The Detroit Lions rallied from a 16-point halftime deficit to secure their seventh straight win and improve to 8-1 on the 2024 season.

After trailing for most of the game, the Lions scored 19 unanswered points in the second half to emerge victorious against a high-powered Houston Texans team. Detroit won 26–23 on a Jake Bates 52-yard field goal as time expired.

Here are the grades for each position group based on performance in Sunday’s game.

Quarter: D-

Jared Goff had a forgettable performance in Sunday’s game as he threw five interceptions in a game for the first time in his career. Entering the game with just four on the season and not throwing one since Week 3, it was an unusual feat for a player who had been playing at an MVP level.

He threw three in the first half, including one on the first drive that was the result of a fumble by cornerback Jalen Pitre. His second came when he was tackled from behind and the ball was thrown loose, and his third was a Hail Mary attempt on the final play of the first half.

The struggles didn’t go away in the third quarter, he threw a pick near the goal line on the team’s first drive and later missed a deep ball that was scooped up by Calen Bullock.

Still, Goff had good moments, such as touchdown passes to Sam LaPorta and Amon-Ra St. Brown. He also kicked a crucial three-pointer for St. Brown, which forced Houston to use the last timeout.

runners: B

For much of the first half, lionsThe running game was non-existent. This has forced them to become one-dimensional, which has been the cause of some offensive struggles this season.

Late in the game, however, it became apparent that Jahmyr Gibbs was finding his stride. Although Gibbs was held under five yards per carry for the first time since the season opener, he had several big runs late in the game.

Gibbs also contributed as a receiver with two catches for 37 yards, while David Montgomery also added a 24-yard catch. Montgomery he finished with 12 carries for 32 yards, including a 3-yard score in the third quarter, but was stopped on the ensuing two-point conversion attempt.

Wide receivers: B+

Jameson Williams made a big impact early in the game with a pair of critical third-down conversions on Detroit’s first touchdown drive. His first was a 23-yard catch that was fumbled and secured, while his second was a 13-yard catch to move the chains.

Williams finished with three catches for 53 yards. Amon-Ra St. Brown caught a touchdown for the seventh straight game and finished with six catches for 60 yards. One of those catches was a nifty flip pass on the game’s first third down, and another was the game-sealing one down the stretch.

St. Brown also threw a nice block down low on a 20-yard curveball Gibbs in the fourth quarter. He and St. The Browns were the only receivers to catch a pass as Tim Patrick had one target and no receptions.

Tight ends: B+

Sam LaPorta produced a season-high 66 receiving yards on three catches, including a 20-yard touchdown to put the Lions on the board in the second quarter. He also had a 37-yard punt in the third quarter to set up Montgomery’s touchdown run.

However, it turned sour when he suffered a shoulder injury and did not return to the game. LaPorta’s injury is not expected to be serious, but Campbell indicated he could miss the team’s Week 11 game against Jacksonville with what he believed to be a sprain.

Offensive line: C

Without Taylor Decker, the lions chose to use Dan Skipper at left tackle and keep Penei Sewell on the right side. From the start, it was a battle for Detroit’s rush to keep Houston at bay. While Goff wasn’t sacked in Sunday’s game, many of his kickoffs were rushed.

In the second half, the effort was much better. Sewell had several key blocks to cap his Gibbs runs, including a well-executed pull to the outside on a wide run and a pancake that allowed the running back to cut back for a nice gain.

The line definitely missed the starting left tackle. With Skipper starting, newly signed veteran Jamarco Jones it was used as a swing device in jumbo packages.

MORE: Studs and Duds: Bates’ Booming Kicks Seal Comeback Win

Defensive Line: A-

Sunday marked the best performance from the defensive line since Aidan Hutchinson’s injury in Week 6. The unit produced four sacks, as Pat O’Connor, James HoustonJosh Paschal and Alim McNeill each homered for CJ Stroud.

It was the best performances of the year from O’Connor and Houston. Although O’Connor only played in the service, he made a tackle for loss on a reverse that was blown up by fellow defensive tackle Al-Quadin Muhammad. Houston, meanwhile, had a sack in the red zone after initially dropping into coverage.

Pascal and McNeill each also produced two tackles for loss, and the Texans were held to just 56 yards rushing. It served as a performance more indicative of what the Lions have done early in the season going forward.

Linebackers: B

Alex Anzalone and Jack Campbell both had strong moments. Campbell had a key pass breakup in the fourth quarter along with seven tackles, while Anzalone had five.

Trevor Nowaske he settled into the third linebacker role with Malcolm Rodriguez being out again and finished with two tackles. Tight end Dalton Schultz had a pair of big receptions against the secondary, but the group did a solid job matching the run.

Secondary: B+

It was an early battle for the secondary as Amik Robertson was out of position twice early in the drive and Terrion Arnold committed pass interference in the first quarter and was beaten for a touchdown to John Metchie III. However, a strong effort from Brian Branch helped steady the ship.

Branch produced a game-high 10 tackles, two passes defended and a quarterback hit. His second break came in a huge moment, leading to a punt followed by Detroit’s field goal. Carlton Davis also recorded two key interceptions, marking the first multi-interception game of his career.

Special teams: B+

Jake Bates once again played hero for lionshitting the game-winner from 52 yards as time expired. Both field goals came from over 50 yards out, including a 58-yard boot to tie the game. Each shot went wide of the post.

Jack Fox’s first punt went just 40 yards and scored 22 on an 18-yard return. Steven Sims averaged 14.3 yards per return for the Texans against a normally solid coverage unit.

For Detroit, Caliph Raymond had three punt returns for 15 total yards.

Coaching: B

Early turnovers put both offense and defense at a disadvantage. While the offense did not find its rhythm, the defense was constantly put in difficult positions.

Offensive coordinator Ben JohnsonHis game plan looked more pass-heavy on first downs than normal, which may have contributed to some of the struggles in the run game. However, the offense found enough to be effective when it was needed most.

Defensively, Aaron Glenn’s pack folded, but forced three massive first-half field goals, limiting the damage caused by turnovers. They shut out Houston’s high-powered offense in the second half as part of an inspired performance.

Overall, Dan Campbell’s group proved once again to be exactly what he hoped it would be from a cultural perspective. The lions they were relentless in their comeback and pulled an impressive road win from the jaws of defeat.

The mark of a great team is being able to win when things aren’t going well, and that’s exactly what Detroit did on Sunday.