By DAVE HOGG
The Associated Press

DETROIT — The Detroit Lions were on the verge of their first Super Bowl appearance, but couldn’t finish off the San Francisco 49ers in last season’s NFC championship game.

This year, they have developed a killer instinct.

Entering their matchup Sunday with Mac Jones and the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Lions were favored by two touchdowns for the first time in 47 years. In the past, they might have taken a win for granted.

They didn’t overlook the Jaguars.

The Lions (9-1) set franchise records for margin of victory (46 points) and yards gained (645) in a 52-6 rout. They scored touchdowns on their first seven possessions, a field goal on the eighth and took a knee to end the game on the ninth. Defensively, they held Jacksonville to two field goals and 170 yards of offense — their 475-yard advantage was the NFL’s biggest margin since 1979.

“When you score seven touchdowns and hold the opponents to two field goals, you obviously had a number of guys who played very, very well,” Lions coach Dan Campbell said. “Man, they finished today. They started it and they finished it. That’s awesome.”

The Lions are only seven-point favorites for Sunday’s visit to Indianapolis, but they know they should win, especially if they play like they did against the Jaguars.

“We’ve got to go to Indianapolis and play a team that is very much in the playoff race,” Campbell said. “They are going to be ready to go. So are we.”

What’s working

The Lions are leading the NFL in scoring at 33.6 points per game on the 80th anniversary of the last time they finished first in that category.

They are fourth in passing touchdowns (22) and second in rushing touchdowns (18), so teams can’t load up their defenses to take away their strengths.

“It all starts with our offensive line,” Campbell said. “When they play the way they played yesterday, it doesn’t matter what (plays) we call. We can do anything.”

What needs help

DE Za’Darius Smith made his Lions debut after being acquired at the trade deadline. Campbell has stressed that Smith isn’t expected to fill Aidan Hutchinson’s shoes — no one could reasonably be expected to do that — but he can be part of Detroit’s attempt to replace the league’s best pass rusher in the aggregate.

It wasn’t a spectacular debut. Smith combined with Jack Campbell on Detroit’s only sack, but only assisted on one tackle in a game where the Lions registered three quarterback hits.

Stock up

After throwing five interceptions against Houston, Jared Goff only had five incompletions against the Jaguars. He finished 24 of 29 for 412 yards, four touchdowns and a perfect 158.3 passer rating.

Goff became the first quarterback in NFL history to have multiple games with a perfect rating, 400-plus yards and four-plus touchdowns — he also did it for the Rams in 2018 — and his 82.8% completion percentage made him the first to have five games over 80% in the same season.

Stock down

P Jack Fox is having a great season — his net average is over 45 yards and he’s put 45.2% of his punts inside the 20 — but, through no fault of his own, he only got on the field Sunday to hold for extra points and field goals. It was the second time the Lions haven’t punted this season. Fox wasn’t needed in the 47-9 win in Dallas on Oct. 13.

Injuries

LB Alex Anzalone will miss 4-to-6 weeks with a broken right forearm, adding to a depth problem at linebacker. Derrick Barnes and Jalen Reeves-Maybin are on injured reserve, along with both starting defensive ends — Hutchinson and Marcus Davenport.

Key number

8.5 — Detroit’s average yards per play against the Jaguars, the second highest in team history. The Lions were at 8.8 in the final minute — good enough to break a 43-yard-old record of 8.6 — but backup quarterback Hendon Hooker took a knee on the last two plays.

Next steps

If the Lions have one weakness, it is defending mobile quarterbacks, so Anthony Richardson could be an issue on Sunday.

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The Jaguars are set to visit Ford Field on Sunday, but their starting quarterback won’t be available to play.

Trevor Lawrence (shoulder) was ruled out by Jacksonville head coach Doug Pederson on Wednesday, four days ahead of his team’s clash with the Detroit Lions. It’ll be the second game in a row Lawrence misses while dealing with what the NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport recently reported is a “significant AC joint sprain” in his left shoulder.

Former Patriots quarterback Mac Jones started in Lawrence’s place against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 10, completing 14 of his 22 passes for 111 yards and two interceptions. Jacksonville’s lone score in the game came via a 1-yard touchdown rush from Jones in the first quarter.

Jones is slated to start once again at Detroit.

“One, he’s a veteran quarterback, so he’s played (and) he’s started in this league. He knows how to handle that,” Pederson said Wednesday when asked what Jones provides. “Two, leadership-wise with the guys, you see him communicate with the players on and off the field (and) with us as coaches as well.

