Lions-Steelers key stats: James Houston makes strong case for roster spot

James Houston made a strong case for himself in the preseason finale. A closer look at Saturday via PFF signature stats.

In front of a home crowd for the first time this preseason, the Detroit Lions closed out their exhibition schedule with a win on Saturday over the Pittsburgh Steelers , 24-17.

As we’ll do every week throughout the season for this Lions team, we have some data we can comb through courtesy of Pro Football Focus that better helps us understand the football the Lions have played thus far—and what to look forward to in the coming weeks. Let’s take a closer look at the Lions by the numbers after their victory over the Steelers in Week 3 of the 2024 NFL preseason .

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9.3 yards per carry

Watching the starters for the Pittsburgh Steelers line up against players fighting for practice squad jobs on the Detroit Lions resulted in some rather non-competitive football at the start of this one. The Lions’ first drive on offense was a particular brand of ugly: six plays, 0 yards, three straight sacks, and a fumble lost. Detroit’s reserve offensive linemen were no match for what the Steelers had lined up opposite of them, and it wasn’t any better the next time they took the field either: three plays, 0 yards, and a punt.

While the offensive line allowed 14 pressures against the Steelers, it provided Hendon Hooker the opportunity to showcase his athleticism and ability to extend plays—and drives—with his legs. Hooker ran for 9.3 yards per carry, the highest average of any runner with at least six carries in Week 3 of the preseason.

25% pass-rush win rate

James Houston’s training camp has been an adventurous one. He started the summer with SAM linebacker responsibilities added to his plate, but it didn’t take long for the Lions to change course with the third-year edge defender.

“Houston’s been hurt, we’re going to try to get him back to more defensive end, and let him play that true position to where that’s what he’s in,” Campbell said on Aug. 12. “He’s setting the edge or he’s rushing the passer.”

Against the Steelers on Saturday, the Lions saw Houston return to form from the edge and make more of the plays that helped him breakthrough during his rookie season in 2022—when he recorded 8.0 sacks in just seven games.

Houston posted a 25% pass-rush win rate according to PFF, tied for the seventh-best percentage among edge defenders with at least eight pass-rushing snaps in Week 3 of the preseason. After totaling three pressures on just 12 pass-rushing snaps, Houston has certainly made his spot on the 53-man roster a “hard decision” for Brad Holmes and Dan Campbell ahead of Tuesday’s cutdowns.

22.2% run-defense stop rate

We’re sticking with Houston’s performance against the Steelers because of those currently situated on the roster bubble, his performance was one of the more interesting from a production and efficiency standpoint. On just 22 total snaps—12 pass rushing, 10 in run defense—Houston stuffed the stat sheet.

In addition to the aforementioned pressures, Houston recorded a 22.2% run-defense stop rate—the percentage of a player’s run defense snaps where he was responsible for a “stop,” or a play that constitutes a “failure” for the offense. His run-defense stop rate was the best mark among all edge defenders with at least eight run-defense snaps in Week 3 of the preseason. It isn’t a part of Houston’s game that he’s been able to demonstrate with any consistency, largely due in part to injuries and limited playing time, but seeing him set the edge and make plays in run defense was arguably even more beneficial to him making his case for a spot on Detroit’s defense in 2024.