The defensive line answers Dan Campbell’s challenge in Sunday Night Football’s victory over the Texans

Detroit’s defensive line accounted for four sacks – McNeill (1), Josh Paschal (1), Pat O’Connor (1) and James Houston (1) – while the Lions hit Stroud seven times and had nine tackles for loss in a 26-23 game Victory. It was only the fourth game since at least 1994 that a Detroit defense had at least nine tackles for a loss, four sacks and two interceptions.

McNeill said after the game that the defensive line took their head coach’s challenge to heart.

“We did our best to live up to it and make an impact in the game,” he said. “Do what you’re supposed to do and make plays. There is no secret recipe. I feel like there were just some things in the first half that didn’t go our way. We played defensively, but some things didn’t happen.” . In the end everything worked out for us, it’s how you finish and not how you start that matters.”

It was a great game on defense and that front will be bolstered with veteran Za’Darius Smith, who is expected to make his Lions debut next week when Detroit takes on Jacksonville at Ford Field.