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Detroit Lions at Houston Texans

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Detroit Lions at Houston Texans

To start: Sunday 20:20, NRG Stadium, Houston

TV/radio: NBC/97.1 FM

Records: Lions 7-1; Texans 6-3

Liner: Lions up to 3½

Series history: Texans lead the series 4-1 (Last meeting: November 26, 2020 — Texans 41, (at) Lions 25)

Richard Silva of the Detroit News covers the Lions’ Week 10 game against the Houston Texans.

key match

ASLAN’S RED ZONE OFFENSE VS. Texans’ RED ZONE DEFENSE

It’s hard to understand given its success over the last six weeks, but Detroit’s offense has struggled in the first two games of the season. Unit problems Was particularly evident in the red zone against the Buccaneers On September 15, when the Lions scored just one touchdown on seven carries inside Tampa Bay’s 20-yard line. There were other problems, but this was the real culprit. single stain In Detroit’s records.

Since that performance, the Lions have reached the opponent’s red zone 22 times. They converted those opportunities into 18 TDs, an unreal efficiency of 81.8%. For reference, Detroit ranked No. 2 in red zone performance last season at 66.7%. Through the first 10 weeks of 2024, Baltimore leads the league with 74.4% shooting.

The Lions should have a chance to continue their hot streak. The Texans have the NFL’s No. 30 red zone defense, allowing touchdowns on 69.6% of drives that enter that area of ​​the field. The two teams that are worse are the Jacksonville Jaguars (69.7%) and Dallas Cowboys (76.9%).

Over the last four games, Houston’s red zone defense is at 75%.

Three Texans to watch

CJ Stroud, QB: Stroud wasn’t as productive in Year 2 as he was in Year 1 — he led the league in average passing yards per game as a rookie with 273.9 — but it’s not like he fell off a cliff. He has a 4-to-11 touchdown-to-interception ratio through the first nine games of the season and has the fourth-most carries with 16, according to Pro Football Focus. A big shot is defined as “a pass with excellent ball position and timing, usually thrown further down the field and/or into a tighter window.”

Joe Mixon, RB: It’s been a season where running backs have found success with new teams. Derrick Henry is posting gaudy numbers in his first year with the Ravens, much like Saquon Barkley with the Philadelphia Eagles and Josh Jacobs with the Green Bay Packers. The same can be said for Mixon, who signed with the Texans this summer after spending the first seven seasons of his career with the Cincinnati Bengals. Mixon isn’t at the top of the rushing total as he missed three games earlier this season, but he is one of only three RBs to average over 100 yards per contest, along with Henry and Barkley.

Derek Stingley Jr., CB: Stingley, a former LSU star selected third overall in 2022, is one of Houston’s most important pieces on defense. He leads the team in snaps with 531 points and is tops in pass deflections with six points. He had a passer rating allowed of 61.23, 25 catches, 244 yards and a touchdown on 51 targets this season, according to PFF. He also has an intervention.

Facts and figures

Stroud has five career games in which he has thrown for at least 300 yards, two TDs and no interceptions. This rate is second to Patrick Mahomes in a quarterback’s first 24 games; Justin Herbert (seven) is the only one better. Stroud’s last game that qualified was a 24-20 win over the Jaguars in September.

Mixon became the first running back since DeMarco Murray in 2014 to rush for 100 yards and a touchdown in five of the first six games of the season. Other RBs in NFL history besides Mixon and Murray to accomplish this are Emmitt Smith (1995), OJ Simpson (1975) and Jim Brown (1958).

[email protected]

@rich_silva18

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