HOUSTON — — Nothing went well for Detroit’s Jared Goff Sunday night against the Houston Texans.
The nine-year veteran threw a career-high five interceptions through three quarters, and the Lions trailed by 10 points.
Instead of wallowing in his mistakes, Goff rallied the Lions to an improbable 26-23 victory that was capped by a 52-yard field goal from Jake Bates as time expired.
“I experienced some unfortunate things early on, but I’ve experienced much worse than that,” Goff said. “Mentally, I was at my lowest. Some unlucky plays aren’t going to make me lose my game.”
The Lions improved to 8-1 for the first time since 1954 with their seventh straight victory overall and fifth straight on the road.
“It was a hard-fought game,” Detroit coach Dan Campbell said. “We had to fight to get back there. I’m proud of the guys. There are things we need to clean up, but our guys don’t want to leave. They just didn’t want to disappear.
Detroit trailed 23-7 at halftime after Goff threw three interceptions in the first two quarters. He threw two more picks in the third. Nonetheless, the Lions scored 16 straight points to tie the game with about five minutes left on Bates’ 58-yard field goal.
“I just don’t deserve this,” Bates said. “I was a footballer growing up. I idolized NFL football players, and being here is surreal. I pinch myself again.
The Texans (6-4) had a chance to take the lead with just under two minutes to play, but Ka’imi Fairbairn’s 58-yard try was wide left.
“We couldn’t win the game … to win games, guys have to step up and make plays and that doesn’t happen,” Houston coach DeMeco Ryans said.
The Lions became the first team to win by throwing five or more interceptions since Atlanta beat Arizona 23-19 on Nov. 18, 2012, when Matt Ryan was picked off five times.
David Montgomery ran for a 3-yard touchdown early in the third, but his run on the 2-point conversion try was stopped, leaving the Lions trailing 23-13. A 9-yard TD reception by Amon-Ra St. Brown put Detroit within 23-20 early in the fourth quarter.
Goff threw for 240 yards and two touchdowns and Jahmyr Gibbs ran for 71 yards.
CJ Stroud threw for 232 yards and a touchdown, but he threw two interceptions in the second half as the Texans were shut out after the break to lose for the third time in four games.
“I blame this game on me,” Stroud said. “I have to be better in those moments. When the defense suffers turnovers like they did, we have to be able to reward them with points.
Goff’s five picks were the most by an NFL player since Jameis Winston threw five on Oct. 13, 2019, for Tampa Bay against Carolina.
Goff hadn’t thrown an interception in five games and had only four all season Sunday. His previous career high was four in a loss to Chicago while with the Rams on December 9, 2018.
“There’s just these little circumstances that come into play so for me, I’m not going to tell him anything,” Campbell said. “They weren’t ill-advised throws, it just wasn’t our day.”
Rookie Kamari Lassiter led the Texans with two interceptions as they set a franchise record for picks.
Jimmie Ward intercepted Goff on Detroit’s first drive on a ball that was deflected by Jalen Pitre to give Houston the ball at the Detroit 33. The Texans made it 7-0 when Joe Mixon ran 8 yards for a touch.
A 34-yard field goal by Fairbairn extended the lead to 10-0 with about two minutes left in the first quarter. Detroit cut the lead to 10-7 on a 20-yard touchdown run by Sam LaPorta.
The Texans led by 6 when Denico Autry hit Goff’s arm while he was throwing and the ball fell into the hands of Henry To’oTo’o to give Houston possession at the Detroit 36.
But the Texans couldn’t move the ball afterward and settled for Fairbairn’s 29-yard field goal that made it 16-7 with about four minutes left in the first half.
Houston extended the lead to 23-7 when Stroud found John Metchie III for a 15-yard touchdown with 16 seconds left in the second quarter. It was the first career touchdown for Metchie, who missed his entire rookie season in 2022 due to treatment for leukemia.
Goff threw his third interception when Lassiter made his desperation throw on the final play of the first half.
Davis intercepted Stroud on the first play of the second half. But Lassiter had his second interception of the game three plays later.
After Montgomery’s touchdown, Detroit’s Carlton Davis III leaped past Tank Dell in the end zone for his second interception. Goff threw his fifth pick two plays later, but the Texans couldn’t capitalize and were forced to punt.
Injuries
Lions: LaPorta injured the AC joint in one of his shoulders, but Campbell said he didn’t know how serious the injury was.
Texans: DE Will Anderson Jr. missed the game with an ankle injury. … WR Nico Collins did not play after being activated from injured reserve Saturday. … Lassiter left in the third quarter with a concussion.
Following
Lions: Host Jacksonville next Sunday.
Texans: Visit Dallas on Monday, November 18.
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