Detroit (7-1) at Houston (6-3)
Sunday, 8:20 p.m. EST, NBC
BetMGM NFL Odds: Lions by 3 1/2.
Against the spread: Detroit 7-1; Houston 3-5-1.
Series record: Texans lead 4-1.
Last meeting: Texans beat Lions 41-25 on Nov. 26, 2020, in Detroit.
Last week: Lions beat Packers 24-14; Texans lost to Jets 21-13.
Lions offense: overall (7), rush (6), pass (15), scoring (1).
Lions defense: overall (22), rush (7), pass (29), scoring (5).
Texans offense: overall (11), rush (11), pass (13), scoring (17).
Texans defense: overall (2), rush (12), pass (3), scoring (14).
Turnover differential: Lions plus-11, Texans plus-4.
Lions player to watch
WR Jameson Williams returns after serving a two-game suspension for violating the league’s performance-enhancing substance policy. The Lions struggled to get the ball down the field in his absence. After averaging 12.6 yards per completion in the season’s first six games, Jared Goff dropped to 7.7 yards per completion against Tennessee and Green Bay. Williams is averaging 21.2 yards per catch this season and has been Goff’s only consistent deep option. He ranks second on the team with 361 yards receiving.
Texans player to watch
WR Nico Collins could return this week after missing the past four games after being placed on injured reserve with a hamstring injury. Coach DeMeco Ryans said this week that Collins is “doing good” but wouldn’t say if he’ll play. If he is back, it will be a huge boost to a passing game that has struggled in recent weeks without him and with Stefon Diggs out for the season. Collins remains Houston’s leading receiver with 567 yards and eight touchdowns despite his extended absence.
Key matchup
Goff vs. Houston’s defense. Goff is the first quarterback in league history to complete at least 72% of his passes with a passer rating of 105 or higher in six straight games. His completion rate (82.8%) and passer rating (140.1) over the past six games are the highest in any six-game span in NFL history for a player with at least 50 passing attempts. Now he’ll face a defense which ranks third in the NFL by allowing just 167.4 yards passing a game and which ranks fourth with 29 sacks.
Key injuries
The Lions started the clock for CB Emmanuel Moseley (pectoral tear) and S Iffy Melifonwu (ankle) to return to practice in hopes of coming off injured reserve. … DE Josh Paschal is expected to play after missing two games with a health scare. Paschal, who battled cancer in college, had a benign mass removed from his shoulder after an annual checkup. … Texans DE Will Anderson Jr. sat out of practice this week after injuring an ankle against the Jets and it’s unclear if he’ll play Sunday. … S Jimmie Ward is expected to return this week after missing five games with a groin injury. … C/G Jarrett Patterson could miss a second straight game after sustaining a concussion. … G Kenyon Green is likely to sit out Sunday after injuring his shoulder last week. … RB Dameon Pierce will likely miss a second straight game with a groin injury. … DE Jerry Hughes returned to practice this week after missing five games with a hip injury.
Series notes
The Texans have won the past four meetings in the series. … Houston got a 34-31 win in overtime at Detroit in 2012. … Detroit’s only win in the series came in a 28-16 victory in the first meeting in 2004.
Stats and stuff
Detroit’s 7-1 start is its best start to a season since 1956. … The team’s six game winning streak is its longest in a season since 1995. … The Lions have won four straight road games. … The Lions have rushed for more than 100 yards in all eight games this season. … Jahmyr Gibbs is on pace for 1,394 yards rushing and David Montgomery is on pace for 1,037. … Montgomery’s fumble that was returned for a touchdown by the Vikings on Oct. 20 is the only fumble this Lions have lost this season. … Detroit has a 13-1 takeaway-to-giveaway ratio in the past five games. … Aidan Hutchinson still leads the Lions in sacks (7 1/2), quarterback hits (17) and tackles for loss (seven) despite missing the past three games. … K Jake Bates has made all 12 field-goal attempts and 30 of 31 extra points after going 17 of 22 this spring for the Michigan Panthers of the UFL — a team that shares Ford Field with the Lions. … WR Amon-Ra St. Brown has a touchdown reception in six straight games, which is the longest active streak in the NFL. … DB Kerby Joseph had his first career interception return for a touchdown last week and is tied for the NFL lead with a career-high six interceptions this season. … DB Brian Branch has three interceptions in four road games this season. … Houston’s offensive line looks to improve after allowing a season-high eight sacks last week. … QB C.J. Stroud is 10-2 with a 105.7 passer rating in 12 career home starts. He has thrown for at least 250 yards in all four home games this season. … Collins has at least 75 yards receiving in each of his five games this season. … WR Tank Dell had six receptions for a season-high 126 yards last week. … WR Robert Woods had a season-best 44 yards receiving against the Jets. … DE Danielle Hunter has had a sack in three of his past four games. He had two tackles for loss and a sack in his most recent game against Detroit last season while with Minnesota. … Anderson has had a sack in three of his past four games. He is tied for fourth in the NFL with 7½ sacks this season. … DE Denico Autry had his first two sacks of the season last week. He has three sacks in two games against Detroit. … CB Derek Stingley defended two passes last week and has had at least one in six straight games. … S Jalen Pitre had 10 tackles, including two for loss and two passes defended against the Jets.
Fantasy tip
Houston RB Joe Mixon could be a good pickup after rushing for at least 100 yards and a touchdown in four straight games since returning from an ankle injury. He ranks third in the NFL by averaging 101.5 yards rushing a game.
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