RECAP: Lions overcome 5 Goff INTs for crazy comeback win over Texans, 26-23

The Detroit Lions completed a miraculous comeback over the Houston Texans despite 5 interceptions from Jared Goff.

The Detroit Lions just played their ugliest game of the season against a true AFC Super Bowl championship contender. Jared Goff threw five interceptions. The offense was out of rhythm all game, and the defense gave up several third-and-long conversions.

Oh, and the Lions won.

Detroit was down 23-7 at halftime, but a flurry of turnovers forced and a couple of late, key plays helped the Lions mount an unbelievable comeback on “Sunday Night Football.”

Here’s how it happened.

First quarter

The Lions won the toss and wanted the ball first. The Lions started with Dan Skipper at left tackle, filling in for the injured Taylor Decker. They got an early third down conversion with a nifty shovel pass to Amon-Ra St. Brown. But they quickly turned it over after a Jared Goff pass was deflected up in the air and picked off by the Texans’ Jimmie Ward.

The Lions quickly got the Texans into a third-and-10 thanks to strong run defense, but then C.J. Stroud hit Tank Dell for 13 yards to convert and move into the red zone. Again, the Lions run defense showed up to force a third-and-16—but, again, the Lions pass defense was too soft, and Stroud found John Metchie III for the conversion. Two plays later, Joe Mixon took a sweep for an 8-yard touchdown. 7-0 Texans.

The Lions offense couldn’t get anything going on their second drive. After a deep shot attempt to Jameson Williams and a delay of game penalty, the Lions faced a third-and-15 and Goff found Sam LaPorta well short of the sticks.

A short punt set the Texans up at their own 44-yard line, and Houston would take advantage. Back-to-back completions to Dell picked up a quick first down for Houston. Then, a well-timed screen against a Lions blitz got Mixon all the way down to the 3-yard line for a 36 yard gain.

A holding penalty pushed the Texans back 10 yards, and Detroit would hold from there, forcing a 39-yard field goal after a sack from James Houston on third down. 10-0 Texans.

The offense very nearly went three-and-out, but Jameson Williams bobbled a catch for 23 yards, converting a third-and-16.

Second quarter

On the second play of the second quarter, the Lions faced a third-and-6 and Goff found Williams again for 13 yards to get into Texans’ territory. A few plays later, the Lions ran a nice-looking play-action fake, and Goff found Sam LaPorta for a 20-yard touchdown. 10-7 Texans.

The Texans quickly got into scoring position thanks to a 41-yard pass interference penalty on Terrion Arnold. But Detroit’s defense stiffened up from there with a Brian Branch pass breakup and a tackle for loss by Alim McNeill. That forced the Texans to try a 56-yard field goal and Ka’imi Fairbairn made it. 13-7 Texans.

Detroit’s offense turned the ball over a second time on the next drive. Denico Autry beat Penei Sewell around the right edge and hit Goff as he threw, resulting in a second interception.

Again, the Texans cashed in on the takeaway, but Detroit was able to hold them to just three again. 16-7 Texans.

Detroit’s offense continued it’s long evening with a quick three-and-out. Goff had to turf back-to-back throws because of pressure, and the Texans took over again with over three minutes remaining in the half.

The Lions defense got the ball back to the offense quickly, though. Pat O’Connor picked up a sack on first down, and Detroit blew up a screen on third-and-21.

The Lions got the ball back with 1:51 left and three timeouts at their own 19-yard line. But they got a little conservative with a pair of runs to start the drive, which successfully ate about a minute of clock time but only gained a couple of yards. Goff, under pressure, couldn’t find LaPorta on third down, and Detroit gave the Texans one more opportunity to add to their lead before halftime.

Houston had 54 seconds left, starting at their own 34-yard line. Stroud hit Metchie to get into field goal position.

First, he hit Dalton Schultz for 17 yards and got down to the 15-yard line. Then it was Metchie again on third down for a touchdown and a 23-7 Texans lead.

