Jared Goff reverted to his old ways in Houston. But the Lions are showing a new type of fight.
The Lions somehow overcame not one, two but five Goff interceptions to beat the Houston Texans 26-23 on Sunday Night Football.
C.J. Stroud led Houston to a 23-7 lead at the interval, but the longer the Texans took to capitalize on Detroit's turnovers, the more the Lions realized they could claw back.
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And they did, just as time expired. Jake Bates nailed a 52-yard kick in the dying seconds to steal the road win.
JAKE BATES CALLED GAME! THE @LIONS SCORE 19 UNANSWERED POINTS TO WIN! pic.twitter.com/Txe30d9tVp
— NFL (@NFL) November 11, 2024
Detroit moved to 8-1 with the result, while Houston dropped to 6-4 with questions needing to be asked. Let's dive into the game further with three takeaways:
Houston had a problem
Yes, the Houston defense eventually couldn't keep Detroit from coming back to win. But there's not much more the unit could've done after recording five picks off Goff. Kamari Lassiter nabbed two, while Jimmie Ward, Calen Bullock and Henry To'oTo'o each hauled in one.
But the offense, despite a smooth start, just couldn't put those turnovers onto the scoreboard. Stroud eventually regressed as the game progressed, throwing two picks of his own and looking rattled when he had to make plays. Yes, Stefon Diggs wasn't present but Houston has to manage without him for the season.
After a positive rookie campaign that showed promise of growing further this season, Stroud isn't exhibiting enough to indicate the Texans can seriously contend this year. And that's a problem.
Lions pay homage to 1970s history
With the stunning result, the Lions made some history dating back multiple decades. The last time a team won a game trailing 15-plus points with the quarterback throwing five picks occurred in 1970.
For all of Detroit's historic woes and pain, things are coming together for a team hoping to go another step beyond the NFC Championship Game.
Detroit's defense played an important role in the comeback, too, sacking Stroud four times along with the two picks and limiting Joe Mixon to just 1.8 yards per carry on 25 attempts. The unit still has to add Za'Darius Smith to the equation as well, as he did not suit up to make his Lions debut.
Did Lions further cement themselves above NFC?
While the 9-0 Kansas City Chiefs continue to win even when playing bad as they seek to three-peat in the Super Bowl, the Lions, as aforementioned, have built themselves up as a true contender to take them down.
Detroit is 8-1 and first in a NFC that isn't largely different than last season when the San Francisco 49ers dominated the landscape en route to a Super Bowl appearance. But with the 49ers struggling with injuries and coaching issues, the Lions have a clear path to the Big Game if they can stay as healthy as possible.
The Philadelphia Eagles have looked shaky against elite teams, while Sam Darnold still has a lot to prove as the Minnesota Vikings' QB1. The Washington Commanders have a rookie QB in Jayden Daniels who will keep them competitive but still has a lot to learn, while the Green Bay Packers, Atlanta Falcons and Arizona Cardinals are all a tier or two below truly contending.
Barring a late 49ers run, the NFC should run through Detroit. And what a time it is for Lions fans.