“I think the third thing is how well he does communicate with us when it comes to the game plan; what he likes, what he doesn’t like. And then just his overall work ethic, how he prepares for these games. (That) really gives him the best opportunity playing in these games.”

The Jaguars have their bye week following the game against Detroit. That provides an opportunity for Lawrence to have extended rest, but Pederson noted how Lawrence is “still a question, but I’m optimistic” for his availability after the bye.

Lawrence had started the season’s first nine games for Jacksonville, passing for 2,004 yards and 11 touchdowns to go along with six interceptions while completing 61.3% of his throws.

More recognition for Bates

Make that two NFC Special Teams Player of the Week awards for rookie kicker Jake Bates.

Bates received the honor Wednesday, recognized by the league for making two clutch kicks to help his team beat the Houston Texans in Week 10. Bates nailed a 58-yarder with 5:06 remaining to tie the game, and he later won it with a walk-off 52-yarder as time expired.

A Houston-area native, Bates also won the award when he connected on a 44-yard field goal to give Detroit a two-point lead with 19 seconds to play in a win over the Minnesota Vikings on Oct. 20. On the season, Bates is 14-for-14 on field goals and 32-for-33 on extra points.

The only other Lions kickers to win NFC Special Teams Player of the Week multiple times are Jason Hanson (12) and Matt Prater (seven).

ALLEN PARK — The Detroit Lions are looking like they’ll have left tackle Taylor Decker for Sunday’s home game against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Lions head coach Dan Campbell on Wednesday said he feels “better” about the prospect of Decker, who missed last Sunday’s win over the Houston Texans with a shoulder injury, playing this week.

“As of right now, I do feel better about having Decker this week,” Campbell said. “He’s out there at walkthrough going through. I feel like he’s questionable, but I’m starting to feel pretty good about him. I think he’s going to be able to make it.

“Tomorrow will tell a lot, certainly. That’ll be a full-speed practice for us.”

On the flip side, it does sound like there’s still some concern over the availability of tight end Sam LaPorta, who suffered an AC joint sprain during the Texans game and did not return.

He didn’t practice Wednesday, according to Campbell.

“Everybody else is trending the right way, but LaPorta is the one guy who’s not practicing today, didn’t go through walkthrough, anything like that,” Campbell said. “Like I said, he’s day-to-day.

In Decker’s absence, the Lions started Dan Skipper at left tackle (typically viewed as the more important tackle spot) and kept All-Pro Penei Sewell at right tackle. Campbell said with a little more advance notice about Decker missing the game — he didn’t pop up on the injury report until Thursday — he might’ve considered switching Sewell to left tackle for the contest.

“Yeah, I think if (we knew) that was the case and we were not going to have Decker, I think that was probably where we would go,” Campbell said.

By DAVE HOGG
The Associated Press

DETROIT — Dan Campbell has seen a lot of things as an NFL player and coach.

He had never seen anything like Sunday night, though.

The Lions overcame five interceptions by Jared Goff — one more than he had thrown in the first eight games — and came back to beat the Houston Texans 26-23. They trailed 23-7 at halftime.

“The odds of winning a game with five turnovers are really small,” Campbell said. “This was a total team effort in every phase of the game.”

Kicker Jake Bates made a 58-yard field goal to tie the game in the fourth quarter and a 52-yarder to win it as time expired.

The Lions became the first team since the Atlanta Falcons in 2012 to win despite throwing five interceptions in a game.

Campbell credited the defense, which forced the Texans to kick three field goals in the first half before shutting them out in the second.

“That’s so tough for a defense, because they are out there keeping them out of the end zone and then we throw an interception two plays later and they are back on the field,” Campbell said. “That was a huge performance, even before you consider the two takeaways.”

Veteran cornerback Carlton Davis intercepted two C.J. Stroud passes in the second half, including one at the 3-yard line.

“I told C.D. on Saturday that he might be our best acquisition this season,” Campbell said. “How can you not love a cover corner who can run, hit, shut down the running game and pick off two passes when we needed them?”

What’s working

The Lions run defense dominated the Texans all night. Joe Mixon had an 8-yard touchdown run but finished with just 46 yards on 25 carries.

“We knew he was the most dangerous offensive player we needed to stop,” Campbell said. “He’s such a hard runner and he kept coming after us, but we were able to bottle him up.”

What needs help

Goff hadn’t thrown an interception in his past five games. No one was expecting him to throw five, but he had three in the first half and two more in the third quarter — turning the ball over two plays after Davis’ first interception and three plays after his second.

