The Houston Texans and Detroit Lions battle under the lights at NRG Stadium Sunday night and only one division leader could come out on top.
Lions QB Jared Goff came into the game on a torrid run of form; it had been three games since more than four of his passes had hit the ground in a game.
Houston played fearless defense from the start though, and Jimmie Ward picked off Goff on the Lions' first drive.
RB Joe Mixon quickly put the home side in front with an eight-yard run to put the first points of the day on the board.
After a six-play Lions drive, Texans QB C.J. Stroud drove his team 51 yards and put Ka'imi Fairbairn in position to knock home a 34-yard field goal.
Goff locked in to start the second quarter and picked his way down the field before tagging TE Sam LaPorta with a 20-yard TD throw.
Fairbairn responded with a 56-yarder and a 29-yarder on either side of a Henry To'oTo'o interception.
As the first half wore down, the teams exchanged punts until Stroud put together a drive that found John Metchie III three times, including for touchdown with 12 seconds left in the half.
Carlton Davis started the second half by picking off Stroud, but Kamari Lassiter returned the favor by snagging a Goff pass on the one yard line.
It was LaPorta again helping the Lions march down the field when he latched onto a 37-yard pass from Goff to get inside the Texans five yard line. From there, David Montgomery punched the ball home to make the score 23-13.
Stroud was again picked off by Davis, this time in the endzone, but Calen Bullock responded with a leaping interceptoin to stop the Lions in their tracks.
But after Jake Bates tied things at 23-23 with a 58-yard field goal just inside the right-hand field goal post, Ka'imi Fairbairn missed a 52-yarder wide and Bates got a chance to win it with four seconds remaining. His kick was inches inside the left-hand post, giving the Lions a 26-23 win.
