To be the best, you've got to beat the best. While Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts isn't atop the NFL Most Valuable Player odds, he's won the ultimate prize. The reigning Super Bowl MVP is a winner, and to defeat him on Sunday Night Football would mean the Detroit Lions would do something no other NFC North team has done.
As a starter, Hurts is 10-0 against the NFC North. That includes the Eagles' 10-7 victory over the Green Bay Packers on Monday Night Football, which brought his record against them to 4-0, including one playoff victory. Hurts is 1-0 against the Chicago Bears, 2-0 against the Lions, and 3-0 against the Minnesota Vikings.
There is a slight caveat to this, being "as a starter." The Eagles did lose to the Packers in Week 13 of the 2020 season, Hurts' rookie season, after starter Carson Wentz was injured in the 30-16 loss. Hurts went 5 for 15 for 109 yards with one touchdown pass and one interception. This was Hurts' first serious playing time after having only three pass attempts in his career before subbing in for Wentz. Hurts started the remaining games that season, and Wentz was traded to the Indianapolis Colts the following offseason.
Despite the 2-0 record against the Lions, Hurts' passing has been far from spectacular. Combined, Hurts has only thrown for 346 yards (173 per game) with zero passing TDs to zero INTs. Hurts has a completion percentage of 58.7% and a passer rating of 82.3 in those games. The Eagles' stout offensive line has also kept Hurts clean in those two games, only giving up one sack. Where Hurts has hurt the Lions is with his legs. Hurts has rushed a total of 24 times against the Lions for 161 yards and one TD.
The Eagles have averaged 41 points a game against the Lions in Hurts' starts, including a 44-6 blowout victory in 2021 to drop the Lions to 0-8. Coincidentally, that loss compelled Lions head coach Dan Campbell to take over play-calling duties from then-offensive coordinator Anthony Lynn. In 2025, Campbell would make a similar move a week before an Eagles game.
For the season so far, Hurts has thrown for 16 TD passes to just one INT. Hurts has also rushed for 5 TDs, thanks in part to the "tush push" that Hurts and the Eagles have made infamous. Hurts has also had a perfect passer rating performance this season against the Vikings' defense, who went on to shut down the Lions' offense a few weeks later.
Goff needs to reverse his fortunes against the Eagles
The other side of this QB matchup coin is Lions QB Jared Goff. Goff has played the Eagles five times in his career with a 1-4 record. The lone win came in Week 2 of the 2020 season, when Goff was with the Los Angeles Rams and prior to Hurts taking over as the Eagles' starter. In the 37-19 victory, Goff threw for 267 yards and three TDs to zero INTs.
Goff's overall numbers against the Eagles are respectable. He's thrown for 1,242 yards (248.4 per game) with seven TDs to two INTs while completing 66.1% of his passes. Goff also has 35 rushing yards in those games, which is the most he has against a team that isn't a current or former division rival. His last game against the Eagles was Week 1 of 2022, back when there were still questions about his future as the Lions' QB. Since then, Goff has developed into an MVP-caliber quarterback.
READ NOW: Jake Bates and Jack Fox both lead their positions in an unexpected stat
In that most recent game against the Eagles, Goff was close to completing an impressive fourth-quarter comeback. The Lions were down 38-21 entering the fourth quarter, but Goff helped cut that deficit to three points. The Eagles were able to burn the remaining 3:51 on the clock to escape with a 38-35 victory. After the game, however, many pointed to the pick-six Goff threw in the second quarter as one of the biggest reasons for that loss.
Of course, QB wins aren't a perfect stat. Football is a team sport, and numerous factors contribute to a win or a loss. Eagles have won games where Hurts has played terribly, while the Lions have lost games where Goff played well. But having a 10-0 record against a division, especially one as strong as the NFC North lately, is tough to ignore. It both represents how well Hurts has played and how well the Eagles are built. If the Goff and the Lions want to be the top dog in the NFC, they're going to have to go through Hurts and the Eagles to get there.