“I honestly didn’t think I was playing bad,” Goff said. “I was seeing things well and throwing the ball well. I’ve been in a lot worse positions and I wasn’t going to let a few unfortunate mistakes throw me off my game.”

Despite the two third-quarter interceptions, Goff went 8-for-13 for 149 yards and a touchdown in the second half.

Stock up

Bates started the year kicking at Ford Field, but for the UFL’s Michigan Panthers. That helped him get the attention of the Lions by kicking a 64-yard field goal that was negated by a timeout, then making it again.

After a season where Campbell didn’t trust his kickers in big moments, Bates has become a significant part of Detroit’s record-setting start.

Stock down

Jameson Williams had 12 combined receptions and rushing attempts for 228 yards in Detroit’s first two games, making everyone think he had finally arrived as the big-play threat the Lions needed so badly. However, he’s only gotten 12 combined receptions and rushing attempts in the next seven games for 218 yards, including one catch for minus-4 yards on Oct. 20 in Minnesota, followed by his two-game suspension for violating the league’s performance-enhancing substances policy.

He did have three catches for 53 yards against Houston, but the Lions need him to regain his September form.

Injury report

TE Sam LaPorta left Sunday’s game with a shoulder injury, but Campbell doesn’t think it will be a long-term problem. OT Taylor Decker missed the game with a shoulder injury. Campbell said he is hopeful both could return Sunday against Jacksonville.

Key number

5 — the number of wins the Lions got in a five-game stretch that included road games in Dallas, Minnesota, Green Bay and Houston. Their only home game was a victory over Tennessee.

Up next

Clean up the turnovers and stay focused on the Jaguars (2-8).

HOUSTON (AP) — Jake Bates made a 52-yard field goal as time expired, and the Detroit Lions overcame a career-high five interceptions by Jared Goff to rally for a 26-23 win over the Houston Texans on Sunday night.

The Lions improved to 8-1 for the first time since 1954 with their seventh straight victory overall and fifth in a row on the road.

Detroit trailed 23-7 at halftime after Goff threw three interceptions in the first two quarters, and he threw two more picks in the third. Nonetheless, the Lions scored 16 straight points to tie it with about five minutes to go on Bates’ 58-yard field goal.

The Texans (6-4) had a chance to take the lead with just under two minutes left, but Ka’imi Fairbairn’s 58-yard try was wide left.

The Lions became the first team to win when throwing five or more interceptions since Atlanta beat Arizona 23-19 on Nov. 18, 2012, when Matt Ryan was picked off five times.

David Montgomery ran for 3-yard touchdown early in the third, but his run on the 2-point conversion try was stopped, leaving the Lions down 23-13. A 9-yard TD reception by Amon-Ra St. Brown got Detroit within 23-20 early in the fourth quarter.

Goff threw for 240 yards and two touchdowns and Jahmyr Gibbs ran for 71 yards.

C.J. Stroud threw for 232 yards and a touchdown, but he threw two interceptions in the second half as the Texans were shut out after the break to lose for the third time in four games.

Goff’s five picks were the most by an NFL player since Jameis Winston threw five on Oct. 13, 2019, for Tampa Bay against Carolina.

Goff hadn’t thrown an interception in five games and entered Sunday with just four all season. His previous career high was four in a loss to Chicago while with the Rams on Dec. 9, 2018.

Rookie Kamari Lassiter led the Texans with two interceptions as they set a franchise record for picks.

Jimmie Ward intercepted Goff on Detroit’s first drive on a ball that was tipped by Jalen Pitre to give Houston the ball at the Detroit 33. The Texans made it 7-0 when Joe Mixon ran 8 yards for a touchdown.

A 34-yard field goal by Fairbairn extended the lead to 10-0 with about two minutes remaining in the first quarter. Detroit cut the lead to 10-7 on a 20-yard touchdown reception by Sam LaPorta.

The Texans were up by 6 when Denico Autry hit Goff’s arm as he threw and the ball fell into the hands of Henry To’oTo’o to give Houston possession at the Detroit 36.

But the Texans couldn’t move the ball after that and settled for Fairbairn’s 29-yard field goal that made it 16-7 with about four minutes left in the first half.

Houston extended the lead to 23-7 when Stroud found John Metchie III for a 15-yard touchdown with 16 seconds left in the second quarter. It was the first career touchdown for Metchie, who missed his entire rookie season in 2022 undergoing treatment for leukemia.

Goff threw his third interception when Lassiter picked off his desperation throw on the last play of the first half.

Davis intercepted Stroud on the first play of the second half. But Lassiter grabbed his second interception of the game three plays later.

