Dan Campbell acknowledges significance of last season’s loss to the Eagles

The Detroit Lions were simply dominated by the Philadelphia Eagles last season, and Dan Campbell did not shy away from talking about it.

Last season, on Halloween not so coincidentally as a real horror show for them, the Detroit Lions lost 44-6 to the Philadelphia Eagles. The Eagles ran for 236 yards in the game, besting Detroit’s total yardage (228). The Lions scored in the fourth quarter to save themselves from being shut out.

The Lions open this season Sunday against the Eagles at home. During his Monday press conference, head coach Dan Campbell talked about last season’s game.

"It was an embarrassing loss,” Campbell said Monday. “They let us have it. They rubbed our nose in it. They came in and did everything they wanted to do to us times ten. So I think we’ve acknowledged that and we understand that that’s what they’re coming back for."

Loss to Eagles was turning point in 2021 season for the Detroit Lions

That Week 8 loss to the Eagles was a turning point in the 2021 season for the Lions. The bye week followed in Week 9, and during the off week Campbell took over offensive play calling from then offensive coordinator Anthony Lynn. Tight ends coach Ben Johnson was also elevated to a role as passing game coordinator, which set the stage for his elevation to offensive coordinator this offseason.

Campbell also talked about the turning point the Eagles’ game was last season.

"It opened our eyes to some things and I think it forced us to really — well, it forced us to have to make some changes both sides of the ball,” Campbell said. “We had to do things differently ’cause where we were going wasn’t going to cut it."

It will be an upset if the Lions beat the Eagles on Sunday. But the game will be a revisitation of the lowest point of last season for them, and an early measuring stick for how much they have improved since.