Key Matchups That Will Determine Whether Lions Beat Texans

Lions' Penei Sewell will have hands full containing Texans EDGE Danielle Hunter.

Detroit Lions offensive tackle Penei Sewell (58) warms up before the Seattle Seahawks game at Ford Field in Detroit on Monday, Sept. 30, 2024. / Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Get your popcorn ready! The Lions are set for a must-see clash with the Houston Texans on Sunday Night Football.  

Detroit is a 3.5-point favorite going into the Week 10 matchup, and should be based on its 7-1 start to the season. However, as the line indicates, it won’t be easy for Dan Campbell’s team against the AFC South-leading Texans (6-3).

If the Texans are able to notch their seventh win of the season on Sunday, their potent pass-rush led by EDGE Danielle Hunter will likely be one of the major reasons why. 

Through nine weeks, the Texans have produced 29 sacks, the fourth-highest total in the league. One of the keys to those efforts has been the play of Hunter. The former Vikings pass-rusher has compiled 5.5 sacks, seven tackles for loss and a team-high 13 QB hits. In addition, for his efforts, he's earned an impressive 81.3 overall mark from Pro Football Focus.

Also, in 14 career games vs. Detroit, he’s produced 13 total sacks. 

For this Week 10 contest, Houston will be without fellow EDGE Will Anderson, who has produced a team-high 7.5 sacks. It makes it even more important for Hunter to get after Lions quarterback Jared Goff Sunday.

Detroit’s offensive line will need to be on its “A game” against Hunter and Houston’s pass-rushing unit. With that said, the onus will be on the Lions’ Taylor Decker-less O-line, especially tackle Penei Sewell, to keep a clean pocket for Goff. 

Predictions: Lions-Texans

Sewell will likely be tasked with going head-to-head with Hunter for a significant amount of reps. The All-Pro offensive tackle should be up for the challenge. Thus far in 2024, he’s logged 253 pass-blocking snaps, and has permitted zero sacks and zero total hits on Goff. Plus, he’s received an 80.0 pass-blocking grade from PFF for his efforts.  

If Sewell and his offensive linemen counterparts are able to give Goff enough time, the veteran signal-caller should be able to continue his stretch of strong play, even against the Texans’ more-than-capable pass defense. 

Through the season’s first nine weeks, Houston has allowed the third-fewest passing yards (1,507). And, key to those efforts, especially in the slot, has been safety Jalen Pitre. The Texans deploy the highest amount of nickel defense in the league, and Pitre has rewarded them with consistent results.

The third-year defensive back has already generated an interception, seven passes defensed and 49 total tackles, including six tackles for loss, in nine games. Additionally, the Baylor product has posted a 77.5 PFF run-defense grade and a 69.3 PFF coverage mark. 

“He’s all over the place,” Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson said of Pitre. “Great cover guy, great run defender. They’ll blitz him. I think he’s kind of a guy that pops off the tape early in the week.” 

It should make for an intriguing one-on-one matchup between Pitre and Lions star slot receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown. St. Brown, who leads Detroit with 48 catches, 464 yards and six receiving touchdowns, has caught a staggering 30 consecutive targets from Goff. 

St. Brown understands that it will be hard to continue that streak against Pitre and Houston’s 14th-ranked defense (22.2 points per game allowed). 

“They get to the quarterback really well. A lot of sacks, negative plays. I think they’re top five in total yards allowed on defense,” the fourth-year receiver said. “They’re a good group, DBs play hard, tackle. Linebackers play hard. The D-line can get after the quarterback, they stop the run. They’re a physical team, they run and hit and with any defense, I feel like, if you’re a team that runs around and flies to the football, you’re gonna be a pretty good defense. Effort is a huge thing on defense, and they show that all over the tape.”

In this Week 10 matchup, I’m willing to predict that St. Brown ends up with six catches for 51 yards and a touchdown against Pitre & Co. Meanwhile, I believe that Hunter will be largely contained by Sewell, but still find a way to land a QB hit on Goff.