Tag: Lions vs. Texans

Lions can continue to rewrite their history in Week 10 against the Texans

The Detroit Lions can avenge a fateful loss in the last meeting with the Texans and continue to rewrite their history in Week 10

Sunday night in Week 10 features a battle of two first-place teams, with the Houston Texans hosting the Detroit Lions. Both franchises are gunning for unprecedented postseason success in their respective histories as two of the teams that have never been to the Super Bowl.

The Lions are favored, as they should be. Injuries have hit the Texans offense as virulently as the bug has bitten the Lions defense; this looks to be a game about who can score more, not who can keep the other team from scoring as much.

This is a special matchup for me personally. Fans who have watched the Detroit Lions Podcast or heard me on the radio over the years know that I have frequently compared these current Lions and their rise up under Dan Campbell and Brad Holmes to my experience with the Texans surge from being a frustrating franchise to legit perennial contender over a decade ago. And I still believe very much in that, though they’ve gone about the rise in different ways.

I lived in Houston from 2010 to 2013, moving there from Michigan. Coming off some dark times as a Lions fan, it was fun and engaging to see a Texans team that finally buried years of mediocrity (or much worse) and rise up. A young core led by J.J. Watt, Arian Foster, Demeco Ryans, Connor Barwin, Johnathan Joseph and others (Glover Quin included) congealed nicely around a star-crossed veteran QB in Matt Schaub, who thrived to Pro Bowl status after some shaky times (sound familiar?). Those were fun, exciting and unprecedentedly successful teams in Houston.

But they stalled out short of their goals. Schaub started throwing pick-sixes, Watt and the secondary couldn’t stay healthy, Andre Johnson hit a wall, high-character “glue” vets like Eric Winston and Owen Daniels fell off just enough. Close but no victory cigar.

I covered their resurgent hiccup in 2017-2019 for Texans Wire, with Deshaun Watson breathing life back in before the bottom completely fell out for both him and the Texans. I still look back at those Houston teams from 2011-2018 with profound admiration in the way they established the Texans to a largely meh fanbase to that point. Everyone else who lives in my house still roots for the Texans…

…which made the last meeting between the two teams a tough one. Thanksgiving 2020. A bad Texans team (they were 3-7, with two of the wins over a Jaguars team that finished 1-15) came into Ford Field and beat the Lions over the head with turkey legs. Houston had an interim head coach at the time in Romeo Crennel, after Bill O’Brien got canned for a miserable start. Houston was 0-4 and didn’t have a single defensive takeaway, ranking dead last in points allowed and completion percentage. Crennel had stabilized things, but that was not a good Houston team at all.

Houston won that fateful game, 41-25. The score looked closer than the actual game, thanks to what many Lions fans derisively called “Stat Padford” at the end. It led me to write this anti-Matt Patricia piece in head-shaking anger.

That ugly loss on national television turned out to be the last straw for then-new Lions owner Sheila Hamp, who hadn’t yet dropped the “Ford” from her name. Patricia and GM Bob Quinn were fired that week, to the gleeful joy of the Lions fan base that hadn’t already tuned out on a lifeless, hopeless team.

We’ve come a very long way from those dismal depths in Detroit. The Lions are now the best team in the NFC and maybe the entire league. Detroit is winning games because of coaching, not to mention a loaded roster that has proven deep and versatile.

Should the Lions exorcise yet another past demon on Sunday night, it will sway even more of the very few remaining skeptics. This Detroit team has risen and will keep rising, hopefully beyond where the similar teams of Texans past could not.

Texans Thursday injury report: Will Anderson misses second day

Texans Thursday injury report: Star pass rusher Will Anderson misses second day

The Detroit Lions are set to travel to Houston for a Sunday night showdown with the Texans. They may also end up facing a Texans team that won’t have one of their star defensive linemen.

Second-year edge rusher Will Anderson missed his second straight day of practice with an ankle injury. Anderson injured his ankle during last Thursday’s loss to the New York Jets. Unless something changes Friday, Anderson is starting to look unlikely to play Sunday.

In addition, wide receiver Nico Collins has yet to be activated from injured reserve with his hamstring injury and could also miss yet another game. Collins has been out since originally suffering the injury in Week 5 against the Buffalo Bills.

Defensive end Derek Barnett did return to practice after missing Wednesday. He is listed with injuries to his calf and shoulder.

Also not practicing Thursday were guard Kenyon Green (shoulder), defensive tackle Foley Fatukasi (groin/shoulder), running back Dameon Pierce (groin) and linebacker Jake Hansen (ankle).

Texans ready for challenge of guarding Lions speedy receiver

The Houston Texans must slow down a man who is untouchable in the open field on Sunday night.

What makes Jameson Williams perhaps the most dangerous man with a football in his hands?

Yes, speed is the attribute that most bring up in conversation when asked about how to defend the speedy Detroit Lions receiver, but that’s only an equation of what makes him special.

According to Houston Texans coach DeMeco Ryans, versatility defines the skills that transform him into a home run threat.