After Montgomery’s touchdown, Detroit’s Carlton Davis III leapt in front of Tank Dell in the end zone for his second interception. Goff threw his fifth pick two plays later, but the Texans couldn’t capitalize and were forced to punt.

Takeaways as Jared Goff throws 5 INTs, Lions battle to beat Texans, 26-23

Injuries

Texans: DE Will Anderson Jr. missed the game with an ankle injury. … WR Nico Collins didn’t play after being activated from injured reserve Saturday. … Lassiter left in the third quarter with a concussion.

Up next

Lions: Host Jacksonville next Sunday.

Texans: Visit Dallas on Monday, Nov. 18.

— By KRISTIE RIEKEN, Associated Press

Photo gallery from the Lions’ come-from-behind, 26-23 win over Houston on Sunday Night Football

The Detroit Lions have been able play complementary football the past several weeks.

Heading on the road, it was paramount for Dan Campbell’s squad to be on its game, as there has been increased chatter this week about the team’s potential to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl.

“It goes down to that every week. First of all, don’t beat yourself,” Campbell told Fox 2 Gameday Live. “Make that opponent earn everything they get. And then, your best foot forward. How do we get a little bit better and improve against an opponent who really plays the game a lot like we do? So, this is gonna be an excellent battle.”

Lions fans again traveled well to Houston to observe one of the top teams in the NFC. With several players and coaches having ties to the area, playing well and executing were even more paramount.

Detroit did not play its best brand of football, as turnovers mounted and Houston took advantage early of a defense that did not have its new defensive end, Za’Darius Smith, in the lineup.

After 60 minutes of action, the Lions battled and left NRG Stadium with their eighth victory of the season, extending their winning streak to seven games.

Here are several takeaways from the Lions’ 26-23 victory against the Texans:

 

Texans in passing lanes early, force interception

After winning the opening coin toss, Detroit elected to receive the football to start the game.

Jared Goff, who has been efficient and playing his best football over the course of several weeks, was picked off by safety Jimmie Ward on a pass intended for running back Jahmyr Gibbs. Safety Jalen Pitre was able to deflect the pass that resulted in the early turnover.

It was Goff’s first interception since September, giving the Texans prime field position.

After starting on the Lions’ 33-yard line, C.J. Stroud led the Texans on an eight-play drive that culminated in a Joe Mixon 8-yard touchdown rush. It gave his team an early 7-0 lead.

The Texans forced another interception in the second quarter, when pressure impacted Goff’s ability to release the football quickly. Goff’s pass intended for LaPorta was picked off by linebacker Henry To’oTo’o.

First quarter does not go Lions way

It was an uncharacteristically rough start for Campbell’s squad in the first quarter.

After going three-and-out on its second offensive possession, punter Jack Fox did not deliver one of his better punts, only netting 40 yards.

The Texans were able to gash Aaron Glenn’s defense on their second offensive possession. Without Za’Darius Smith, Stroud was able to evade pressure, and find Mixon for a 36-yard gain.

An offensive holding penalty derailed the Texans’ drive, as they took a 10-0 lead into the second quarter.

Jameson Williams sparks offense

Returning from a two-game suspension, the speedy wideout helped to spark Detroit’s offense.

Early in the game, Houston’s defense was swarming to the football and making life difficulty for Goff and Co. An early deep try in the first quarter to Williams fell incomplete.

However, Williams was able to make his presence felt on the following series with a pair of long third-down connections with Goff. The first came on a bobble that he held onto for 23 yards on third-and-16, with the second being a 13-yard gain on third-and-6.

The veteran quarterback was able to lead Detroit on a 11-play, 70-yard scoring drive that was capped off by a 20-yard touchdown toss to tight end Sam LaPorta.

Run game struggles in first half

The Lions’ offense struggled for much of the first half to find a rhythm. For a team that prides itself on being able to run the ball effectively, their normally potent run game was nowhere to be found.

Jahmyr Gibbs managed just 15 yards on six carries, while David Montgomery had four carries for six yards. As a result, the Lions were made one-dimensional. With the Texans getting pressure against the Lions’ offensive line, many of Goff’s passes were hurried or off-target.

The Lions were without Taylor Decker, and his absence was felt as the likes of Danielle Hunter and Denico Autry were able to put heat on Goff throughout the game.

While the Lions’ defense managed to hold the Texans to field goals on three consecutive possessions, the offense failed to generate momentum and went three-and-out on back-to-back drives. The defense cracked on Houston’s final drive of the half as Stroud hit John Metchie for a touchdown to put Houston up 23-7 going into the break.

