Lions Triumph Over Texans 26-23 After Goff’s 5 INTs, Pull Off Stunning Rally

Summary:

• The Detroit Lions overcame Jared Goff’s 5 interceptions, defeating the Houston Texans 26-23 on Sunday.
• Jake Bates booted 2 field goals from beyond 50 yards, including the game-winner as time expired.
• Despite one of the worst games of the season, the Lions improved to 8-1

The Detroit Lions made a bold statement to the NFL on Sunday night, though it came most unexpectedly.

Despite a terrible performance from Jared Goff and the Lions, they still managed to defeat the Houston Texans 26-23. Trailing 23-7 at halftime, Goff threw five interceptions, which is more than double his season total, but the Lions pulled off a wild, improbable win.

With the Texans missing a long field goal attempt inside the two-minute warning, Jake Bates nailed a 52-yard field goal as time expired to secure the victory.

It wasn’t pretty, but the win should give the Lions a major confidence boost. Even with what was likely their worst game of the season, they still came away with a key victory, improving to 8-1.

The Lions have shown they can win in various ways, and this game proved that even a five-interception outing from their quarterback won’t slow them down.

From the start, the Lions looked off their game. The running game struggled, and Houston put a lot of pressure on Goff, which was surprising considering Detroit has one of the best offensive lines in the NFL.

The Texans were without top pass rusher Will Anderson Jr., but still managed to rattle Goff.

He threw three interceptions in the first half, with the last one coming on a Hail Mary. Houston, however, was only able to convert field goals, except for a huge touchdown just before halftime.

John Metchie III, who missed his entire rookie season due to leukemia, scored his first career touchdown on a 15-yard catch with 12 seconds left, giving Houston a 23-7 lead.

Detroit started the second half strong, with Carlton Davis III intercepting C.J. Stroud on the first play.

However, Goff threw his fourth interception on the very next drive, and his fifth came later in the third quarter.

By the end of the third, Goff had more interceptions (five) than completions to his own team (eight), and the Lions were still trailing 23-13.

But Detroit refused to give up. A touchdown by Amon-Ra St. Brown brought the Lions within three points at 23-20 with over 11 minutes remaining.

Despite Goff’s struggles, the Lions stayed in the game. Bates hit a 58-yard field goal to tie it up at 23-23 with just over five minutes left.

The Texans had a chance to regain the lead but missed a 58-yard field goal attempt, giving the Lions excellent field position with 1:51 remaining.

Next, Goff connected with St. Brown on a crucial third-down pass, putting the Lions in field-goal range with no timeouts left for the Texans. Bates delivered another clutch field goal, giving Detroit a stunning 26-23 victory.

The Lions should have been blown out, but their defense kept them in the game, the offensive line settled down, and Goff overcame his mistakes to make the plays that mattered.

While a loss wouldn’t have been disastrous for the Lions, a win in these circumstances only strengthens their position as Super Bowl contenders, which US sportsbooks will have plenty of odds available for..