The Detroit Lions and Philadelphia Eagles had a high-stakes game on Sunday evening, November 16, and it just wasn’t the night for the Lions. The Eagles beat the Lions in a slow-moving, 16-9 game, leaving Dan Campbell and his offensive play calling at the mercy of Philadelphia.
The Detroit Lions had a chance to win this game, but play after play went wrong. Lions quarterback Jared Goff has some of the strongest numbers in the NFL, but during the Eagles game, he had the lowest completion percentage of his career, according to NFL research. Even though Goff threw for 255 yards, he only completed 38 percent of his passes and finished with a passer rating of 60.1. Not that it was all his fault. He wasn’t calling the plays.
Then, Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery also struggled, although Gibbs led Detroit with five receptions for 107 yards. On the defensive side, the Detroit Lions did hold the Eagles, and Aidan Hutchinson finished with four tackles and half a sack.
But, as The Athletic’s Colton Pouncy points out in a piece published on Monday, November 17, the Lions’ loss to the Eagles mean they won’t be able to finished the season at No. 1 in the NFC like they did in 2024. On top of they, they just got a digger from former Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson.
Ben Johnson and the Chicago Bears Lead the Detroit Lions
What a difference a day makes. On Monday, November 17, the Chicago Bears, spearheaded by Johnson, woke up to being the No. 1 team in the NFC North. Their definitive win, with a 19-17 score over the Minnesota Vikings, puts them with a 7-3 record for the season, while the Lions are 6-4. The Lions are actually No. 3, with the Green Bay Packers ahead of them with a 6-3-1 record.
So, Johnson and the Bears have certainly sent the Lions a message by just silently being No. 1. They’re on top, and the Lions better get themselves ready for their rematch on January 4, 2026. Both team’s NFL bye weeks are long gone, they won’t have time to rest before the rematch, either.
As Pouncy from The Athletic notes, “The Lions are 6-4, third in the NFC North and on the outside looking in for the playoff race. This is not where they were expected to be after 11 weeks. They just lost a measuring-stick game against a contender in their conference, and any lingering hope of securing a first-round bye is just about lost after this outing.”
A Bright Light for the Detroit Lions
The Lions still absolutely have potential. Even though a bad game, the Detroit Lions’ linebacker unit was on fire. Jack Campbell finished the contest with 15 tackles and one tackle for loss. Alex Anzalone was also strong and made an impressive play in lockstep with Philadelphia Eagles tight end Kyle Granson on a deep shot.
So, where do the Detroit Lions go from here? Head coach Dan Campbell took over the play calling duties from offensive coordinator John Morton for this game, as he did for the team’s game against the Washington Commanders on November 9. Campbell also says he plans to do so for the rest of the year.
But, after this showing, this writer believes he should absolutely reconsider. Just because he was able to execute against a delated Commanders team, without their franchise quarterback, does not mean he’s equipped to make those calls in a game like the Lions had against the Eagles. Reach out to me with your thoughts.
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