Jake Bates makes 52-yarder at buzzer, Lions overcome Jared Goff’s 5 INTs to rally past Texans 26-23

Chance for momentum thwarted by another Goff interception

Goff had his most turnovers of the 2024 season against DeMeco Ryan's defense.

In a moment that will be remembered fondly, since most interviews conducted by coaches at halftime and at the start of the third-quarter are filled with cliches, Campbell's message of needing turnovers was timed perfectly, as cornerback Carlton Davis opened the third quarter intercepting Stroud when the interviewed aired.

Unfortunately, Detroit's offense could not capitalize, as Goff threw his fourth interception of the ballgame and the second to cornerback Kamari Lassiter.

After a touchdown on their following possession, Goff was picked off for the fifth time on a deep pass intended for Jameson Williams.

The veteran cornerback was able to intercept Stroud again in the third quarter, which were the first two interceptions by Lions cornerbacks this season.

Photo gallery from the Lions’ come-from-behind, 26-23 win over Houston on Sunday Night Football

LaPorta sets up score

Tight end Sam LaPorta has had a quiet first half of the season, but found his groove against the Texans.

He scored the team's first touchdown on a well-schemed play-action pass, then helped set up the team's third-quarter touchdown with a 37-yard catch. His score came at a big point in the game, as he cut the Texans' lead to 10-7.

However, LaPorta suffered a shoulder injury on the third-quarter catch, and was ruled questionable to return.

Detroit's offense was able to scratch and claw its way back to tie the game at 23 in the fourth quarter. Jake Bates was able to connect on a 58-yard field goal to tie the game, giving Detroit's defense a chance to force a stop.

Stroud was unable to lead his team on a game-winning drive late in the fourth quarter, as kicker Ka'imi Fairbairn missed a 58-yard field goal.

Detroit capitalized on the field position, and moved the football in position to set up Bates for the 52-yard, game-winning kick.

This article was produced by the staff at Detroit Lions On SI. For more, visit si.com/nfl/lions

Despite five interceptions thrown by quarterback Jared Goff, the Lions defense created the turnovers the Lions needed, holding the Texans scoreless in the second half to set up Jake Bates’ game-winning field goal in the final seconds of a 26-23 victory on Sunday Night Football.

Here are the sights from Sunday’s game:

Takeaways as Jared Goff throws 5 INTs, Lions battle to beat Texans, 26-23

Jake Bates makes 52-yarder at buzzer, Lions overcome Jared Goff’s 5 INTs to rally past Texans 26-23

 

The debut of new Detroit Lions defensive end Za’Darius Smith is likely on hold.

After joining his new squad Friday, the team has reportedly decided not to play the veteran against the Houston Texans.

According to the NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, “Lions new pass-rusher Za’Darius Smith, who was acquired in a trade on Tuesday, is not expected to play for Detroit tonight, I’m told. Not quite ready.”

The 32-year-old was set to be on his bye week, but ended up in Motown at the trade deadline.

This week, Smith took a couple of days to visit property in Florida to assess damage from the hurricane and to get things in order. He expressed gratitude to reporters that the organization allowed him some time off.

During his initial media session with reporters, Smith did express a desire to suit up on Sunday Night Football.

Next week, Detroit plays against the Jacksonville Jaguars at home.

 

Wearing No. 99 in Detroit

In order to wear No. 99 in Detroit, Smith had to cough up some money to Brodric Martin.

“They was like, ‘Man, you got three options.’ You can get any number in the 70s, any numbers in the 80s, and I think it was 60s,” said Smith. “And I was like, ‘No way.’ I was like, ‘Who have No. 99?’ And they told me who it was.

“And, we looked his number up and called him real quick,. Thankful to him, a guy from Alabama, man – Tuscaloosa — had a chance to talk to him for a little while, and I had to pay up a little bit. But, all is well. I got No. 99 now.”

While Smith did not give up the exact value, he indicated it was a number that ended with three zeroes.

This article was produced by the staff at Detroit Lions On SI. For more, visit si.com/nfl/lions

HOUSTON (AP) — Jared Goff is aware that many around the NFL are high on the Detroit Lions as they bring a six-game winning streak into Sunday’s prime-time matchup with the Houston Texans.

And that doesn’t matter one bit to the veteran quarterback.

“Who cares (about) who thinks we’re any good right now?” Goff said. “It doesn’t matter. You’re just trying to find a way to stack W’s and I think you get caught up in sometimes not only the bad stuff but the good stuff at times.

“It can be dangerous.”