“He’s their explosive playmaker when it comes to the down-the-field throws, but also in the – whether it’s the run game as well, they’ll find a way to get him the ball on a reverse or a jet sweep,” Ryans said Wednesday. “And you talk about turning on the jets, this kid can fly. He can make plays and he’s another guy who we have to tackle, tackle well. He does a good job of running physical.”

Detriot (7-1) has managed to keep its winning streak alive while Williams missed two games because of a suspension for violating the NFL’s performance-enhancing substances policy.

In his third season since joining Detroit out of Alabama, Williams has been on pace for a career season, hauling in 17 passes for 361 yards and three touchdowns. He also has four rushing attempts for 34 yards.

“He’s a smaller player, but he runs the ball really physical,” Ryans said. “So, I know they’re excited to get him back because of the playmaking ability that he has.”

Lions coach Dan Campbell said Williams would be “good to go” Sunday and plans on having him be an integral part of the offensive design opposite Amon-Ra St. Brown and tight end Sam LaPorta.

“We’re going to kick him out there with the offense and get him going, man. I expect him to be ready to roll,” Campbell told reporters in Detroit.

The Lions’ flexibility on offense opens a crater of issues for Houston if it can’t tackle. Over the last two games without the vertical threat, Detroit scored 76 points on less than 500 yards of offense.

That doesn’t mean Williams won’t command attention. He deserves more attention in man coverage than most because of his positional flexibility.

Kickoff from NRG Stadium is scheduled for 7:15 p.m. The game will be nationally televised on NBC.

Lions injury update: An offensive lineman joins the team’s practice injury report

Lions injury update: An offensive lineman joins the team’s practice injury report, with left tackle Taylor Decker limited on Thursday

The Detroit Lions head to the final practice ahead of the team’s Week 10 trip to Houston in relatively good health. However, Thursday’s practice participation report did feature one new addition after a Wednesday session that saw two defensive contributors sit out with injury.

Linebackers Malcolm Rodriguez and Jalen Reeves-Maybin are still sidelined, and neither should be expected to play in Houston.

The new addition is left tackle Taylor Decker, who was listed as a limited participant with a shoulder. He was not on Wednesday’s injury list, and that practice was an estimated walkthrough.

Newly acquired DE Za’Darius Smith continues to be away from the team after initially reporting. Head coach Dan Campbell and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn have both indicated Smith can play on Sunday and is excused from practice this week.

Defensive end Josh Paschal continues to battle back from the removal of a non-cancerous mass from his shoulder. The cancer survivor from his college days at Kentucky missed last week as well. Rookie defensive lineman, who missed Week 9, joined Paschal as a full participant in both of the practices this week.

Are the Texans winners or losers from the Khalil Davis trade?

Here’s how Texans Wire grades the Khalil Davis trade with the 49ers for a 2026 Day 3 pick.

Khalil Davis might have been out the door with the return of Houston Texans defensive tackle Mario Edwards Jr. 

Instead of letting him walk, Houston picked up something in return. 

The Texans closed Tuesday’s deadline by trading the fourth-year defensive tackle to the San Francisco 49ers for a 2026 seventh-round draft pick. Houston will now have a roster spot waiting for Edwards when he returns from his four-game suspension next week. 

The former Nebraska star joined Houston in 2023 and impressed, recording a career-high 32 tackles with six quarterback hits and two sacks while helping the Texans secure their first playoff berth in four seasons.

This season, Davis has recorded two tackles and one sack on 172 defensive snaps for 32 percent of the total defensive playing time.

Here’s how Texans Wire grades out the trade for both sides.  

Texans grade

Houston felt Davis provided the most value on the defensive line among depth pieces and figured it could survive by moving him. A 2026 seventh-round pick might seem low, but it could factor into a later deal for a more prominent name on the trade market.

Davis, who was in a contract year, could have left in free agency, leaving Houston without a compensatory pick in the 2025 draft. Instead, the Texans gain a future draft asset for a player who could be replaced with the return of Edwards. 

For now, the Texans can lean on a combination of Tim Settle and Dencio Autry’s opposite Foley Fatukasi. Autry, who recorded two sacks in Thursday’s loss against the New York Jets, can kick inside at defensive tackle on pass-rushing sets on third down. 

Could the Texans have gotten more? Perhaps, but it’s something. If Kurt Hinish was on the chopping block, then maybe fans could argue, but at least the Texans are adding draft depth over football depth.

Grade: B

49ers grade

Davis should provide depth behind former Texans starter Maliek Collins and veteran Jordan Elliott. The 49ers previously lost Javon Hargrave to a triceps injury that will likely end his season, so Davis should see an expanded role. 

He’ll have an understanding of the defense since it’s a similar formation that derives in Houston. The 49ers also kept all their 2025 draft picks, so consider that a win. 

Grade: B+

Texans trade DL to NFC West contender for 2026 draft pick

The Houston Texans have made a trade, but they are sending a player away rather than adding a piece to their offensive line.

Khalil Davis is reuniting with Maliek Collins out west.

