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Lions HC Campbell Praises James Houston IV, Expect Interest From NFL Teams

James Houston IV had a remarkable first game in the NFL - expect teams to be interested in his services.
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James Houston IV had a tremendous first game in the NFL. One could expect his former collegiate coach and Pro Football Hall of Famer Deion Sanders would have been ecstatic watching Houston on Thanksgiving Day.  

Houston's first game was electrifying as Coach Prime's NFL debut with the Atlanta Falcons, where he scored a touchdown on a punt return.

Nonetheless, should Detroit return Houston to their practice squad? If so, expect NFL teams to be interested in his pass-rushing talent skills. Many could use a James "The Problem" Houston IV at this point of the season.

James Houston sacks Josh Allen

However, before we venture into his future, how special was James Houston IV's debut with the Detroit Lions? 

Here are five things about his debut:

  1. Houston became the first Detroit player to record a multi-sack game in their first NFL game.
  2. Houston had two tackles on the day. Both were sacks against a strong, fast, and one of the best quarterbacks in the National Football League.
  3. His sacks are recorded as 2 TFLs (tackles for loss).
  4. Also, the league considers them as QB Hits.
  5. Last, Houston had a fumble recovery on special teams.
James Houston Sacks Josh Allen, 2nd Sack

DAN CAMPBELL ON HOUSTON'S PERFORMANCE

It was quite a special day for the former Jackson State Tiger. HBCU fans across the conferences applauded his performance. Especially his head coach Dan Campbell.

"Yeah, Houston did a good job," Campbell said of his first start. "We've been excited about getting him up. We've been looking to try to work it out over for a while now, and it just hadn't worked out maneuvering through the roster and injuries. But we knew we needed a little rush, and we felt like he [Houston] could provide that. You don't think the first game he's going to get straight off. There'll be two sacks. But, I mean, some of the things he's able to do doesn't surprise us. It was it was encouraging. It's good to get him up."

Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell

The Detroit Lions (4-7) are in second place in the NFC North division and remain in contention for a wild-card playoffs berth.

Would Detroit risk returning Houston to the practice squad after showcasing his talent in front of a national audience? That could be a pricey decision for Dan Campbell. Teams still competing for the postseason and needing a pass rusher could see value in signing Houston to an active roster with a 6th-round draft choice contract.

One team I cover, the New Orleans Saints, is in dire need of an edge rusher after multiple injuries to the top-three defensive ends. Expect captivating decisions regarding James Houston IV NFL career to occur this week.

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