Detroit Lions vs Houston Texans Match Player Stats (Aug 23, 2025)

Houston beat Detroit 26-7 at Ford Field on August 23, 2025. Graham Mertz completed 14 of 16 passes for 145 yards and a touchdown after throwing three interceptions in his debut. Kyle Allen went 5-for-5 with 66 yards and a touchdown, confirming what most already knew about Detroit’s backup quarterback situation. Isaac TeSlaa caught his third consecutive preseason touchdown with 2 receptions for 41 yards.

Three days before roster cuts, this game answered questions.

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The Final Numbers

Houston ran 71 plays. Detroit ran 36.

That possession gap came from third down conversions. Houston went 9 for 12. Detroit converted once in seven attempts. When you can’t stay on the field, you can’t score.

Allen vs Hooker: No Contest

Kyle Allen played two series. Hendon Hooker played the rest.

Allen didn’t throw an incompletion. His 33-yard touchdown pass to Isaac TeSlaa down the right sideline came on a perfectly timed throw. Two drives, one score, done.

For the preseason: 35 of 44 (79.5%), five touchdowns, two interceptions. The 29-year-old veteran took care of the football and ran the offense without turning it over.

Hooker struggled. Six completions, zero touchdowns, one interception, two sacks.

Here’s the number that matters: Across four preseason games, Hooker never led a touchdown drive. Not one.

Dan Campbell after the game: “It’s good to see Kyle really take it to where he’s gone. Feel very comfortable with him.”

On Hooker: “Look, I wish Hooker…would’ve had a better outing, but you have to take it with a grain of salt. It’s not like he was playing with our first O-Line out there.”

The context matters. The gap still existed. Allen took care of the football. Hooker turned it over and got sacked twice.

Mertz’s Redemption Game

Three interceptions in his first preseason game. Brutal NFL introduction.

Fourteen completions on 16 attempts. An 87.5% completion rate. His touchdown pass went to Quintez Cephus from 6 yards out. Three consecutive scoring drives before halftime gave Houston a 16-7 lead.

Mertz went down once for seven yards. Hooker was sacked twice for 15 yards. The difference shows in their completion percentages: Mertz at 87.5%, Hooker at 54.5%.

DeMeco Ryans praised his sixth-round pick: “Really proud of Graham with the way he got in and really commanded the offense.”

That performance forced a decision. Houston had to determine whether Mertz earned a spot on the 53-man roster or if they’d risk losing him to waivers.

Slovis added a 3-yard touchdown pass to Daniel Jackson in the fourth quarter.

Running Game By The Numbers

Houston: 38 carries, 150 yards, 3.9 average Detroit: 17 carries, 72 yards, 4.2 average

The attempts matter more than the average. Houston ran the ball 38 times, which kept their offense on schedule and their defense rested. Detroit couldn’t establish anything with just 17 carries.

Nothing spectacular. Four yards here, five there. Woody Marks scored from 9 yards out in the second quarter to give Houston their first lead at 10-7.

With Hooker unable to convert third downs, Detroit’s offense became predictable. Houston’s defense knew pass was coming.

Receiving Statistics

Quintez Cephus had his best preseason game against his old team. Four catches, 51 yards, and the touchdown catch from Mertz.

Cornell Powell caught six passes. He moved the chains on third downs, which matters more than his yardage total.

TeSlaa finished the preseason with 10 catches, 146 yards, and three touchdowns across four games. The Arkansas product had just 28 catches in his final college season, but Detroit saw the 6-foot-4, 4.4-speed tools and drafted him in the third round.

Looks like a smart pick. The 33-yard touchdown against Houston came when he beat his man down the sideline and Allen hit him in stride.

Dan Campbell confirmed what everyone knew: “There’s a place for him to help us early in this season.”

Jackson Meeks and Dominic Lovett didn’t catch a pass in the finale. Pro Football Focus gave Meeks a 90.7 grade anyway based on his run blocking. That invisible work might save his practice squad spot.

Defensive Stats

Three different Texans recorded sacks: Tommy Togiai, Arthur Maulet, and Haggai Ndubuisi. Houston pressured Hooker throughout.

Detroit’s tackle leaders:

Strickland recorded nine tackles with eight solo stops. He delivered a massive hit on Harrison Bryant in the third quarter that got Ford Field loud.

Nowaske also had nine tackles. The linebacker made plays sideline to sideline.

Erick Hallett earned the highest defensive PFF grade at 91.1 despite recording five tackles in 44 snaps. His coverage work graded higher than his tackle numbers suggest.

Al-Quadin Muhammad had Detroit’s only sack. Isaac Ukwu earned an 83.3 PFF grade despite zero tackles. Advanced metrics identified pass rush wins that don’t show in the box score.

Special Teams

Ka’imi Fairbairn hit field goals from 53 and 48 yards. His eight points were nearly a third of Houston’s scoring.

Jake Bates converted Detroit’s only extra point.

Grant Stuard returned a kickoff 44 yards. Detroit’s been working with the linebacker on ball security. They’re testing whether his speed translates to the return game.

Third Down Conversions Decided Everything

Houston converted 9 of 12 third downs. Detroit converted 1 of 7.

Those numbers explain the 40-15 to 19-45 possession split. Houston stayed on schedule. Detroit didn’t.

Mertz completing 14 of 16 passes meant Houston rarely faced third-and-long. They stayed ahead of the chains. Detroit faced predictable third-and-long situations with a struggling quarterback who got sacked twice.

Red zone execution compounded things. Houston scored on all four red zone trips (three touchdowns, one field goal). Detroit never reached Houston’s 20-yard line.

The 28-9 first down advantage tells the same story from another angle. When one team triples your first downs, you’re getting dominated.

Roster Decisions Made

Allen earned the backup job weeks ago. This game just confirmed it. Campbell’s postgame comments made it official.

Hooker’s future became uncertain. Zero touchdown passes in four preseason games. Three interceptions. For a 2023 third-round pick, that’s not the development Detroit wanted.

TeSlaa doesn’t need to worry about roster cuts. His size, speed, and three touchdown receptions across three games locked his spot. Campbell saying “there’s a place for him” confirmed it.

Mertz created a genuine decision for Houston. After his terrible debut, the former Wisconsin quarterback responded when it mattered. Houston had to figure out if he’d done enough to make the 53-man roster or if they’d try sliding him to the practice squad.

August 26th was cutdown day. This August 23rd game directly influenced those decisions.

Series History

Houston leads the all-time series 4-2. The teams last played in November 2024, when Detroit won 26-23 at NRG Stadium on a last-second field goal. Houston had won three of four before that.

The regular season begins September 7th. Detroit at Green Bay, Houston at the Rams.

What The Numbers Say

Houston ran 71 plays. Detroit ran 36. That’s a 2-to-1 advantage in offensive opportunities, which explains how Houston piled up 399 yards with backups and reserves.

The first down totals (28-9) illustrated the same dominance. Houston moved the chains. Detroit didn’t.

Penalties were even. Turnovers were even. The difference came from third-down execution and Hooker’s inability to sustain drives.

Kyle Allen answered questions about Detroit’s backup job. Isaac TeSlaa showed he belongs in the NFL. Graham Mertz redeemed his rough start. Hendon Hooker’s NFL future became more uncertain.

The Houston Texans vs Detroit Lions match player stats from August 23, 2025 provided answers both coaching staffs needed before cutting rosters to 53 players.