Detroit attempted a hail mary at the end of the half, and Goff was intercepted for the third time in the half.

Third quarter

Detroit needed a good start to the half to get back in the game, and boy, did they get one. Carlton Davis jumped a Tank Dell route for an interception on the very first play out of the half.

But Detroit gave it right back to the Texans. Goff misfired to LaPorta and Kamari Lassiter picked it off.

The positive spin for the Lions is that the Texans were pinned at their own 1-yard line for the ensuing drive. Detroit’s defense got a three-and-out, offering the Lions good field position—the Texans’ 44-yard line. Goff hit Laporta for a gain of 37, setting Detroit up inside the 5-yard line.

On the very next play, David Montgomery hammered it in from 3. Detroit opted to go for two, but Montgomery was stuffed. 23-13 Texans.

Note: LaPorta was injured on the play and was listed as questionable to return with a shoulder injury.

Detroit’s defense had a chance to get a three-and-out, but a blitz on third down didn’t get home and tight end Dalton Schultz beat Alex Anzalone for a huge 32-yard gain. But then Stroud made a big mistake, underthrowing a deep shot that was intercepted by Carlton Davis for his second pick of the quarter.

But Goff gave the ball right back to the Texans with his FIFTH interception of the game on an ill-advised deep pass to Williams.

The Lions defense, again, held their end of the bargain. Alim McNeill picked up a sack, forcing an eventual third-and-26, which the Texans just ran a draw play on.

A neat little swing pass to Jahmyr Gibbs picked up 33 yards and moved Detroit near midfield.

But that’s all the Lions would get on the drive, as a third-and-7 draw play gained next to nothing and the Lions punted it away.

Houston would face a third-and-9 going into the fourth quarter.

Fourth quarter

Branch continued his solid game with a pass breakup to kick off the final quarter and help give Detroit the ball back.

Williams caught a big 17-yard catch in which took a serious hit, but held on. Then, Montgomery took a screen pass for 24 yards down to the Texans’ 9-yard line.

On the next play, Goff hit St. Brown for a 9-yard touchdown. 23-20 Texans.

The Texans offense didn’t have an answer for a Lions defense that held them scoreless in the third quarter. First, Stroud hit Schultz for a 17-yard gain, but then the Lions defense closed the door of the drive with a third-down sack aided by an early James Houston pressure:

Oddly, Texans offensive lineman Tytus Howard ripped the ball from Stroud, but he jumped on the fumble to save Houston from disaster.

Gibbs got the ensuing drive going with a 15-yard run on the first play. Then he hit the Texans with another 20-yard run. But a 7-yard loss on second down from Gibbs put the Lions behind the sticks and on the edge of field goal range. On third down, St. Brown dropped the ball, setting up Jake Bates to attempt a 58-yard field goal, and he JUST squeezed it inside the right upright to make the game even. 23-23 tie.

With 5:01 left, the Texans looked to retake the lead. They got an early third-down conversion with a 9-yard pass to Metchie. A pass to Dell moved the chains again, and suddenly Houston was in line to run the rest of the clock.

At the two-minute warning, the Texans faced a third-and-4. Detroit got the stop, with Terrion Arnold getting a pass breakup on a play the TV announcers believe deserved a pass interference call. That forced the Texans to attempt a 58-yard field goal, and this time Fairbairn missed it—wide left.

That gave the Lions the ball at the 48-yard line with 1:51 left—Houston still having all three of their timeouts, and the Lions possessing two.

Detroit ran the ball twice, bleeding two Texans timeouts, but forcing Detroit into a big third-and-6. Goff hit St. Brown for an 11-yard gain, moving the chains and bleeding more clock.

That gave the Lions the opportunity for Detroit to bleed the rest of the clock, but there was still a long field goal to be made. Jake Bates had a chance to win it with a 52-yard field goal and he drilled it! Lions 26, Texans 23.