Texans rout Lions
“My focus every day is on the guys in that locker room and working as hard as I can to help them be successful,” he said.
The Lions retained Patricia and Quinn for this season and ownership said there was an expectation they contend for the playoffs by playing in meaningful games in December. And, that seems highly unlikely.
Detroit quarterback Matthew Stafford said the scrutiny on Patricia has not appeared to affect him.
“He’s the same guy every day,” Stafford said. “The guy comes to work, grinds, and wants to win like all of us. He’s a passionate coach, who loves the game. I’ve had a lot of respect with how he’s continued to come to work.”
Detroit, which was coming off its first shutout loss since 2009, scored first before collapsing with turnovers on two straight snaps and three consecutive possessions in the first half. Houston’s defense entered the game with an NFL-low five forced turnovers.
Watt put his hands up on a rush just in time to pick off Stafford’s pass and returned it 19 yards for a touchdown in the first quarter.
“I saw he was going to throw quickly so I stopped rushing and jumped up,” Watt recalled. “It hit me square in the hands.”
On Detroit’s next snap, Jonathan Williams fumbled and Houston took advantage with Watson’s 2-yard touchdown pass to C.J. Prosise to go ahead 13-6.
“Three turnovers early in the game killed the momentum,” Stafford said.
Watson’s 33-yard touchdown pass to Duke Johnson gave the Texans a 20-14 lead early in the second quarter.
Watson’s first touchdown pass to Fuller early in the fourth put Houston ahead 34-17. He connected again with Fuller, who was wide open, with a 34-yard touchdown on a trick play after handing the ball off and getting it back on a lateral.
Stafford was 28 of 42 for 295 yards with a 14-yard touchdown pass to Mohamed Sanu in the fourth and an interception that Watt returned for a score. Detroit’s Adrian Peterson had a pair of 1-yard touchdown runs in the first half — and tried to take some blame off Patricia for the latest loss.
“It has nothing to do with the head coach,” Peterson said.