At 7-1, the NFC North-leading Lions are off to their best start since 1956 and their winning streak is their longest since 1995.

Now they’ll face a Houston team, which leads the AFC South, but is trying to regroup after a disappointing loss to the New York Jets last week.

Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud is also ignoring what outsiders are saying about his team this week after Houston was roundly criticized for its subpar performance against the Jets.

“We are a really good football team,” Stroud said. “There is no time to hang our heads down. It ain’t that bad. We are going to figure it out, for sure.”

The main thing the Texans (6-3) need to solve is how to better protect Stroud after he was sacked a season-high eight times by the Jets. Stroud has been sacked 30 times this season, which is second-most in the league behind Cleveland’s Deshaun Watson, who is out for the season.

Coach DeMeco Ryans wouldn’t provide any details on how they hope to fix the problem. But he believes they have the right players in place and that they simply need to perform better as a group.

“For us, we just have to go out and execute our offense the right way,” he said.

Houston’s offense could get a huge boost this week with star receiver Nico Collins eligible to come off the injured reserve list after missing the last four games with a hamstring injury.

Ryans said Collins is “doing good,” but wouldn’t say if he’ll play. His return would certainly help take some of the pressure off Stroud after he relied almost entirely on Tank Dell last week in the first game since Stefon Diggs’ season-ending knee injury.

Collins remains Houston’s leading receiver with 567 yards and eight touchdowns despite his extended absence.

The Lions are also looking forward to the return of one of their top receivers, with Jameson Williams back after serving a two-game suspension for violating the league’s performance-enhancing substance policy. He ranks second on the team with 361 yards receiving.

“He’s a weapon and we know that and teams around the league know that,” Goff said. “So, he’s a guy that they’ll certainly be planning for and will help us in a ton of ways, not just catching the ball but with blocking and all the other stuff that he can do.”

Never that player

The Lions acquired defensive end Ze’Darius Smith in a trade with the Cleveland Browns this week to help make up for the loss of star Aidan Hutchinson who’s out for the season.

But Detroit coach Dan Campbell isn’t thinking of Smith, a three-time Pro Bowler, as the one player who can put the Lions over the top because in the NFL, the odds are too high for an injury.

He also joked it was never pressure he dealt with as a player.

“I’m sure you want to know if I was ever a team’s ‘one player away,’ and the answer is absolutely not,” the former tight end said.

Mixon’s impact

Running back Joe Mixon’s impact on the field in his first year in Houston after a trade from Cincinnati has been clear as he has boosted a running game that struggled for years.

He has rushed for at least 100 yards and a touchdown in four straight games since returning from an ankle injury and ranks third in the NFL by averaging 101.5 yards rushing a game.

But perhaps just as important as his play has been the leadership and accountability he has provided.

“One thing I love about Joe is Joe will call you out,” Stroud said. “Joe will call me out, Joe will call his linemen out, Joe will call coaches out, he doesn’t care. Ultimately, that is what you want because at the end of the day we all came here for one common goal and that is to win.”

Like looking in a mirror

Campbell acknowledged he sees a lot of the same traits in his Lions and Ryan’s Texans.

“They’ve got a lot of young players that they’ve hit on, and it’s funny, because most of those players are the same kind of players that we rely on, so I do think there are a lot of similarities,” Campbell said. “You can see how hard they play, they’ve drafted well, and DeMeco has done a hell of a job.”

— By KRISTIE RIEKEN, Associated Press

DETROIT (AP) — The Detroit Lions didn’t acquire Za’Darius Smith to win just any game.

They got him to win a Super Bowl.

That’s why, in an unusual move, they welcomed their new defensive end to town by sending him home. Smith won’t report to the Lions until Friday and coach Dan Campbell isn’t sure if he will play on Sunday night against the Houston Texans.

“He’s been in the league for a while and (the Browns) were actually going on their bye this week,” Campbell said Wednesday. “He got the call from us, everything got done, and now we will let him do what he needs to do, get refreshed and get back here on Friday.”

Of course, it helps that Smith knows what he’s going to be doing for the Lions defense — rushing the passer. That’s the reason the Lions gave up a fifth-round pick in 2025 and swapped a 2026 sixth-round choice for one in the seventh.

“It is hard, especially during the season, to get someone who can rush the passer,” Campbell said. “Teams don’t want to give those guys up, which is smart.”

The obvious reason for going after Smith was losing star pass rusher Aidan Hutchinson to a broken left leg in mid-October. Hutchinson is still tied for fifth place in the league with 7 1/2 sacks and tied for second with 17 quarterback hits, even though he has played four fewer games.

