Well, that was not a good night for the Lions, but they figured it out. This is why this team is who they are. The Lions win an unreal game 26-23. 

Good teams have bad days, great teams find a way to win despite it

I know that there were some Lions fans that were to pack it in on this now 8-1 football team because they're insane, but this happens to teams from time to time. It's about how you respond and the Lions responded the only way that they know how. 

It all comes back to Dan Campbell saying a few weeks ago that this team is so hardened. They just don't see adversity and when it does happen, they just play right past it. This is a championship football team. 

Goff report

Jared Goff has been playing MVP level football all season long, but Sunday night the Texans absolutely had his number. He set a career high with five interceptions. Just a really bad night. 

The picks were a little meh. Two were tipped and one was a hail Mary. It's not like Goff just went out there and sloppily threw the ball all over the place. At least that was the case until the fifth one. Good lord that was bad. 

Still, Goff maintained his composure and led the Lions down field for two touchdowns, a game tying field goal and a game winning field goal.

Offensive line take a beating 

Part of Gaff's problem is that the Lions offensive line just got manhandled by a very good defensive line. The team struggled to run the ball and then when Goff dropped back, the line was giving up pressures and he was taking hits on throws. 

The Lions line gave up 8 pressures, 2 hurries and 6 quarterback hits. Not a great night at all. 

Defense

The Lions defense deserves the game ball in this one. After a 23 point first half from the Texans, they weren't able to do anything in the second half because the Lions shut them down. They forced two picks, got Stroud multiple times and just overall kept the Houston offense from accomplishing anything. 

You're watching the Aaron Glenn put on master classes out here. He is going to be a red hot coaching candidate this offseason and its because of games like this.

Perfect timing

Something like this never happens. Dan Campbell did his pre-recorded second half interview and he talked about how the Lions need to get takeaways on defense. Literally at the same time he said that, Carlton Davis gets a diving interception. What a moment. 

You got it, Coach#DETvsHOU | ? NBC pic.twitter.com/d18Qdmh7xk

— Detroit Lions (@Lions) November 11, 2024

O'Connor

Make sure you say that in Vin Diesels' voice. If you didn't, go back and do it now. We'll wait. 

You so rarely get to talk about a guy like this, but he had a great game. It's such a weird story too. This is a guy that was drafted by the Lions, but never actually played for the Lions until this season. Anyways, he had a sack and a TFL on Sunday night. Good for him. 

Carlton Davis

We already talked about Davis' first interception, but his second one was way bigger. C.J. Stroud had a damn near wide open Tank Dell in the end zone and then just put up a soft pass and Davis jumped it for his second pick. 

Za'Darius Smith showed veteran leadership without even playing

Thought it was cool that the Lions gave Smith the night off to make sure he got to have a bye week this season. I thought it was even cooler that he was seen on the sideline all night talking to players and holding the Surface tablet and going over plays like he was coaching the defense. Stuff like that matters a lot. A very good first impression. 

James Houston needed that game

It's been a long hard road for James Houston since his breakout 2022 season. He needed to have a good game at some point o show that he can still do this. Sunday night was that game. He finished with a sack and a half and two pressures. A solid game for him.

Jake Bates

What a baller this kid is. He hits a 58-yard kick to tie the game and then a monster 52-yard kick to win the game. This kid is unreal. There was a time not long ago when it looked like Bates might be a failed experiment after weeks of pretty bad days at camp. Then he just locked in and he's been an amazing kicker ever since. This is a franchise player right here.

The Lions decision making on not playing Za’Darius Smith against the Texans points to a big reason players want to play for Detroit

I know it's a bit disappointing becasue you waited and waited for the Detroit Lions to make a trade and then they finally did last Tuesday when they brought in former Pro Bowler Za'Darius Smith to help them out on the edge, but not playing Smith against the Texans on Sunday night is the right […]