Jake Bates kicked a 52-yard field goal just inside the left upright as time expired and the Detroit Lions overcame a 16-point halftime deficit to record a 26-23 victory over the host Houston Texans on Sunday night.
Bates also drilled a tying 58-yard field goal that slipped just inside the right upright with 5:01 left in the game. His heroics helped the Lions (8-1) stretch their winning streak to seven games.
Jared Goff threw a career-worst five interceptions while completing 15 of 30 passes for 240 yards and two touchdowns for Detroit.
David Montgomery rushed for a touchdown and Amon-Ra St. Brown and Sam LaPorta had scoring receptions for the Lions.
C.J. Stroud completed 19 of 33 passes for 232 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions for the Texans (6-4), who lost for the third time in the past four games.
John Metchie III caught his first career touchdown pass and Kwamie Lassiter II had two interceptions for Houston. Joe Mixon rushed for a score but had just 46 yards on 25 rushes.
Detroit trimmed its deficit to 23-13 on Montgomery’s 3-yard run with 11:34 left in the third quarter. The ensuing two-point conversion run failed.
The Lions continued to hold the momentum and moved with 23-20 on Goff’s 9-yard touchdown pass to St. Brown with 11:38 remaining in the contest.
After Bates knotted the score with his first clutch field goal, Houston had a chance to go back ahead but Ka’imi Fairbairn’s 58-yard field goal attempt was way wide to the left with 1:51 remaining.
The Texans scored the final 13 points of the first half to hold a 23-7 advantage.
Houston struck first on Mixon’s 8-yard scoring run midway through the first quarter.
Fairbairn kicked a 34-yard field goal to make it 10-0 with 2:09 left in the opening quarter.
Goff got the Lions on the board when he tossed a 20-yard touchdown pass to LaPorta with 10:52 left in the half.
Fairbairn tacked on field goals of 56 and 29 yards to give the Texans a 16-7 lead. Stroud finished the half with a 15-yard touchdown pass to Metchie with 12 seconds left.
