On Wednesday, we reported that the Detroit Lions had elevated rookie LB James Houston to the active roster and that he would likely make his NFL debut against the Buffalo Bills on Thanksgiving Day. Well, Houston may have only played five snaps against the Bills, but to say he made the most of his time on the field would be a severe understatement, as he made one heck of an impact on the Lions' defense.
What Detroit Lions record did James Houston break?
Due to injuries, Houston was forced into the game and he made an immediate impact by sacking Bills quarterback Josh Allen on his very first play.
But Houston was not done there as he picked up a huge sack in the third quarter to force the Bills to punt.
According to Detroit Lions PR, Houston is the first player in team history to produce a multi-sack game in their NFL debut.
James Houston talks about his NFL debut
Following the game, Houston spoke to reporters, and he admitted that he did not expect to play a ton against the Bills, but when he got into the game, he made the most of it.
“I was expecting to spare a little bit and go in on third downs and help out a little,” Houston said after the Lions' 28-25 loss. “With (Julian Okwara) going out, I went in a little bit more. It’s just, opportunity meets preparation and that breeds success.”
Lions head coach Dan Campbell was not surprised that Houston played well in his debut.
“We’ve been excited about getting him up,” said Dan Campbell. “We knew we needed a little rush and we thought he could provide that. You don’t think the first game he’s going to get two sacks, but some of the things he’s able to do doesn’t surprise us.”
