HOUSTON, TEXAS - NOVEMBER 10: Jake Bates #39 of the Detroit Lions celebrates with teammates after kicking the winning field goal during the fourth quarter against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium on November 10, 2024 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images)
The Detroit Lions pulled off one of the best comeback wins you’ll ever see on Sunday Night Football versus the Houston Texans. Trailing badly at the half while playing their worst football of the entire season, the Lions’ hope was fading fast.
Just about everything was going wrong. The offensive line was getting bullied, the running game was insignificant, and the receivers couldn’t open. Lions Quarterback Jared Goff couldn’t hit the open man when they did get open! Meanwhile, the Texans put up 23 points in the first two quarters to the Lions’ 7.
Lions Complete Miraculous Comeback
Leading 23-7, the Houston Texans opened the second half with a 92.1% win probability. In other words, the odds were completely stacked against our Detroit Lions. Spoiler! The Lions came back and pulled off a ridiculous comeback, beating the Houston Texans 26-23. This comeback was insanely improbable.
When you look back at the game, Jared Goff played horribly, with five interceptions and only completing a poor 15-30 of his completions. Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery barely eclipsed 100 combined yards late in the game. The run game was ineffective early on.
In the end, Lions kicker Jake Bates hit two 50-plus-yard field goals in the fourth quarter to complete the comeback. The miracle was complete as time expired, as Bates snuck a 52-yarder through the left upright.
Lions Defense Stuns Texans
The Detroit Lions defense was unbelievable Sunday night. They allowed 0 points in the entire second half. This is the type of defense that wins championships. Jared Goff turned the ball over five times. You heard that right. Five interceptions, and still, the Lions won the game against a top-10 NFL team. This defense is easily top-5. I would even argue they are the best unit in the entire league.
Super Bowl winning teams win ugly games, and the Lions are one of those teams. This team won the ugliest game I’ve ever seen on the football field: 5 interceptions and a 7% chance to win the game after their miserable first half. The march to the Super Bowl is alive and well and in full swing after one of the grittiest comebacks in league history. The Lions will take on the Jacksonville Jaguars in a week 11 matchup at Ford Field next Sunday at 1 pm.
3 Biggest Threats to a Lions Super Bowl
The Detroit Lions are a supremely talented NFL team in 2024. They were just named the favorite by Sports Illustrated to win the Super Bowl this year. As Lions fans we are in a unique situation for the first time in our franchise’s history. We now are looking at what could possibly prevent our Detroit Lions from making it to their first ever Super Bowl game. But what are the biggest threats to Detroit making the Super Bowl?
With the start of the NFL regular season right around the corner, there is a ton of hype surrounding our beloved Detroit Lions. The team is poised for great things. We are coming off a historic season where the team finished 12-5. Lions quarterback Jared Goff’s consistent play was a massive part of the team’s overall success.
Jared Goff finished the 2023 season with over 4500 Passing Yards, 30 Touchdowns to only 12 Interceptions, and a passer rating of 97.3, with the highest completion percentage of his NFL career. Not to mention his solid play in the playoffs, where it mattered most. Goff also had two solid games and a star-studded performance against the Los Angeles Rams. Anytime you finish a game with an 80% completion rate, you’ve played phenomenally at the Quarterback position. Jared Goff is our guy!
Detroit Has The Cast
While Jared Goff has been excellent in Detroit, he’s not the only star in the motor city. Lions Wide Receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown has solidified himself as a top 5 receiver in the National Football League. Finishing in the top 4 in receptions, yards, and touchdowns in 2023, St. Brown is poised to jump from star to superstar this season. Detroit is lucky to have such unbelievable talent and a superb work ethic like Amon-Ra. Not since Megatron has the franchise had a receiver this good.
With other deadly offensive weapons like Sam Laporta, Jahmyr Gibbs, and the rock-solid gritty David Mongomery, this team has everything going for them. Our offense will be a tough matchup for any defense this season. Of course, we cannot forget about the offensive line. With some slight adjustments after the loss of Jonah Jackson, the O line has been revamped and retooled. They’re poised to be a top 5 group yet again, which will be pivotal to match the offensive potency we saw all of last season.
Lastly, the defense has seen significant upgrades at all levels. Multiple players have been added to the secondary, which has been bolstered with reinforcements from two draft picks, a trade, and free-agent signings. The defensive line had two great additions: Marcus Davenport and D.J. Reader. The team has seen some major development from guys like Alex Anzalone, Jack Campbell, and even Derrick Barnes.
Lions Super Bowl
With James Houston healthy again and star edge Rusher Aidan Hutchinson doing his thing, this defense should be a much more fearsome unit this season. More pressure on the quarterback without having to blitz makes the job of the Lion’s secondary much easier. This will be key for Detroit as all these new additions must acclimate to playing alongside each other. With all of these fantastic things you’ve heard about our Detroit Lions, all signs point towards Detroit being a top 5 team again.
Finishing one game short of the Super Bowl this year means we aim bigger. Seemingly, everyone in the state of Michigan has been wanting a Lions Super Bowl for an eternity. What will stop the Detroit Lions? If they’re genuinely this good, nothing should stand in their way. Even still, only three things will prevent a Lions Super Bowl. Find out what those three things are below.
Major Injuries
It seems like an easy answer but one of the only things that could ruin the Lions chances of making it to their first Super Bowl in franchise history is injuries. Every team every season suffers injuries as it’s part of the game. However, if the Lions lost a few major pieces, I don’t see how they could overcome it. If Jared Goff went down as well as Aidan Hutchinson, it would completely derail the season. Which is honestly a compliment to the team if injuries is one of the team’s biggest threats.
DETROIT, MICHIGAN – JANUARY 21: Sam LaPorta #87 of the Detroit Lions is pursued by Zyon McCollum #27 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the second quarter of the NFC Divisional Playoff game at Ford Field on January 21, 2024 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
The Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers quietly have become the second best team in the NFC North. It truly seems like the Packers franchise have found their Quarterback of the future yet again in Jordan Love. Green bay has a stacked defense and it looks like their offense is truly legit. I’m not saying Green Bay will be better than Detroit, but they can’t be overlooked anymore.
GREEN BAY, WISCONSIN – AUGUST 24: Jordan Love #10 of the Green Bay Packers warms up before a preseason game against the Baltimore Ravens at Lambeau Field on August 24, 2024 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)
The Detroit Lions
The biggest threat to the Detroit Lions’ chance at the Super Bowl is themselves. This team is 100% capable of achieving great things. With all of the improvements Brad Holmes made to this team, there’s no reason to think they won’t make it to their first Super Bowl. The only thing that can truly stop them, is themselves!
DETROIT,MICHIGAN-AUGUST 24: Detroit Lions linebacker James Houston (41) runs on the field during a play during a preseason game between the Detroit Lions and the Pittsburgh Steelers in Detroit, Michigan USA, on Saturday, August 24, 2024 (Photo by Amy Lemus/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
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