Philadelphia’s Defense Shuts Down Detroit
The Philadelphia Eagles leaned on a smothering defensive effort to secure a 16–9 victory over the Detroit Lions on “Sunday Night Football,” a key Week 11 matchup between NFC contenders.
Vic Fangio’s defense hounded Jared Goff all night. Though the Eagles recorded only two sacks, they hit him repeatedly, throwing off his timing and confidence. Goff finished with the lowest completion rate of his career — just 37.8% (14-of-37) — for 255 yards with no touchdowns and one interception. The constant harassment kept him out of rhythm from start to finish.
While the defense dominated, Philadelphia’s offense continued to show troubling signs. The unit entered the game under added scrutiny after A.J. Brown publicly criticized it during a Twitch appearance following last week’s narrow 10–7 win over Green Bay.
In response, Nick Sirianni and Kevin Patullo made an effort to feature Brown more heavily. He led the team with 11 targets, catching seven passes for 49 yards. Even so, the passing attack remained stagnant: Jalen Hurts completed just 14 of 28 passes for 135 yards, producing only one gain of more than 20 yards. The explosiveness that once defined this offense still hasn’t reappeared.
There was at least one encouraging sign: Saquon Barkley looked rejuvenated. He rushed for 86 yards — his third-highest total of the season — and delivered several strong runs late, including the game-clinching 8-yarder on Philadelphia’s second-to-last offensive play.
Still, despite their 8–2 record, the Eagles clearly have offensive issues to iron out as the 2025 season moves deeper into November.
More touches for A.J. Brown don’t solve the offensive slump:
Brown was far more involved than he has been recently, but Philadelphia still struggled to sustain drives and reached the end zone just once. The Eagles benefited from several short fields thanks to Detroit’s mistakes, yet the offense remains inconsistent. Sirianni and Patullo still face a major task getting this group back into rhythm ahead of a potential Super Bowl push.
An upgraded pass rush keeps the Eagles among the elite:
The offense may be uneven, but the defense is among the NFL’s best. Fangio has skillfully rebuilt the pass rush despite losing Milton Williams and Josh Sweat in the offseason. New addition Jaelan Phillips and the emergence of Moro Ojomo have helped the team maintain a high-caliber defensive front. If the Eagles can continue generating pressure like they did against Goff, they’ll be a formidable playoff opponent.
Dan Campbell’s bold style cuts both ways:
Campbell’s aggressive fourth-down philosophy can be a major advantage — when it works. When it doesn’t, it becomes a liability. Against the Eagles, Detroit went 0-for-5 on fourth-down tries, repeatedly ceding field position. On a windy night in a low-scoring game, those failures were costly.
Jahmyr Gibbs remains one of the league’s most dynamic weapons:
Gibbs was a rare bright spot for Detroit’s sluggish offense. He led the team in receiving yards and produced several explosive plays on screens, showcasing his elite speed and agility. He continues to be a player who can score from anywhere on the field and should remain central to the Lions’ offensive strategy.
No Comment! Be the first one.