In a turnover-heavy game full of interceptions, the Detroit Lions overcame a slow start to win a wild “Sunday Night Football” game.

With four seconds left in regulation, Jake Bates kicked a 52-yard field goal to lift the Lions past the Houston Texans 26-23 at NRG Stadium. That followed a 58-yard field goal that Bates made with 5:06 left to tie the game at 23.

Despite Lions quarterback Jared Goff’s record five interceptions, the most since Jameis Winston also threw five in Week 6 in 2019, Detroit’s defense came to the rescue, allowing the offense to score 19 unanswered points to cap the seventh game. row could win.

JAKE BATES CALLED GAME! THE @LEEUWEN SCORE 19 UNANSWERED POINTS TO WIN! pic.twitter.com/Txe30d9tVp

—NFL (@NFL) November 11, 2024

Texans kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn missed a go-ahead 58-yard field goal with just under two minutes remaining, igniting the Lions and Houston-area native Bates.

The Texans controlled the first half by taking advantage of Detroit’s mistakes. Houston scored on its first four offensive possessions with Joe Mixon’s touchdown and three field goals by Fairbairn, putting the Texans ahead in the first half.

In the second half, the Texans seemed unable to find their way. Lions cornerback Carlton Davis III picked off CJ Stroud twice, including one on the first offensive play of the half. The Texans’ inability to score in the half, combined with Stroud’s two interceptions, left the door open for Detroit to capitalize.

The Lions improved to 8-1 with Sunday’s win, while the Texans fell to 6-4.

Leos find a way to win

You can’t discount this Lions team. Even if they turn the ball over five times. Even if the crime doesn’t have that. Even when your eyes tell you that on-field performance is worth a loss, these Lions find ways to win.

This was Detroit’s worst game of the year. It didn’t matter. Trailing 23-7 at halftime, the Lions scored 19 unanswered to win by three on the road against a quality Texans team. Bates delivered the winner in his home state as time expired. The Lions celebrated. This was one to forget until it wasn’t. What a win for Detroit. — Colton Pouncy, Lions beat writer

Houston let this game slip away

This was a brutal way for the Texans to lose. They defended a high-powered Detroit offense, like everyone else this season, for much of the game. They forced five interceptions on Goff. At halftime they led by 16. Only to watch it all slip away.

In a game where the Texans almost felt like they could deliver a knockout punch a few times, they failed to do so. An interception in the end zone intended for a wide open Tank Dell proved costly. Houston did not score in the second half.

The Texans have lost two in a row and will look to get back in the win column next Monday against a Dak Prescott-less Dallas Cowboys team. Until then, this will be hard to swallow. —Pouncy

Required reading

(Photo: Alex Slitz/Getty Images)