Jake Bates makes 52-yarder as time expires, Lions beat Texans 26-23
Nothing was going right for Detroit's Jared Goff on 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 win that was capped by a 52-yard field goal by Jake Bates as time expired.
"I had some unfortunate things early, but I've been through a whole lot worse than that," Goff said. "Mentally, I've been to the bottom. Some unlucky plays aren't going to throw me off my game."
The Lions improved to 8-1 for the first time since 1954 with their seventh straight victory overall and fifth in a row on the road.
"That was a hard-fought game," Detroit coach Dan Campbell said. "We had to fight our way back in there. I'm proud of the guys. There's things we've got to clean up, but our guys wouldn't go away. They just wouldn't go away."
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 it with about five minutes to go on Bates' 58-yard field goal.
"I just don't deserve this," Bates said. "I was a soccer player growing up. I idolized football players in the NFL, and just to be here is surreal. I'm still pinching myself."
The Texans (6-4) had a chance to take the lead with just under two minutes left, but Ka'imi Fairbairn's 58-yard try was wide left.
"We didn't make the plays to win the game ... to win games guys have to step up and make plays and that's not happening," Houston coach DeMeco Ryans said.
The Lions became the first team to win when 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 down 23-13. A 9-yard TD reception by Amon-Ra St. Brown got Detroit within 23-20 early in the fourth quarter.
Goff threw for 240 yards and two touchdowns and Jahmyr Gibbs ran for 71 yards.
C.J. 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've got to be better in those moments. When the defense is getting turnovers like they did, we've got 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 entered Sunday with just four all season. His previous career high was four in a loss to Chicago while with the Rams on Dec. 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. "These 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 tipped 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 touchdown.
A 34-yard field goal by Fairbairn extended the lead to 10-0 with about two minutes remaining in the first quarter. Detroit cut the lead to 10-7 on a 20-yard touchdown reception by Sam LaPorta.
The Texans were up by 6 when Denico Autry hit Goff's arm as he threw 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 after that 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 undergoing treatment for leukemia.
Goff threw his third interception when Lassiter picked off his desperation throw on the last play of the first half.
Davis intercepted Stroud on the first play of the second half. But Lassiter grabbed his second interception of the game three plays later.
After Montgomery's touchdown, Detroit's Carlton Davis III leaped in front of 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.
Lions: LaPorta injured the AC joint in one of his shoulders but Campbell said he doesn't know how significant of an injury it is.
Texans: DE Will Anderson Jr. missed the game with an ankle injury. ... WR Nico Collins didn't play after being activated from injured reserve Saturday. … Lassiter left in the third quarter with a concussion.
Lions: Host Jacksonville next Sunday.
Texans: Visit Dallas on Monday, Nov. 18.
