The Detroit Lions’ statement to the rest of the NFL on Sunday night was unusual and unexpected. It was a strong statement nonetheless.
Jared Goff and the Lions played about as poorly as they could play, on the road against a first-place Houston Texans team, fell behind 23-7 by halftime and still won. If the Lions didn’t lose on Sunday night playing that poorly against a good Texans team, it’s going to be hard for anyone to beat them.
Goff threw five interceptions, more than doubling his season total, and the Lions overcame that to pull off a wild win 26-23 victory against the Texans. Houston missed a long field goal inside of the two-minute warning, and the Lions completed an impressive, zany comeback on Jake Bates’ 52-field goal as time expired.
It was an ugly performance in many ways but it should make the Lions even more confident. That will probably be the worst game of the season for the Lions, and they still got a quality win. They’re 8-1 to start the season.
The Lions keep showing they can win games in different ways. Against the Texans, they showed that even a five-interception game by their quarterback won’t slow them down.
Texans start off hot
From early in the game the Lions looked off. They couldn’t get the run game going and the Texans had a lot of pressure on Goff. That was surprising given that the Lions have one of the best offensive lines in the NFL and the Texans were without top pass rusher Will Anderson Jr.
Goff had been one of the hottest quarterbacks in the NFL but had three interceptions in the first half, the last coming on a Hail Mary. The Texans were setting for too many field goals, but got a huge touchdown just before halftime. John Metchie III, who missed his entire rookie season in 2022 due to leukemia, scored his first career touchdown on a 15-yard catch with 12 seconds left in the half. That gave Houston a 23-7 lead.
The second half started well for the Lions. Carlton Davis III picked off C.J. Stroud on the first play of the half, which head coach Dan Campbell seemed to speak into existence during a sideline interview during the game. But right after that Goff threw his fourth interception to Kamari Lassiter at Houston’s 1-yard line. It was that kind of night for Goff.
Goff wasn’t done. He threw his fifth interception of the game on a deep pass later in the third quarter. Goff had four interceptions in Detroit’s first eight games, and then five in less than three quarters against Houston.
Despite the fact that Goff had eight completions to Lions players and five to Texans players late in the third quarter, the Lions still weren’t completely out of the game as they trailed 23-13.
Lions pull closer in 4th quarter
The Texans couldn’t put the Lions away. Detroit kept battling and a touchdown by Amon-Ra St. Brown cut Houston’s lead to 23-20 with more than 11 minutes left. It was hard to believe that a team whose quarterback threw five interceptions on the road in the first 37 minutes of game play could be within three touchdowns, much less three points.
A little while later it was tied. Bates hit a 58-yard field goal and it was 23-23 with a little more than five minutes remaining. It looked like the Texans were driving for a go-ahead field goal but the drive stalled and Ka’imi Fairbairn missed a 58-yard field goal. That gave the Lions great field position with 1:51 to go.
When Goff completed a big third-down pass to St. Brown, that put the Lions in field-goal range and the Texans had no timeouts left. Bates hit another clutch field goal and the Texans had a loss that will be hard to explain.
The Lions should have gotten blown out on Sunday night. But their defense kept them in the game, the offensive line settled down and Goff put his many mistakes behind him to make game-winning plays. A loss wouldn’t have been the end of the world for the Lions. A win under those circumstances further solidifies their status as a Super Bowl favorite.
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The unlikely NFL kicker is from the Houston area where he was a high school soccer player
That journey lead him to the UFL, and now to make game-winners for arguably the best team in the NFL as the Lions improve to 8-1, while Houston falls to 6-4, but keeps a two-game lead in the standings, but maintains a virtual three-game lead over the Colts by virtue of having swept the season series already.
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BATES SNEAKS IT INSIDE THE UPRIGHT FOR A LIONS WIN
It couldn’t have been closer to a doink, and the Lions roar back with 19-points in-a-row in the second half, and the Lions survive Jared Goff’s five interceptions to win 26-23 in Houston.
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Timeout Lions
Four seconds remain, and Jake Bates’ game-winning attempt will be from 52 yards.
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This has been a gut-check comeback by the Lions
Win-or-lose, this has been a “kneecap biting special” for the Lions to even be in this game with Jared Goff’s five interceptions.
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Amon-Ra St. Brown with the huge 3rd down grab for 16 yards and a first down
Perhaps more importantly, Detroit is in field goal range for Jake Bates. Houston is now out of timeouts.
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Detroit now faces a 3rd down after a couple of running plays
The Texans used timeouts after both plays, and now with 1:40 left in regulation, the Lions are outside of field goal range near midfield.
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Ka’imi Fairbairn MISSES from 58!
A dead pull from Fairbairn, and the Lions take over at the 48-yard-line.
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Lions’ Terrion Arnold breaks up the 3rd down pass
The Texans now face a 4th down from the Lions’ 40-yard-line. Arnold was shaken up on the play, which cost the Lions a timeout and the Texans will attempt the 58-yard field goal.
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Two-Minute Warning: Texans face a 3rd down just on the edge of field goal range with the score tied 23-23
Both teams have all three timeouts, so a first down by Houston, or a stop by Detroit, doesn’t end the game either way just yet. Texans kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn has already tied an NFL record for a season with 11 field goals from 50 or more yards, with about half the season remaining.
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Stroud to Metchie for a big 3rd down conversion
It was a 3rd-and-6 and may wind up being one of the biggest plays of the game with the clock ticking toward three minutes remaining.,
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Lions tie it with 58-yard field goal from Jake Bates
The former UFL kicker JUST snuck the ball inside the upright and with five minutes left in regulation, the game is tied at 23.
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Lions on the move with a couple of chunk plays
Gains of 15, nine, and 20 yards to open the drive for the Lions, who have the ball deep in Houston territory
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C.J. Stroud nearly coughs it up on 3rd down
James Houston makes another big play to chase Stroud around the pocket, and get the strip sack. Detroit gets it back trailing by three after a punt with 8:21 left in regulation.
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The Lions have clawed their way back into the game, and now trail just by one score
Amon-Ra St. Brown gets the touchdown for the Lions who now trail 23-20.
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David Montgomery with a chunk play to get Detroit in scoring position.
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Detroit picks up the first big 3rd down of the 4th quarter
it was a tough, 1-yard run by David Montgomery to kep the drive going with hist over 13 minutes to go and Detroit still trailing by 10.
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As the third quarter comes to an end, the interceptions aren’t the only defensive big plays of the night
Neither team can run the ball. Through three quarters, Detroit has run it 22 times for 59 yards (2.7 yards per attempt) and Houston also has 22 attempts, but for just 39 yards (1.8 yards per carry). The two front sevens have been brick walls on both sides.
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Jahmyr Gibbs gets Detroit out of the shadow of its own end zone with a big catch and run
This game has had just about everything, and Gibbs just put his stamp on it.
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Alim McNeill with a big sack to force a 3rd-and-forever for the Texans
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Lions injury update
