Detroit (7-1) at Houston (6-3)

Sunday, 8:20 p.m. EST, NBC

BetMGM NFL Odds: Lions by 3 1/2.

Against the spread: Detroit 7-1; Houston 3-5-1.

Series record: Texans lead 4-1.

Last meeting: the Texans beat the Lions 41-25 on November 26, 2020, in Detroit.

Last week: Lions beat Packers 24-14; The Texans lost to the Jets 21-13.

Lions offense: total (7), rush (6), pass (15), score (1).

Lions defense: overall (22), rush (7), pass (29), goal (5).

Texas offense: overall (11), rushing (11), passing (13), scoring (17).

Texan defense: overall (2), rush (12), pass (3), score (14).

Turnover differential: Lions plus-11, Texans plus-4.

Lions player to watch

WR Jameson Williams returns after serving a two-game suspension for violating the league’s performance-enhancing substances policy. The Lions struggled to move the ball down the field in his absence. After averaging 12.6 yards per completion through the first six games of the season, Jared Goff fell to 7.7 yards per completion against Tennessee and Green Bay. Williams is averaging 21.2 yards per catch this season and has been Goff’s only consistent deep option. He ranks second on the team with 361 receiving yards.

Texas player to watch

WR Nico Collins could return this week after missing the last four games after being placed on injured reserve with a hamstring injury. Coach DeMeco Ryans said this week that Collins is “doing well” but would not say whether he would play. If he’s back, it will be a huge boost to a passing game that has struggled in recent weeks without him and with Stefon Diggs out for the season. Collins remains Houston’s leading receiver with 567 yards and eight touchdowns despite his extended absence.

Key match

Goff against the Houston defense. Goff is the first quarterback in league history to complete at least 72 percent of his passes with a passer rating of 105 or higher in six consecutive games. His completion rate (82.8%) and passer rating (140.1) over the last six games are the highest in any six game in NFL history for a player with at least 50 attempts exceeds. He will now face a defense that ranks third in the NFL in allowing just 167.4 passing yards and ranks fourth with 29 sacks.

Key injuries

The Lions started the clock on the return to practice of CB Emmanuel Moseley (pectoral tear) and S Iffy Melifonwu (ankle) in hopes of coming off injured reserve. … DE Josh Paschal is expected to play after missing two games due to health issues. Paschal, who battled cancer in college, had a benign mass removed from his shoulder after an annual exam. … Texans DE Will Anderson Jr. was unable to practice this week after injuring his ankle against the Jets and it is unclear if he will play Sunday. … S Jimmie Ward is expected to return this week after missing five games with a groin injury. … C/G Jarrett Patterson could miss a second straight game after suffering a concussion. … G Kenyon Green will likely be out Sunday after injuring his shoulder last week. … RB Dameon Pierce will likely miss a second straight game with a groin injury. … DE Jerry Hughes returned to practice this week after missing five games with a hip injury.

Series Notes

The Texans have won the last four meetings in the series. …Houston earned a 34-31 overtime victory at Detroit in 2012. …Detroit’s only victory in the series came in a 28-16 victory in the first meeting in 2004.

Statistics and others

Detroit’s 7-1 start is its best start to a season since 1956. … The team’s six-game winning streak is the longest in a season since 1995. … The Lions have won four straight road games. … The Lions have rushed for more than 100 yards in all eight games this season. …Jahmyr Gibbs is on track for 1,394 rushing yards and David Montgomery is on track for 1,037. …Montgomery’s fumble that was returned for a touchdown by the Vikings on Oct. 20 is the only fumble that the Lions lost this season. … Detroit has a 13-1 takeaway ratio over the last five games. … Aidan Hutchinson still leads the Lions in sacks (7 1/2), quarterback hits (17) and tackles for loss (seven) despite missing the last three games. … K Jake Bates made all 12 field goal attempts and 30 of 31 extra points after going 17 of 22 this spring for the UFL’s Michigan Panthers — a team that shares Ford Field with the Lions. … WR Amon-Ra St. Brown has thrown for a touchdown in six straight games, which is the longest active streak in the NFL. … DB Kerby Joseph had his first career interception return for a touchdown last week and is tied for the NFL lead with a career-high six interceptions this season. … DB Brian Branch has three interceptions in four road games this season. … Houston’s offensive line appears to be improving after allowing a game-high eight sacks last week. … Quarterback CJ Stroud is 10-2 with a 105.7 passer rating in 12 career home starts. He has thrown for at least 250 yards in all four home games this season. … Collins has received at least 75 yards in each of his five games this season. … WR Tank Dell had six receptions for a game-high 126 yards last week. … WR Robert Woods had a game-high 44 yards receiving against the Jets. … DE Danielle Hunter has been sacked in three of her last four games. He had two tackles for loss and a sack in his final game against Detroit last season while with Minnesota. … Anderson has had a sack in three of his last four games. He is tied for fourth in the NFL with 7½ sacks this season. … DE Denico Autry had his first two sacks of the season last week. He has three sacks in two games against Detroit. … CB Derek Stingley defended two passes last week and has played at least one game in six in a row. … S Jalen Pitre had 10 tackles, including two for loss and two passes defensed against the Jets.

Fancy tip

Houston RB Joe Mixon could be a good pickup after rushing for at least 100 yards and a touchdown in four straight games since returning from an ankle injury. He ranks third in the NFL with an average of 101.5 rushing yards per game.

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