If that were the only injury, though, the Lions would have tried to replace his production with the players they already have. The issue is that their other starting defensive end, Marcus Davenport, is out for the season with an arm injury and linebacker Derrick Barnes and defensive end John Cominsky are on injured reserve with knee injuries. Defensive end Josh Paschal, who dealt with cancer during his college career, has missed the past two games after having a benign growth removed.

“We got hit in one position — we really lost our starters and our depth,” Campbell said. “That’s why we wanted to try to add someone, but it is tough at that position. It isn’t like getting a receiver or a running back.”

Paschal is expected to return against the Texans, and Campbell thinks there is a good chance Smith will get some snaps.

“We’ll see how many packages and how much of the playbook we can give to him, but we will certainly have a place to use him,” he said. “We’ll just see how it looks when he gets here on Friday.”

The Lions will also get wide receiver Jameson Williams back after his two-game suspension.

“I’ve learned to be smarter and move smarter in certain situations,” he said. “It’s big to know how much faith Coach has in me.”

— By DAVE HOGG, Associated Press

ALLEN PARK — After enduring a run of several critical injuries to the team’s defense, the Detroit Lions had a positive injury update to begin Week 10.

Lions head coach Dan Campbell on Wednesday said the team is starting the 21-day acclimation windows for cornerback Emmanuel Moseley (pec) and safety Ifeatu Melifonwu (ankle/Achilles).

The Moseley news comes as a bit of a surprise, as it doesn’t seem that long ago that the 28-year-old veteran suffered a torn pec. Moseley was placed on injured reserve during joint practices with the New York Giants in early August.

Campbell said at the time of the injury that he expected Moseley to return at some point in the season, but it could be argued his return is a bit ahead of schedule. It’s possible the Lions will have him back by Week 13.

Campbell provided a handful of other injury updates yesterday, noting that defensive end Josh Paschal (illness) should be available to play this Sunday against the Houston Texans after missing the last two games.

Linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin, who briefly left Sunday’s win against the Green Bay Packers with a shoulder injury but returned a few plays later, “really didn’t do anything today,” Campbell said. Campbell said linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez, who was knocked out of Detroit’s Week 8 win against the Tennessee Titans, “is better.”

“We’ll have to see what he looks like tomorrow, if he’s able to go out there and practice,” Campbell said.

For both Melifonwu and Moseley, the Lions have until Nov. 27 — one day before the team’s Thanksgiving Day showdown against the Chicago Bears — to decide whether to activate them or place them on season-ending injured reserve.

Melifonwu was one of Detroit’s best playmakers down the stretch last season but has yet to see the field in 2024. He aggravated an injury during the team’s Week 2 preseason game against the Kansas City Chiefs and has not returned to action.

Moseley, meanwhile, was forced all but two plays of his first season in a Lions uniform. Back in 2022, he tore an ACL that ended his tenure with the San Francisco 49ers.

After signing with the Lions in 2023 free agency and working his way back for a Week 5 debut, Moseley tore his other ACL on his second play. He completed his rehab a bit sooner the second time around and was competing with veteran Amik Robertston for a role as the team’s nickel corner in training camp before suffering yet another devastating injury.

Moseley and Melifonwu join another defender, second-year defensive tackle Brodric Martin, as players who have had their 21-day practice clocks started.

Martin was knocked out of the team’s preseason finale against the Pittsburgh Steelers with a knee injury and had his acclimation window started last Wednesday.

Za’Darius Smith got his wish, and the Lions got their edge rusher.

Detroit added the three-time Pro-Bowl defensive lineman on Tuesday from the Cleveland Browns in a swap that included a 2025 5th-round pick and a 2026 6th-round pick going back to Cleveland, according to reports by ESPN’s Adam Schefter and NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. The Lions will also receive a 2026 7th-round pick in the deal.

Smith, 32, is in his 10th NFL season and is a crucial add ahead of Tuesday’s NFL trade deadline, as the Lions try to replace some of the production lost when Aidan Hutchinson and Marcus Davenport went down due to season-ending injuries.

Smith has five sacks and 22 tackles with 24 pressures over nine games this season for a Cleveland team that is off to a 2-7 start and is already looking ahead to next season. In March, Smith signed a two-year, $23 million extension with the Browns that will now put him under contract in Detroit through the end of the 2025 season.

He recently opened up to The Chronicle-Telegram about his interest in being the Lions’ solution at edge rusher. Part of the appeal would be competing against his former clubs and Detroit’s NFC North foes, the Minnesota Vikings and Green Bay Packers, multiple times per year.