According to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini, the Houston Texans are trading defensive tackle Khalil Davis to the San Francisco 49ers in exchange for draft compensation. Houston likely plans on using his roster spot to activate a player currently on the injured reserve.

Davis, a former standout for the Birmingham Stallions in the USFL, was the final trade of the 2024 NFL deadline.

Trade details

The 49ers will receive Davis for depth purposes in their run to make the NFC playoffs.

The Texans will receive a 2026 seventh-round draft pick.

Khalil Davis stats

The former Nebraska star joined Houston in 2023 and impressed, recording a career-high 32 tackles with six quarterback hits and two sacks while helping the Texans secure their first playoff berth in four seasons.

In eight games, Davis recorded two tackles and one sack on 172 defensive snaps for 32 percent of the total defensive playing time.

Texans DL depth chart

While the Texans could reinstate veteran defensive end Jerry Hughes from the injured reserve, they also could wait a week to bring back Mario Edwards Jr., who currently is serving a four-game suspension for violating the NFL’s substances of abuse policy.

Edwards, who had been Houston’s top defensive tackle, will be eligible to return following Week 10’s showdown against the Detroit Lions on Sunday Night Football.

The Davis trade was the only move made by Huston by the deadline. For years, the Texans have never been buyers or sellers at the deadline, often making more of their prominent moves in the offseason.

“That’s something we do constantly throughout the year,” Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said Monday. “So, there isn’t just a mad rush now at the trade deadline for us to change our approach and how we go about managing our roster. Our roster management doesn’t change. We’re always looking to upgrade.”

Here’s the remaining depth chart following Davis’ departure:

  • Foley Fatukaski
  • Tim Settle Jr.
  • Mario Edwards Jr. (suspended through Week 10) 
  • Kurt Hinish
  • Denico Atury (also plays defensive end)

Lions add new DE before Week 10 matchup vs. Texans

The Detriot Lions are adding in a defensive end just in time to face off against the Houston Texans in Week 10 on Sunday Night Football.

The Houston Texans must prepare for the Detroit Lions, but must also study some Cleveland Browns’ defensive line tape.

The Lions acquired Za’Darius Smith in a trade with the AFC North franchise early Tuesday morning, adding a veteran pass rusher to their defense just a few hours before the 3 p.m. 2024 NFL trade deadline.

Smith, who’s racked up five sacks in nine games this season, is expected to be good to go when the Lions (7-1) take on the Texans (6-3) on Sunday Night Football in Week 10.

Smith, 32, has been a constant No. 2 option in the pass-rushing department over his decade in the Pros. The three-time Pro Bowler has 65 career sacks over the past 10 seasons with the Browns, Minnesota Vikings, Green Bay Packers and Baltimore Ravens.

Houston’s offensive line should at least know what to expect from Smith since Laremy Tunsil, Juice Scruggs and Shaq Mason went head-to-head with him twice down the stretch last season, including in the AFC Wild Card Round. Smith recorded two sacks on Christmas Eve against Case Keenum in the Browns’ 36-22 win during the regular season.

The Texans had the last laugh after taking him out of the game in a 45-14 win the following month in the wild-card matchup at home.

The Lions, winners of six straight and NFC favorites, have struggled to get pressure on opposing quarterbacks since Defensive Player of the Year candidate Aidan Hutchinson broke the tibia and fibula in his left leg in a Week 6 win over the Dallas Cowboys.

Hutchinson was the star player, but not the only defender to sustain a season-ending injury, as fellow edge rusher Marcus Davenport suffered a knee injury last month. Detriot has recorded five other quarterback hits by defensive linemen in the past two games.

Houston’s offensive line could be in trouble if Smith starts hot. The Texans have allowed the second-most sacks (31) and the fourth-most pressures (89) through nine games this season.

“We have to be at our best at all times,” offensive lineman Tytus Howard said Monday. “We see everybody and hear everybody talk. We just have to be better because, at the end of the day, if we do our job, they don’t any reason to be talking about us.”

Kickoff is scheduled for 7:15 p.m. The game will be nationally televised on NBC.

Texans will debut new uniforms vs. Lions in Week 10

The Texans also got new uniforms this offseason and they’ll debut one new combination against the Lions in Week 10

Like the Detroit Lions, the Houston Texans changed up their uniforms this offseason. When the Lions head to Houston in Week 10 to play at NRG Stadium, it will be the first time Houston wears their highly anticipated, red-based uniforms.

In a recent mailbag segment on the Texans website, Drew Doughty let the cat out of the bag that the Texans will debut their “Battle Red” uniforms against the Lions in Week 10 in Houston:

They’ll wear the Liberty White jerseys and pants in the home opener against the Bears. A few weeks later, they’ll don the City Inspired uniforms, which feature the H-Town Blue accent color, on October 6 against the Bills. The Battle Red uniforms debut on November 10 versus the Lions.

No word yet on which of the new uniform combinations the Lions will rock in the prime-time game. With Houston in red, the new base white Lions uniforms might look spectacular in the lights.