(Photo: USA Today)
Intriguing Game- NFL, Week Ten
Detroit Lions at Houston Texans
Lions: They continue to strike and play their best football. Here’s the funny thing: Sunday at Lambeau Field was their first game of the season outdoors and they played in the elements. Playing in the rain, no problem and they dominated the Green Bay Packers. This team is on a mission and they are showing that last year wasn’t a fluke plus, they are indeed a contender in this league. Times have changed and this isn’t the Detroit of old. Tom Brady last week said he’d love to be Quarterbacking the Lions offense right now and I can’t say I blame him. They know how to attack defenses in a variety of ways with many different weapons. They always have guys in motion which throws a defense off and I always find myself saying two things. The first is whenever you see a receiver in motion, that’s jump-starting the route for him and when he’s moving, he’s getting the ball. This is the best I have ever seen the Lions look and they are a legitimate title contender. Can we talk about Jared Goff? He has been the most precise passer in the league this year and I have him as an MVP candidate with Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson. On the year, Jared has completed 75 percent of his passes which leads the league, and the most impressive stat during this six-game winning streak is they’ve only committed a total of two turnovers. That right there should tell you they take phenomenal care of the football. The Lions will look to improve this winning streak to seven games on Sunday night in Houston, Texas.
Texans: They have fizzled out since the strong start. They were so active during this off-season with the addition of Danielle Hunter on the defensive side and acquiring Stefon Diggs from the Buffalo Bills. In other words, they were all in and were trying to build off what they did last season and establish themselves as a contender in the AFC. Let’s fast forward to now, Stefon Diggs is out for the remainder of the year with a torn ACL and Nico Collins has been battling a hamstring injury that he suffered during week five and has been out since. I’ve said this many times when I speak on the Texans, I mention that Nico makes their offense more complete and he’s that top target/receiving option for C.J. Stroud. Every Quarterback having their top target makes all the difference and I’ve seen how some of the best in the business have struggled without that number one weapon. Nico has become the safety valve for Stroud. Last week in East Rutherford, they had a tough time against a struggling Jets team. Even today on “Snowman In The Morning”, Brian Snow asked me what exactly happened to these Texans and I told him it was the Offensive Line that allowed eight sacks, Stroud struggled and the offense couldn’t do much of anything. Also, it’s any given Thursday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, anyone in this business can be beat. They still have a nice lead in the AFC South, but I hope they can get healthy soon. The Texans return home on Sunday night.
Lions X-Factor: Brian Branch– He’s the heartbeat of this Lions defense. I truly don’t see any flaws in this kid’s game. He can move downhill to pursue the ball carrier, tackles well in space, keeps his footing, and barely gets beat in coverage. Brian brings that hammer and if you plan on running near him, he will hit you. He is so athletic and knows how to position himself to make the best possible play for his defense. I also like that he gives 110 percent each time he’s on that field. The Lions struck gold when they drafted Brian. The same energy he played with for Nick Saban is exactly what he does for Dan Campbell.
Texans X-Factor: Danielle Hunter- He was signed by the Texans for these primetime showdowns. It also helps that Danielle has a past against the NFC North as he spent the first chapter of his career with the Minnesota Vikings. It’s safe to say he knows this Lions group and what they will do on Sunday night. He’s an athlete and uses all of his athleticism to his full advantage. The long strides he moves with and how he’s able to collapse the Quarterback’s pocket in two steps amaze me. He’s that disruptive force that can strip the ball and also force fumbles.
Final Thoughts: A few weeks ago, many were labeling this matchup as a potential Super Bowl preview. One team continues to roll (Detroit), while the other has hit a bump in the road and has been dealing with injuries to key guys (Houston). These teams are in the driver’s seat in their divisions as we speak. This game will be a great test for DeMeco Ryans’ and his defense as they will see an offense that can attack you left and right in many different ways. This Detroit offense is efficient and they know how to pick their spots to move the ball. The key matchup to watch in this game is the Houston Offensive Line against this Lions defensive front and I’m expecting them to throw all of the pressure in the world at Stroud and attack a Texans Offensive Line that has struggled at times this season. The Texans will need a big game from Joe Mixon on Sunday night. Also, can this Houston pass rush get home to Goff? He’s had way too much time in the pocket to carve defenses up. The Texans will be tough here, but the Lions are clicking on all cylinders and will leave Houston victorious.
Prediction: Lions 28, Texans 20
