Category: Detroit Lions

Five reasons for the Lions loss to the Eagles; don’t blame the defense

Campbell said they will learn from it and get better

Coach Dan Campbell loves complementary football and when he sees it from his Lions, they have a good chance of winning. He did not see it on Sunday night in the 16-9 loss at the Philadelphia Eagles.

While Detroit’s defense played their tails off and executed a good game plan, the Eagles’ defense nearly shut down the Lions offense all night long.

The Lions turned the ball over five times on downs. Five times. Detroit was 3-of-13 on third downs. 

“Look, we know the type of team we just faced, a good team. We had our chances but we didn’t get it done,’’ Campbell said. “They made the most of the opportunity, we didn’t. But we’re right there. We understand what it is. We understand we make one or two more plays in certain areas then you’ve got the legit shot to win the game at the end. As bad as it semes, as bad as it is, we’re so freaking close.’’

The Lions drop to 6-4 and third place in the NFC North while the Eagles are now 8-2 and hold down first in the NFC East.

“They made the plays at the critical moments there at the end to win it. That’s what they’e done. I was proud of the way the guys played,’’ Campbell said. “I thought they played their tails off, played hard, I thought we tried to finish plays, I thought we were disciplined for the most part.’’

He credited the defense for playing really, really well and said the offense could never get in a rhythm, taking some of the blame for his play-calling.

“I believe this is the best thing for us. You don’t want to say that, it doesn’t feel good,’’ Campbell said. “We’re going to learn from this, we’re going to get better, we’re going to adjust and we’ll be hitting our stride when other teams start hitting their adversity toward the back end of the season.’’

Five things to think about after the loss:

ONE: None of the blame can be placed on the Lions defense. They were put in horrible field positions and held on. Early the Eagles were on Detroit’s 11-yard line following an interception after a deflection and the defense held them to a field goal. It was like that the whole game. No blame here. Defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard drew up a good plan and they executed it.

TWO: The Eagles defense was too much for the Lions offense to handle. The offensive line could not protect Jared Goff. Plus the Eagles defensive line deflected five of Goff’s passes — three by Jordan Davis. The quarterback had no time to get the ball to his intended receivers. The offense just could not find any kind of rhythm.

THREE: Goff was 13-of-37 for 255 yards, 1 touchdown and 1 interception – just a wretched night. It was not all on him. Some, yes, but not all. He had someone in his face all night. So much pressure that he hurried the passes. Amon St. Brown was targeted 12 times and caught just two for 42 yards. That’s startling when you think about it.

FOUR: Jahmyr Gibbs had a good night, but he could not do it alone. Gibbs ran 12 times for 39 yards and caught five passes for 107 yards. Jameson Williams had 4 catches for 88 yards and a touchdown He was targeted 7 times. Sam LaPorta, who was placed on injured reserve, was missed big-time.

FIVE: This is the kind of game that the Lions have to win if they want to get to the next level. They had to find a way and they could not. It’s not the end of the road but it’s an issue. The Eagles, defending Super Bowl champs, have figured this out.

UP NEXT: N.Y. Giants (2-9) at Lions (6-4), 1 p.m. Sunday at Ford Field.

Five things to watch as Lions face Eagles in a ‘must-win’ game; plus injury update, prediction

Aidan Hutchinson said it simply: This is a must-win game. The Lions (6-3) travel to Philadelphia to play the Eagles (7-2) on Sunday night. Coach Dan Campbell likes Hutchinson’s viewpoint.

“I think we need to apply some pressure on ourselves, in a good way, because I know we’ve got the right guys too,’’ the coach said. “That’s what helps. We’re not – the reality is we’ve still got a lot of games left. How much is a must-win a must-win? But yet, I think when you view it that way, we’ve got to find a way to come away with this one.’’

The crazy atmosphere in Philadelphia has been dialed up since at least 1968 when the fans pelted Santa Claus with snowballs. Since then fans have thrown batteries and spit on opponents. Campbell witnessed it as a player.

“When you’re a competitor, you just love it. Man, you go on the road and everybody – it’s you against everybody else. And it’s very clear that it’s you against everybody else there,’’ Campbell said. “…. You go some places, man, they wave at you, ‘We’re so happy you’re here to play against us.’ This is not one of those places, that’s it. It’s as far from that as you can possibly get. I loved playing atmospheres like that, and I just know the type of guys we have. I think they’re going to eat it up, I really do.”