“If I was to go to Detroit, I would like it because I get to play Green Bay twice a year and the Vikings twice a year. So, yeah, that’ll be big,” Smith told The Chronicle-Telegram.

Smith already missed one of Detroit’s contests against Minnesota, where he spent one Pro Bowl season in 2022. He just missed the Lions’ win on Sunday at Lambeau Field against Green Bay, where he went to two Pro Bowls and had one second-team All-Pro honor over three seasons (2019-21) — the last of which was ended after one game due to a back injury.

The Lions will host the Packers in Week 14 and the Vikings in Week 18.

The Baltimore Ravens selected Smith out of Kentucky in the fourth round of the 2015 NFL Draft. He spent four years with Baltimore before turning into one of the league’s premier players at his position with Green Bay in 2019 (13½ sacks) and 2020 (12½).

Smith returned from his back injury on a one-year deal with the Vikings in 2022 and recorded 10 sacks. He had 5½ sacks last season, his first in Cleveland.

With Josh Paschal (illness) missing from the lineup in the last two games, Detroit relied heavily on Al-Quadin Muhammad, a practice-squad player who was elevated for the first time this year. He impressed in his season debut, totaling six pressures, but the Lions clearly need more proven, reliable talent as they look to uphold their Super Bowl aspirations in the back half of the season amid a 7-1 start.

Smith’s run defense is not as renowned as his pass rushing, but he’s been plenty involved in both phases during his career; 104 of his 295 defensive snaps (35.3%) this season have come on run plays.

The first domino in the edge-rusher trade market fell last week, when the New England Patriots traded former Michigan defender Josh Uche to the Kansas City Chiefs for a 2026 sixth-round pick.

As much as the Lions might believe in their back-end depth guys, they’re still one or two injuries away from being in another crisis. Early-season injury woes have proven just how quickly things can change.

It’s still unclear whether Lions general manager Brad Holmes is satisfied with his haul or if there’s more to come before the closing bell rings.

The Detroit Lions are firmly in the middle of the NFL trade rumor mill.

With the trade deadline just days away on Nov. 5, the Lions are viewed as a team that is in the market for a pass rusher after season-ending injuries to Aidan Hutchinson and Marcus Davenport.

Since the injury to Hutchinson in Week 6, the Lions’ pass rush has struggled severely, and the defensive line specifically has not recorded a sack in the last two games.

As a result, the Lions are expected to look for help on the trade market. Speaking on ESPN’s ‘Get Up’ Thursday, NFL insider Adam Schefter explained that he expects the Lions to add help. Two candidates, Cleveland’s Za’Darius Smith and the New York Giant’s Azeez Ojulari, are viewed as top options at this time.

“Yes, I do think you’re gonna see that. You saw Dan Campbell get all fired up, he looked like the cat who ate the canary,” Schefter said. “They don’t have a deal done yet, but there are a couple of pass rushers out there right now. Za’Darius Smith, Azeez Ojulari in New York. There are a couple of guys that make a lot of sense for the Lions. If you are this close and this good, why are you not willing to part with some mid-round pick to get in some type of reinforcement to hold down the fort until Aidan Hutchinson can make it back for the Super Bowl if you make it that far.”

ESPN had previously reported that the market for acquiring Smith from the Browns amongst teams is set at a fourth-round pick. The 32-year-old is having a solid season in Cleveland, with five sacks in the team’s first seven games.

“He is a hot name right now,” said ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. “The Detroit Lions desparately need a pass rusher after injuries, they could be in the mix here. Teams I’ve talked to believe that the Browns want a really good day three pick for Smith, so a fourth-rounder or so would probably get it done. But I’m told the Browns are also open to keeping him, too.”

Smith has experience playing in the NFC North and has stated he would welcome a trade to the Lions, as it would give him the opportunity to play former teams Green Bay and Minnesota twice a year.

Ojulari, meanwhile, is in the final year of his rookie contract with the Giants. He has six sacks this season, including five in his last three games.

The Lions have been linked to a pair of marquee pass rushers in Las Vegas’ Maxx Crosby and Cleveland’s Myles Garrett. However, given their statuses with their respective teams as cornerstone players, they are not expected to be dealt.

“How many times do we have to tell you that the Raiders are not trading Maxx Crosby and the Browns are not trading Myles Garrett,” Schefter said. “They’re not trading these guys. Teams are not in the market to give away the heart and soul of their teams.”

This article was produced by the staff at Detroit Lions On SI. For more, visit si.com/nfl/lions

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