As training camp nears its end, the Detroit Lions will have one more day of quality work. On Thursday, they welcome the Houston Texans to their facility for a single day of joint practices. While reserves are looking for one of their final opportunities to prove they belong on the 53-man roster, Thursday will likely be more about the starters getting in good work. Joint practices are great for giving starters new looks, new opponents, and a chance to knock off rust in game-like situations.
And the
Texans are a great team to measure up against. Not only was last year’s game between the two one of the wildest of the season, but Houston has pretty high hopes for the 2025 season. They’re the betting favorite to win the AFC South, have a projected win total of 9.5, and are 11th in Super Bowl odds.
They’ve got talent up and down the roster, so today’s Question of the Day is:
What will the best matchups be in Lions vs. Texans joint practices?
My answer: With the Lions secondary continuing to look so great in practice—and not getting a shot at Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle last week against the Dolphins—I’m really looking forward to how the Lions handle C.J. Stroud and the Houston passing offense. Nico Collins, Christian Kirk, and rookie receiver Jayden Higgins aren’t quite as impressive as the Dolphins’ top receivers, but they’re no pushover either. Collins has put up back-to-back 1,000-yard season and Higgins was considered one of the better receivers in this year’s draft class. Detroit’s DBs have gotten accustomed to the like of Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams everyday, so it would be nice to see them shut down another pair of starting receivers—particularly one with a strong quarterback.
On the flip side, the Lions’ receivers vs. Derek Stingley, Kamari Lassiter, and Jalen Pitre should also be a fantastic matchup. Stingley is arguably the best corner in the league and is coming off an All-Pro season, Pitre is a young and strong nickel, and Lassiter is entering Year 2 after a strong rookie outing.
Which matchups are you most interested in seeing/hearing about? Scroll to the comment section at the bottom of the page and let us know!
