The Detroit Lions’ statement to the rest of the NFL on Sunday night was unusual and unexpected. Still, it was a powerful statement.
Jared Goff and the Lions played about as poorly as they could play, on the road against a first-place Houston Texans team, falling behind 23-7 at halftime and still winning. If the Lions don’t lose so badly on Sunday night against a good Texans team, it will be tough for anyone to beat them.
Goff threw five interceptions, more than doubling his season total, and the Lions overcame that to earn a wild 26-23 victory against the Texans. Houston missed a long field goal within the two-minute warning, and the Lions completed an impressive, crazy comeback on Jake Bates’ 52 field goal as time expired.
It was an ugly performance in many ways, but it should give the Lions even more confidence. That will probably be the worst game of the season for the Lions, and they still got a quality win. They are 8-1 to start the season.
The Lions continue to show they can win games in a variety of ways. Against the Texans, they showed that even a five-interception game from their quarterback won’t slow them down.
The Lions looked down early in the game. They couldn’t get the run game going and the Texans had a lot of pressure on Goff. That was surprising considering the Lions have one of the best offensive lines in the NFL and the Texans don’t have top pass rusher Will Anderson Jr. had.
Goff was one of the hottest quarterbacks in the NFL, but had three interceptions in the first half, the last of which came on a Hail Mary. The Texans were looking 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 CJ Stroud on the first play of the half, which head coach Dan Campbell appeared to set up during a sideline interview during the game. But right afterward, Goff threw his fourth interception to Kamari Lassiter on Houston’s 1-yard line. It was one of those nights for Goff.
Goff wasn’t done yet. Later in the third quarter, he threw his fifth interception of the game on a deep pass. Goff had four interceptions in Detroit’s first eight games, 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 were still not completely out of the game as they trailed 23-13.
Lions close in 4th quarter
The Texans couldn’t put away the Lions. Detroit continued to fight and an Amon-Ra St. Brown touchdown cut Houston’s lead to 23-20 with just over 11 minutes remaining. It was hard to believe that a team whose quarterback threw five interceptions in the first 37 minutes of the game could be within three touchdowns, let alone three points.
Moments later the decision was made. Bates hit a 58-yard field goal and it was 23-23 with just over five minutes left. It looked like the Texans were headed 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, the Lions got within field goal range and the Texans ran out of timeouts. Bates hit another field goal and the Texans suffered a loss that will be difficult to explain.
The Lions should have been eliminated 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 these circumstances further cements their status as Super Bowl favorites.
LIVE DECLARATION IS OVER54 updates
The unlikely NFL frog hails from the Houston area, where he was a high school football player
That journey led him to the UFL, and now to making game winners for arguably the best team in the NFL, as the Lions improve to 8-1, while Houston falls to 6-4 but maintains a two-game lead in the ranking. , but maintains a virtual three-game lead over the Colts having already won the season series.
BATES SNEAKS IT INTO THE STANDING FOR A LION WIN
It couldn’t have been closer to a doink, and the Lions roared back with 19 straight points in the second half, and the Lions survived Jared Goff’s five interceptions to win 26-23 in Houston.
Time out lions
There are four seconds left and Jake Bates’ winning try will be from 52 yards.
This was a Lions comeback
Win or lose, this was a “kneecap biting special” for the Lions to even play in this game with Jared Goff’s five interceptions.
Amon-Ra St. Brown with the huge 3rd down grab from 16 yards and a first down
Perhaps more importantly, Detroit is within reach of Jake Bates. Houston is now out of timeouts.
Detroit is now down by a third on a pair of consecutive plays
The Texans used timeouts after both plays, and now with 1:40 left in regulation, the Lions are out of field goal range near midfield.
Ka’imi Fairbairn MISSES from 58!
A dead pull from Fairbairn, and the Lions take over at the 48 yard line.
Lions’ Terrion Arnold breaks up the third down pass
The Texans now face a fourth down from the Lions’ 40-yard line. Arnold was shocked by the play, which cost the Lions a timeout and the Texans will attempt a 58-yard field goal.
Two-minute warning: Texans face a third 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. Texans kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn has already tied an NFL single-season record with 11 field goals from 50 yards or more with about half of the season remaining.
Stroud to Metchie for a big 3rd down conversion
It was a 3rd and 6 and could be one of the biggest plays of the game as the clock ticks toward three minutes left.
Lions tie the score with a 58-yard field goal by Jake Bates
The former UFL kicker put the ball just inside the post and with five minutes to go, the game is tied at 23.
Lions on the move with a few chunk plays
Gains of 15, nine and 20 yards to open the drive for the Lions, who have the ball deep in Houston
CJ Stroud almost coughs it up on third down
James Houston makes another big play to chase Stroud around the pocket and get the strip sack. Detroit gets back behind by three on a punt with 8:21 left in regulation.
The Lions have clawed their way back into the match and are now only one score behind
Amon-Ra St. Brown gets the touchdown for the Lions, who are now down 23-20.
David Montgomery with a big play to get Detroit into scoring position.
Detroit picks up its first big third down of the fourth quarter
It was a tough, 1-yard run from David Montgomery to keep the drive going with just over 13 minutes left and Detroit still trailing by 10.
As the third quarter comes to a close, 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.
Jahmyr Gibbs takes 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 left his mark on it.
Alim McNeill with a big sack to force a 3rd-and-for all for the Texans
