Two teams with expectations beyond regular-season statements square off Sunday night when the Detroit Lions visit the Houston Texans.The Lions (7-1) own the best record in the NFC and stand second overall in the NFL behind only the unbeaten Kansas City Chiefs. Houston (6-3) shares the fourth-best mark in the AFC with the Ravens entering Baltimore’s Thursday night matchup with the Cincinnati Bengals.Detroit has ripped off six straight victories and views the Sunday primetime contest as a significant midseason test in the spotlight.”This is one we’re looking forward to,” Lions coach Dan Campbell said. “You respect the brand of football they play with. So this will be a good matchup.”Texans coach DeMeco Ryans used a different message in Houston, telling his charges that one game isn’t more important than any other.But only the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 2 have figured out how to slay the Lions.”This game isn’t more important just because of the Lions and what they’ve done,” Ryans said. “They’ve played good football, of course, credit to those guys. They’re playing well, they’re coached well, but that doesn’t change our mindset, how we approach every week.”It’s still the same every week. Every week — big game. And we’re trying to go out and win this one.”Houston opened the season with five wins in six games but has slumped by losing two of its past three games.The last contest was a clunker as the Texans fell 21-13 to the New York Jets on Halloween. Star quarterback C.J. Stroud was sacked a season-high eight times and completed a campaign-worst 36.7 percent of his throws (11 of 30).Stroud has passed for fewer than 200 yards in three of the past four games after exceeding that mark in each of Houston’s first five contests.”There are things I can get better at, fundamentally wise, for sure,” Stroud said. “Just getting the ball out of my hand and things like that but ultimately, I believe it is just having fun and being joyful while doing it.”
