quarterbacks have performed with a 114.2 passer rating, and combined they have given away just six interceptions this season.

Those facts won't have been lost on the Detroit Lions and they will be coming out looking to expose those weaknesses to their fullest.

Tonight's big NFL Monday Night Football game between the Detroit Lions and the New Orleans Saints has a scheduled start time of 8.30 p.m. ET and can be watched on TV on the ESPN network or online through live stream by clicking here.