The Detroit Lions and Philadelphia Eagles are battling it out to be the kings of the NFC, and both teams are stacked and ready to go. This is shaping up to be a close one, and both teams have winning records. The Detroit Lions have a 6-3 record going into Sunday, November 16, evening game, while the Eagles have a 7-2 record.
While the Lions have, unfortunately, been dealing with some fresh injuries, including having star tight end Sam LaPorta ruled out for the game due to a back injury, that doesn’t mean Detroit will be without intimidating players. Anyone who plays for Detroit has grit and fire, and there’s one player that has those on the Philadelphia Eagles’ side of things shaking in their boots.
So, when the Lions take the field in Philadelphia on Sunday night, attention will be focused on the team’s strong defense. While quarterback Jared Goff is the team’s signal-caller and leading on the offensive, there’s another player who is actually intimidating the Eagles even more.
Detroit Lions Player Rules the Offense
Don’t mess with Jahmyr Gibbs. The Detroit Lions running back is absolute fire on the field. That’s why Gibbs has the Eagles worried. In a piece out on Saturday, November 15, Ryan Fowler of Inside the Iggles says that everything on the Lions’ offense goes through Gibbs. He makes the point that Gibbs and the Lions’ offense will be a test for the Eagles.
“Everything the Lions do offensively flows through Jahmyr Gibbs,” Fowler says. He adds that no matter if it’s “inside zone, outside zone, counter, pitch, or quick game through the air, Gibbs is the engine. His presence forces linebackers to widen, to hesitate, to recover at angles that few backs in the league can force.”
He adds that “Detroit layers their offense around that gravity,” with Laporta, who’s out, “running crossers behind flowing linebackers, Amon-Ra St. Brown working intermediate windows, and deep shots becoming available when defenses overcommit to stopping Gibbs.”
Fowler also makes the point that the Eagles’ defense will have to be on point to contain the Lions. That defense is “one of the youngest faces in the locker room in rookie linebacker Jihaad Campbell,” he adds.
Just because the Lions are up against a rookie linebacker, that doesn’t mean it’s going to be easy. Fowler says that “if Campbell plays fast, takes proper angles, and consistently defeats blocks in isolation, the Eagles can blunt Detroit’s momentum early and control possession.” But, if not, it could all come crashing down.
Beloved Detroit Lions Player Can Play Against Eagles
Detroit Lions defensive end Aidan Hutchinson was listed as DNP due to an elbow injury on the Lions’ practice report earlier this week, which was a scare, but thankfully, he’s been back at practice and is ready to go for Sunday
Hutchinson’s statistics on the field are elite. He’s notched 18 total tackles, 17 quarterback hits, 57 pressures and 38 hurries during the 2025-26 season, according to NFL research. He’s also recorded seven sacks and four forced fumbles. According to research from Pro Football Focus, Hutchinson has also met a 91.2 overall grade, which puts him third in the league among 114 graded edge defenders, and a 92.3 pass-rush grade, which is second.
So, having Hutchinson healthy for this game will make a big difference on the field. His job is to put pressure on Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts, which isn’t easy to do.
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