The Detroit Lions and Philadelphia Eagles are set to clash during Sunday Night Football in Week 11. It's Philadelphia's second primetime game in a row, while Detroit is looking to avenge their last embarrassing SNF outing, which came against the Kansas City Chiefs.
There's plenty to keep an eye out for in this contest. Detroit is dealing with the injury bug, as per usual, so they'll be relying heavily on their Legion of Whom once again against the Eagles. As for Philadelphia, they're dealing with some in-house woes, with A.J. Brown and the Eagles' offense just not aligning.
Both are good teams, with the potential to be great this season. It's a huge test for both squads, and Detroit can really take control of their destiny within the NFC North with a win on the road.
3 matchups to watch for between Lions, Eagles during SNF
Lions' defensive line vs. Eagles' offensive line
Let's dive right into the most obvious aspect of any game against the Eagles. The tush push is here to stay, with a huge support for it coming from head coach Dan Campbell. He feels like it's "real football," and his players enjoy the challenge of needing to win in the trenches this way.
#Lions HC Dan Campbell wants the Eagles’ tush-push to stay legal:
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) November 12, 2025
“I’m a purist. You take something out of the game, then we’re taking the next thing out of the game, and pretty soon we don’t have pads anymore. Then pretty soon you’re only playing 30 minutes. … They’ve got a… https://t.co/KCC7WZgi5f pic.twitter.com/kkVN06Pggi
If Campbell loves it, his players are going to battle through anything to make sure they're taking the challenge head-on. It should be interesting to see if Marcus Davenport, who's practice window was just opened, is available and manages to help out Detroit in these short-yardage situations.
READ MORE: Dan Campbell reveals why Lions’ first round rookie has vanished from the lineup
If not, the team always has reliable stuffing from DJ Reader and Alim McNeil available to them against one of the best offensive lines in the NFL.
Legion of Whom vs. Eagles' receiving corp
As mentioned, there's been some drama within the Eagles' ranks as it pertains to their involvement of A.J. Brown in their game planning. If they continue to struggle to get him involved in Week 11, then the Legion of Whom - Amik Robertson, Erick Hallett, and Arthur Maulet - could have an easier time trying to shut down Jalen Hurts.
There's always the possibility that Philadelphia tries to silence their critics by spamming Brown in their offense. If so, then the Lions have to worry about him and DeVonta Smith burning them downfield. Smith feels like the harder target to try and contain for this game, considering his speed. He's Philadelphia's leading receiver, so he'll be getting plenty of attention from the Lions defense.
Jared Goff vs. Eagles' pass rush
While the Eagles have struggled to get their offense kick-started consistently this season, their defense has remained a top unit. They're allowing a hair over 209 receiving yards per game, but it's their pass rush that can really make or break a contest.
The addition of Jaelan Phillips to the D-line at the trade deadline resulted in two quarterback hits in Week 10 against the Green Bay Packers in Week 10, while Nakobe Dean, Jalyx Hunt, and Nolan Smith Jr. all contributed sacks on Jordan Love.
Goff has not been great against stronger pass-rushing teams this year, mostly because the Lions' pass protection has been wonky all year long. Injuries and new faces have led to some up and down performances from the O-line, and miscommunication on blocking in Week 9 made them look particularly helpless against a good defense.
Perhaps with Campbell calling plays now, the team will see greater success in protecting Goff against Philadelphia's defensive front. If they don't, expect to see a ton of reliance on their run-blocking and on Jahmyr Gibbs' ability to break the contest open with his legs.