In a turnover-heavy game riddled with interceptions, the Detroit Lions overcame a slow start to win a wild “Sunday Night Football” contest.
With four seconds remaining in regulation, Jake Bates kicked a 52-yard field goal to lift the Lions past the Houston Texans 26-23 at NRG Stadium. That followed a 58-yard field goal Bates made with 5:06 remaining to tie the game at 23.
Despite Lions quarterback Jared Goff’s record five interceptions, the most since Jameis Winston also threw five in Week 6 in 2019, Detroit’s defense came to the rescue, allowing the offense to score 19 unanswered points to win its seventh consecutive game.
JAKE BATES CALLED GAME! THE @LIONS SCORE 19 UNANSWERED POINTS TO WIN! pic.twitter.com/Txe30d9tVp
— NFL (@NFL) November 11, 2024
Texans kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn missed a go-ahead 58-yard field goal with just under two minutes remaining, setting up the Lions and Bates, a Houston area native.
The Texans controlled the first half by capitalizing on Detroit’s mistakes. Houston scored on its first four offensive possessions with Joe Mixon’s touchdown and three field goals by Fairbairn, helping the Texans get ahead in the first half.
The Texans couldn’t seem to find their footing in the second half. Lions cornerback Carlton Davis III picked off C.J. Stroud twice, including one on the first offensive play of the half. The Texans’ inability to score in the half paired with Stroud’s two interceptions left the door open for Detroit to capitalize.
The Lions improved to 8-1 with Sunday’s win while the Texans fell to 6-4.
Lions find a way to win
You cannot count this Lions team out. Even when they turn the ball over five times. Even when the offense doesn’t have it. Even when your eyes tell you the on-field performance is worthy of a loss — these Lions find ways to win.
This was Detroit’s worst game of the year. It didn’t matter. Trailing 23-7 at halftime, the Lions scored 19 unanswered to win by three, on the road, against a quality Texans team. Bates delivered the winner in his home state as time expired. The Lions celebrated. This was one to forget until it wasn’t. What a win for Detroit. — Colton Pouncy, Lions beat writer
Houston let this game slip away
This was a brutal way for the Texans to lose. They defended a potent Detroit offense as well as anyone has this season, for much of the game. They forced five interceptions from Goff. They led by 16 at halftime. Only to watch it all slip away.
In a game where the Texans felt close to delivering a knockout punch on a few occasions, they couldn’t pull it off. An interception in the end zone intended for a wide-open Tank Dell proved costly. Houston failed to score in the second half.
The Texans have lost two in a row and will try to get back in the win column against a Dak Prescott-less Dallas Cowboys team next Monday. Until then, this will be a tough one to swallow. — Pouncy
Required reading
(Photo: Alex Slitz / Getty Images)
