In a weekend of big games, perhaps the biggest one might be taking place in Houston between the Lions and Texans. Both teams currently reside in first place in their respective divisions. Houston started 5-1, but is now 6-3 following close losses to the Packers and Jets in recent weeks. Detroit is 7-1 and winners of six straight games, including last Sunday’s 10-point win in Green Bay, the team’s first outdoor game this season.
Injuries have hit the Texans hared as of late, including the season-ending loss of Pro Bowl wideout Stefon Diggs. The Texans have been led so far by quarterback C.J. Stroud and standout pass rushers Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter, who have combined to sack opposing quarterbacks 13 times.
Detroit’s offense is tops in the league in scoring, while only four teams have allowed fewer points than its defense. The Lions made a splash just before the trade deadline when they acquired former Pro Bowl pass rusher Za’Darius Smith, who will help fill the void left by Aidan Hutchinson’s long-term injury.
Here’s how you can follow the action in real time, along with our prediction for Sunday’s game.
How to watch Lions vs. Texans
- Date: Sunday, Nov. 10 | Time: 8:20 p.m. ET
- Location: NRG Stadium (Houston, Texas)
- TV: NBC | Live stream: fubo (try for free)
- Follow: CBS Sports App
- Odds: Lions -3.5, OU 48.5 (via BetMGM)
Take advantage of a sign-up bonus for new users with this BetMGM promo code.
When Lions have the ball
Detroit’s offense features some of the league’s top offensive performers that include quarterback Jared Goff, receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown, running backs David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs, tight end Sam LaPorta and linemen Penei Sewell and Frank Ragnow. The Lions can throw it with the best of them, and they have a 1-2 punch at running back that is second to none.
Goff has been incredibly efficient this season. His 74.9% completion percentage is tops in the NFL and is a big reason why the Lions offense is seventh in the league on third downs and eighth in red zone efficiency, respectively. A secret weapon of sorts for the Lions offense has been former first-round pick Jameson Williams, who is coming back from a two-game suspension.
A key matchup will be the Lions offensive line against the Texans edge rushers. Detroit will surely try to minimize Anderson and Hunter’s impact by running the ball and limiting obvious passing situations. Houston’s defense is third in passing yards allowed but only 24th in average yards per carry allowed, so the Lions should be able to get things going on the ground.
The red zone is also going to be a crucial element of Sunday night’s game when the Lions have the ball. The Texans are 30th in the league in red zone efficiency, largely because of a secondary that has allowed the second-most touchdown passes in the league so far. This could lead to several scores for Goff and his receivers.
When Texans have the ball
Diggs is gone, but the Texans are hoping to have fellow wideout Nico Collins, who hasn’t played since he injured his hamstring in Week 5. Aside from Collins’ questionable status, Tank Dell also popped up on the injury report Friday with a back injury and is also listed as questionable.
If Dell is active, expect him to receive a slew of targets on Sunday night. He caught each of his targets (including a touchdown) against the Colts two weeks ago and recorded a season-best 121 yards on six grabs during last week’s loss to the Jets.
Fans can also expect a busy night for Texans running back Joe Mixon, who has rushed for over 100 yards in four straight games after an injury sidelined him for a month. Mixon will be facing a Lions defense that is seventh in the NFL in rushing yards allowed but 27th in average yards per carry allowed.
Detroit’s ability to take the lead early has often forced opposing offenses to be one-dimensional, hence the lack of rushing yards the Lions defense has allowed so far. It’ll be key for the Texans to avoid a similar fate on Sunday while also staying committed to running the ball if they do fall behind early.
This matchup will ultimately come down to possession downs. The Texans are 16th in the league on third down, while Detroit’s defense is the best in the NFL on third down. Houston will have to win its fair share of possession downs if it’s going to upset the Lions. This will increase the Texans’ scoring chances while also keeping the high-scoring Lions offense off the field.
Houston also needs to do a better job protecting Stroud, who has already been sacked 30 times this year. That will be a challenge, especially with the Lions’ recent acquisition of Smith, who had five sacks this year for the Browns.
Prediction
The Texans are certainly capable of pulling off the upset, especially if Collins returns and Mixon can get off to a fast start. But Houston’s red zone defense is a pretty big liability, one that I think the Lions will take full advantage of. The Texans’ issues protecting Stroud may also loom large in Sunday night’s outcome. Score: Lions, 31-24
Bonus: SportsLine expert R.J. White is on a 65-47-2 against-the-spread roll on Lions games. We can tell you he’s leaning Under on the points total, but who does he have ATS?