PHILADELPHIA — The Eagles’ defense sent yet another message Sunday night, and while the offense again left room for improvement, a 16-9 win over the Detroit Lions still felt like the kind of gritty victory of a serious title contender.
Here are five things we learned:
1. The defense looks like a Super Bowl-champion unit
The Eagles defense combined to deliver one of the most complete performances this year. The Lions out-gained Philadelphia 317-272 yet came away with just nine points as the Eagles stiffened when it counted. Detroit went 0-for-5 on fourth down.
Coach Nick Sirianni called that sequence of stops “awesome,” noting his confidence in the unit.
“The defense played awesome,” coach Nick Sirianni said. “I’ve got a ton of confidence in our guys to go out and execute.
“The defensive front … five batted passes. Those bat-downs were really, really impressive.”
Eagles defensive end Jaelan Phillips pressures Lions quarterback Jared Goff during the second half on Sunday night at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
Jordan Davis had three pass deflections. Jalen Carter had two batted passes and five tackles. Jaelan Phillips had five tackles, a sack and four QB pressures. Nakobe Dean made key plays late, including a blitz sack and coverage on star running back Jahmyr Gibbs and wide receiver Jameson Williams. The limited Jared Goff to 14-for-37 passing.
“Nakobe’s just a good football player,” Sirianni said. “He prepares his ass off. You can see how much the guys love him out on that field.”
The front seven’s pressure negated some questions the Eagles have had in the secondary. Late in the game, Detroit was in position to do damage — first-and-goal at the 8 in the third quarter — and the Eagles held.
2. The offense still looks like a postseason exit risk
Yes, the Eagles won. But the style? Ugly. That’s fine for Week 11, but if this team is going to compete deep into January, cleaner offense will be required.
Jalen Hurts passed for just 135 yards (14-for-28) and added 31 rushing yards. Running back Saquon Barkley ran for 83 yards on 26 carries — effective, but not explosive.
“My main takeaway is that we have to score points,” Hurts said. “We have to be more efficient. We have to take advantage of opportunities when they are there and we have to control the things that we can control.”
Regarding the offensive line, losing right tackle Lane Johnson (foot) midway through the game was a big concern. With Johnson out and a still recovering Landon Dickerson (knee) at left guard, the risk of sticking with the aggressive “tush-push” fourth-down attempts takes on more weight. Sirianni admitted as much.
“We had the one false start early,” he said “… Then we just weren’t successful on the other one.”
The false start shouldn’t have been whistled, but nonetheless.
The Eagles went for it on fourth-and-1 in their own territory and failed, giving Detroit a short field for a 54-yard field goal. If the offense cannot tighten up the fundamentals — clean protection, better early-down execution, more consistency — this team may struggle in January.
Eagles linebackers Zack Baun, left, and Jihaad Campbell (30) bring down Detroit Lions’ Jahmyr Gibbs (0) during the second half on Sunday, Nov. 16, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
3. Wind matters (and so does taking full advantage of opponent mistakes)
The blustery conditions Sunday night weren’t the primary story — the Lions had manageable passing numbers — but the Eagles missed chances against Detroit’s depleted secondary and special teams that a sharp team should exploit.
The offense left points on the board.
4. A.J. Brown can’t complain
Brown had seven catches for 49 yards, hardly eye-popping. Still, the context matters. He was targeted 11 times in a game where the Eagles ran the ball on 40 occasions for 148.
Sirianni: “We’re always trying to get A.J. involved. Always, always, always.”
Hurts was less definitive on whether the game plan simply unfolded that way.
“Yeah, just going with the flow of the game, how it was called and trying to go out there and execute,” he said.
Also of note: On a third-and-14 play in the third quarter, Brown was defended by Rock Ya‑Sin. Brown gave up on the route and cost the offense an opportunity.
Brown is getting his looks, but the offense around him still lacks the creativity expected. For him to keep producing at an elite level, that supporting cast and schematic variety need to improve.
5. NFL officiating remains compromised
The game featured a curious refereeing sequence: The Lions, who voted to keep the “tush-push” a few seasons ago, stopped it at least twice, including a false start called on right guard Tyler Steen.
“I’m not sure I prepared Tyler the best I could possibly prepare him for that,” Sirianni said. “I don’t think I did a good enough job preparing him in that scenario.”
There was also a phantom low-block penalty on Brown with 23 seconds left in the third quarter that raised eyebrows. In a game this tight, every whistle matters. The Lions’ late field goal — after a short field following the failed fourth-down attempt — felt contentious.
Even with the win, the Eagles were forced into a defensive bent by erratic officiating. That’s less about whining and more about acknowledging risk. When your offense is inconsistent, you can’t afford to rely on good officiating.
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Follow Christiaan DeFranco on X at @the_defranc for the latest updates.