John McClain if the Houston Chronicle is reporting that the Detroit Lions will have joint practices with Texans in Houston, Week 2 of the 2019 preseason.
The teams play each other in on August 17 and ahead of that game, they will join together for practices. Based on last years schedule, the Lions held joint practices with the New York Giants in Allen Park and visited the Oakland Raiders, each time practicing for three days together, and expectations are things will stay the same.
These two teams coming together is not a surprising revelation considering the ties between the coaching staffs and front offices. Texans coach Bill O’Brien was on the New England Patriots staff at the same time as Lions coach Matt Patricia and general manager Bob Quinn.
But the connections don’t stop there.
Lions defensive coordinator Paul Pasqualoni was the defensive line coach under O’Brien in 2015 before he left for Boston College. Lions quarterback coach Sean Ryan held the same position in Houston just last season, while new reserve quarterback Tom Savage was drafted by O’Brien and was with the Texans from 2014 through the 2017 season. And finally, Lions senior personnel executive Jimmy Raye III joined the Lions in 2018 after spending 2017 in the Texans front office.
There is also a very good chance the Lions-Patriots connection leads to additional joint practices this offseason as the Patriots visit Detroit the opening week the preseason and could very well hold joint practices in Allen Park ahead of the game.
