The hurt from this one won't go away any time soon, as the Texans took one on the chin on a game-winning field goal from former Tomball HS star/Lions K Jake Bates.
The Texans strung together some key big plays, so let's break down a few of them right here.
1st Quarter
No Score - Lions ball
13:01 remaining
2nd and 11
-41-yard line
The Lions put 12 personnel on the field with TE Sam LaPorta to the right side of the formation with WR Amon-Ra St. Brown. RB Jahmyr Gibbs motioned to the right behind those two and Lions QB Jared Goff took a quick step after a shotgun snap and eyed that three receiver side, mainly Gibbs. The Texans brought pressure, but nickel Jalen Pitre peeled off as he saw Goff cock his arm to throw to Gibbs out in the flat. Pitre tipped the ball HIGH in the air and S Jimmie Ward flew in and picked off the pass on the Lions first series of the game. It was the first of FIVE interceptions the Texans had on the night.
1st Quarter
No score - Texans ball
7:50 remaining
2nd and goal
+8-yard line
The Texans had a little trouble early on getting the run game going, so on a second down, OC Bobby Slowik used a wrinkle on a play the Texans have run well this year. They put 11 personnel on the field and QB C.J. Stroud lined up in empty in the shotgun. RB Joe Mixon lined up behind a pair of receivers on the right side. Just prior to the snap, Mixon went in motion and ended up nearly right where he would've had he lined up next to Stroud in the shotgun. The Texans condensed the formation to the left side with TE Cade Stover and WR Robert Woods on that side as well. Stroud took the snap and handed the ball to Mixon who did have a running start on toss crack on the left side. Stover pinned one Lion defender inside and then Woods did the same to S Brian Branch. LT Laremy Tunsil got out in front of Mixon and led the way as the Texans RB turned on the boosters and sped into the end zone for a 7-0 lead.
2nd Quarter
Texans ahead 16-7 - Texans ball
0:16 remaining
3rd and ten
+15-yard line
After WR John Metchie made two huge catches on this drive, he was the target on this third down throw that ended up being the best throw from Stroud on the night. The Texans put 11 personnel on the field. WR Tank Dell lined up tight to the formation on the right side. Metchie lined up as the outside WR, the #1 WR, on the left side. He was in a bunch set with Xavier Hutchinson and TE Dalton Schultz. The Texans TE ran to the flat while X ran the over route to clear out the safety. Metchie then ran the glance route inside of rookie CB Terrion Arnold. The safety ran with Hutchinson long enough that Stroud had the opening to throw a seed to Metchie just as he broke into the open area. Metchie went up and SNATCHED the ball for his first regular season NFL TD. Wonderful play scheme and execution that was sorely needed in the second half.
3rd Quarter
Texans ahead 23-7 - Lions ball
13:48 remaining
2nd and 11
+20-yard line
On the first play of the second half, QB C.J. Stroud misread a cover two as he noted after the game and threw his first INT of the day. The Lions then moved the ball into the red zone. On second down, they put 12 personnel (one RB, two TE) on the field with one TE Brock Wright as a wing to the left side along with two receivers on that side. OC Ben Johnson then put star TE Sam LaPorta as the lone receiver on the right side and offset Gibbs to that side as well. The Texans looked to be playing man coverage and the Lions planned for LaPorta to run a vertical route to pick off Pitre who had Gibbs in coverage. So LaPorta did exactly what he was asked and ran vertically up the field, picking off Pitre initially. But Goff thought LaPorta would win against rookie CB Kamari Lassiter, so he fired to LaPorta on the deep glance route. Lassiter was in perfect shape and when the ball was thrown well ahead of LaPorta, the rookie made one heck of a catch for his second INT of the season.
I'll call it right there because it's painful to go back and review, honestly. Time for the Texans to put that in the rearview mirror and prepare for a visit to Dallas for the first time in a couple of years. See ya then, everyone.
