![\"Football](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/TMD-L-LionsEaglesSNFGALLERY-1116-01.jpg\")
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) is stopped by Detroit Lions defensive end Al-Quadin Muhammad (96) during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Nov. 16, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo\/Chris Szagola)<\/p>\nPHILADELPHIA \u2014 A week after the Detroit Lions\u2019 offense kicked into gear, it found itself stuck in the mud at Lincoln Financial Field.<\/p>\n
In a game that was supposed to be a litmus test for this team\u2019s title hopes, the Lions came up short offensively on just about every big play against the reigning Super Bowl champions.<\/p>\n
Detroit went 4-for-15 on third down and tied an NFL record, according to TruMedia data, by whiffing on all five of its fourth-down attempts as they were K.O.\u2019d by the title defenders in a 16-9 loss on \u201cSunday Night Football.\u201d<\/p>\n
Detroit\u2019s key cogs in the passing game \u2014 quarterback Jared Goff, wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown and the entire offensive line \u2014 all earned their fair share of the blame for Detroit\u2019s shortcomings.<\/p>\n
The Lions (6-4) entered the day in first place in the NFC North and are now in third. The Eagles are 8-3.<\/p>\n
Could the protection have been better? Sure. The Eagles\u2019 pass rush was humming on Sunday night, and it was most noticeable during a fourth-and-goal from the 4-yard line: Goff had a wide-open Brock Wright for a would-be touchdown, but with edge rusher Jaelen Phillips, the Eagles\u2019 shiny deadline acquisition, barreling down on him after cleanly beating Penei Sewell, he made an ill-advised throw to St. Brown that fell incomplete.<\/p>\n
Still, a number of the conversions just came down to poor execution \u2014 an underthrown pass here, a blatant drop there \u2014 as the Lions let the opportunity they\u2019ve waited for slip right through their fingers. Goff targeted St. Brown six times on third and fourth down, connecting on none of them. He targeted Jameson Williams once on fourth down; the pass was low, but catchable, and dropped.<\/p>\n
Goff set a career-low in completion rate (14-for-37, 37.8%) as he threw for 255 yards, a touchdown and an interception with a passer rating of 60.1. St. Brown had two catches for 42 yards on a whopping 12 targets. Williams had four catches for 88 yards and a 40-yard touchdown.<\/p>\n
The Lions\u2019 defense held up its end of the bargain, holding the Eagles to 273 yards of offense and 3-for-13 on third down. It was repeatedly put in bad spots \u2014 the Eagles had three drive starts in Lions territory during the first half, including an early field-goal drive that started at Detroit\u2019s 11 after an interception. Saquon Barkley was held to 3.2 yards per carry (83 yards on 26 attempts).<\/p>\n
Not all the blame can be attributed to the players. Sunday night was not Dan Campbell\u2019s best coaching performance. He kept going for it on fourth down until perhaps the most important one of the game; with 5:10 remaining and the Lions down 10, Detroit surrendered their weapons and punted it away.<\/p>\n
Detroit miraculously had a chance to get back in the game on Philadelphia\u2019s final possession. After cutting the deficit to 16-9, the Lions appeared to get a stop on third-and-8 with 1:47 remaining that would\u2019ve given them the ball back, but the officials \u2014 who\u2019d let handsy cornerback play go all game \u2014 threw a pass-interference flag on Lions cornerback Rock Ya-Sin.<\/p>\n
Of course, the Eagles deserve their credit, too. They were far and away the better team on Sunday night, which is perhaps a more difficult reality to grapple with than the one in which the Lions simply wasted their opportunities.<\/p>\n
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) is stopped by Detroit Lions defensive end Al-Quadin Muhammad (96) during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Nov. 16, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo\/Chris Szagola)<\/p>\n
Philadelphia\u2019s pass rush sure looks Super Bowl-caliber, and they made sure Goff felt the heat down-in, down-out. He was 0-for-10 with an interception when pressured, according to Pro Football Focus live data.<\/p>\n
And the Eagles\u2019 run defense was as mean as ever. Jahmyr Gibbs was limited to 39 yards on 12 carries \u2014 but had a career-high 107 receiving yards \u2014 as David Montgomery carried it six times for 27 yards.<\/p>\n
The Lions got a quick stop to start the game and immediately started moving the ball on offense. The Eagles reversed the momentum when Jordan Davis deflected a pass at the line of scrimmage, and it was intercepted by Cooper DeJean, who returned the ball to Detroit\u2019s 11-yard line.<\/p>\n
Detroit\u2019s defense held and limited the Eagles \u2014 the NFL\u2019s No. 1 red zone offense entering Sunday \u2014 to a field goal that made it 3-0 at 9:43 in the first quarter.<\/p>\n
The Lions gambled on fourth-and-1 from their own 48-yard line, rushing to the line after getting stuffed on third-and-short to try another handoff. But Gibbs was stuffed again, resulting in a turnover on downs. But Detroit\u2019s defense got another stop, forcing a three-and-out on the ensuing possession.<\/p>\n
Detroit was stopped again in its own territory during the following series. Facing a fourth-and-2 at their own 43, the Lions ran a direct snap to Grant Stuard, who was stuffed short of the line for another turnover on downs. The Eagles turned this stop into points, adding a 34-yard field goal off the foot of Jake Elliott for a 6-0 lead with 6:02 to go in the half.<\/p>\n
The failed fake punt was the first of two costly coaching decisions in the first half.<\/p>\n
The Lions\u2019 offense got on track in the blink of an eye, taking the ball 74 yards in three plays as Jameson Williams exploded for a 40-yard touchdown. He caught a pass from Goff over the middle and accelerated into the end zone, drawing a personal foul for excessive celebration when he celebrated by hugging the goalpost.<\/p>\n
The Eagles then marched right down the field for a touchdown to regain the lead near the end of the first half. After A.J. Brown caught an 11-yard pass to set up first-and-goal at the 5-yard line with more than a minute left in the half, Campbell \u2014 who had all three timeouts in his pocket \u2014 allowed Philadelphia to burn off most of the remaining clock and give the ball back to Detroit with a 13-6 lead and only 16 seconds left in the half.<\/p>\n