Detroit trimmed the Texans’ lead to 23-20 late on an Amon-Ra St. Brown 9-yard touchdown catch from Goff. Detroit made it 23-23 with five minutes remaining on a Bates 58-yard field goal, the longest of his career.
Houston had a chance with under two minutes remaining to take the lead with a 58-yard field goal of their own, but Ka’imi Fairbairn missed it.
That set up Bates to win it with a 52-yarder as time expired to stay perfect on the season kicking field goals.
This was definitely a tale of two halves, as follows:
The Texans got on the board first following Goff’s first interception since Week 3 in Arizona on Detroit’s opening drive of the game. Goff’s short pass intended for Jahmyr Gibbs was tipped at the line of scrimmage and intercepted by safety Jimmie Ward at the Lions’ 35 yard line. Running back Joe Mixon punched it into the end zone eight plays later on an 8-yard run to give the Texans a 7-0 lead.
After a 34-yard Fairbairn field goal gave the Texans a 10-0 lead, Detroit found the end zone early in the second quarter on a 20-yard pass from Goff to tight end Sam LaPorta. It was Goff’s 200th career touchdown pass and trimmed the Houston lead to 10-7.
Fairbairn made it 13-7 midway through the second quarter with a 56-yard field goal.
On the next Lions possession, right tackle Penei Sewell was beaten by edge rusher Denico Autry and hit Goff right as he was throwing the football. The ball popped up, was tipped a couple times and landed right in the hands of linebacker Henry To’oTo’o at the Lions’ 36-yard line. That led to another Fairbairn field goal and a 16-7 Texans’ lead late in the second quarter.
Houston played the end of the first half brilliantly forcing a Lions punt with just over one minute left in the second quarter. Houston took over at their own 34-yard line with 54 seconds left and marched 66 yards in just six plays to increase their lead to 23-7 right before the half on a 15-yard John Metchie III touchdown grab from Stroud. A Goff Hail Mary try was intercepted to end the first half.
