House of Horrors: Hapless Lions crushed by Eagles on Halloween

Lions fans could have skipped the haunted houses this year. What’s going on at Ford Field would be enough to frighten anyone.

They may as well have been wearing Halloween costumes because the Detroit Lions certainly didn’t resemble an NFL team on Sunday.

In a game many pegged as a good opportunity for the Lions to get their first win of the season, they were absolutely waxed by the Philadelphia Eagles 44-6 on their home field. The Lions have now lost 12 straight games dating back to last season.

At somewhat of a halfway point in the 2021, in the first year of a 17-game schedule in the NFL, the Lions enter their bye week as the only winless team in the league. Head coach Dan Campbell seems to have no answers while he continues to search for his first win in charge of the team.

As the Lions try to avoid going winless like they did in 2008, it won’t get any easier the rest of the way. Tough road games against the Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Denver Broncos loom. Remaining home dates include all three NFC North rivals and the currently 7-1 Arizona Cardinals.

With a chance to take an early lead on their second offensive series, Lions kicker Austin Seibert pulled a 47-yard field goal attempt wide left, his first miss since Week 1. Then, Eagles running back Boston Scott gave the Eagles a 7-0 advantage with a short touchdown scamper on their second possession.

Another rushing touchdown late in the second frame gave Philadelphia a 17-0 lead at the break. The Lions’ lifeless offense totaled just 91 yards over the first two quarters while being shut out for in a half for the fifth time this season.

Two more Eagles rushing scores gave them a commanding 31-0 lead in the third, not that the Lions had a chance to erase much of any deficit on this day.

For good measure, former Lions star cornerback Darius Slay scooped up a fumble by running back D’Andre Swift and returned it for a touchdown, putting the Lions down by an incomprehensible 38-0 score at the end of three quarters.

Jared Goff continued his discouraging season under center for the Lions, as he finished 25-for-34 for 222 yards. He was sacked five times, including four in the first half. Backup David Blough eventually came in the game very late, and fumbled (but recovered it) on a sack.

Second-year Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts finished just 9-for-14 for 103 yards through the air, but he did run for 71 of the Eagles 236 yards on the ground. It was the most rushing yards surrendered by the Lions since giving up 275 to the Minnesota Vikings last November.

Rookie running back Jermar Jefferson’s first NFL touchdown in the fourth quarter helped the Lions avoid a shutout.

After next week’s bye, the Lions will visit the Steelers on Sunday, November 14th at 1:00 P.M. EST.