Five things to watch:

ONE: If the Lions hope to win, they must stop Saquon Barkley. Easier said than done. The running back accumulated 60 yards in the win at Green Bay on Monday. So far this season he has six touchdowns – two of them were receptions. He’s tough. “It’s because he’s big. He’s big, but he’s got the agility and the speed of a scat back,’’ Campbell said. “He’s powerful, he’s strong, explosive. He can hit the hole. And if he’s got a step and there’s a hole, he can take it the distance. And so you can’t just stick an arm out and pull this guy down. That’s what it is. You’re talking about a power back that’s got very good feet, lateral quicks, and explosive and speed to go the distance. That’s what it is.”

TWO: Expect aggressive play-calling from Campbell just like last week. It worked and seemed to spark the offense. Can it do the same against an Eagles’ defense? That’s the big question.

 “It’s great. He did a good job,’’ Goff said. “Yeah, he’s a steady-Eddie and I thought he was great.”

THREE: Dealing with the tush-push is no easy task. While some coaches want the play banned, Campbell has been consistent that it should remain in the game. That is not changing just because the Lions are playing the Eagles. “We have a plan, we have an idea, but we have to execute,’’ Campbell said. Defensive end Aidan Hutchinson said they just need to find a way. “I don’t think anybody has quite cracked it yet. I trust big D.J. Reader in the middle to get the job done – he’s stopped a few QB sneaks in his day,’’ Hutchinson said. “It’s going to be a great battle. You can’t real;y practice a QB sneak, it’s a battle of wills.’’

FOUR:  While the Lions’ offense was on fire last week and has been solid, they haven’t faced a defense created by Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio. “He knows himself very well. He knows the opponent, but he knows himself very well and he’s always been great about that. He checks himself, he makes sure that you can’t get a beat on him,’’ Campbell said. “Now, there’s nothing super complex but yet the fact that he asks them to do things they do well and he just kind of keeps moving around, that makes it difficult.’’

FIVE: The Eagles, the defending Super Bowl champs, have at least one characteristic that makes them extremely tough to beat. “When they need a critical play, they come up with a critical play,’’ Campbell said. The Lions have a bit of that same DNA which should create a good battle.

LIONS INJURIES: OUT — TE Sam LaPorta, CB Terrion Arnold, S Kerby Joseph, EDGE Josh Pashal, EDGE Marcus Davenport, G Miles Frazier, CB D.J. Reed and LB Malcolm Rodriguez;  QUESTIONABLE — LT Taylor Decker, CB Amik Robertson, RB Jack Saylors, T Penei Sewell, RB Sione Vaki and TE Brock Wright.

EAGLES INJURIES: QUESTIONABLE — G/C Willie Lampkin.

PREDICTION: Lions 28, Eagles 27.

Detroit Lions Dan Campbell details Jared Goff’s super powers

ALLEN PARK — Jared Goff’s two super powers are playing with the gray matter and the ability to pass in tight coverage. That’s how Lions coach Dan Campbell sees it.

With all due respect to Matthew Stafford, Patrick Mahomes and other stellar NFL quarterbacks, Goff has put together a stellar season through Week 10. He is rated first in the NFL in completion percentage (74); and second in passing TDs (20), passer rating (117.7) and passing first-down percentage (41.4).

“I just feel like he’s gotten better every year, So yeah, yes I do. I think he’s settled into a zone where he continues to take it up another notch,’’ coach Dan Campbell said on Wednesday. “(He) continues to get better, process information, the game slows down for him. He’s playing at a high level.’’

Campbell gave an example of Goff’s ability from Wednesday morning’s walk-through.

“This is the first taste of this gameplan going into Philly. It’s unbelievable what he’s able to grasp, retain, get us in the right play and literally (we) just gave it to him,’’ Campbell said. “He didn’t have time to digest, he’s running out on the field, now you’re walking through it.

“That’s one of his super powers, he plays with the gray matter and he’s got the ability to put it on the spot in tight coverage, I think that’s rare to have both,’’ Campbell said. “He knows what helps him and what makes him who he is. He’s got to be able to rely on that. He’s not a guy who’s – he’s not Lamar Jackson. He leans on what his abilities and skills are. He’s playing at a high level.’’

Goff said that’s a great compliment but he thinks it’s part of his job.

“I think it’s kind of like the baseline of what I’m supposed to do is retain it and be able to spit it out and then be able to kind of do my best to coach it on the field and help these guys where I can,’’ Goff said. “And yeah, I think walkthrough is extremely important. I try to take it pretty serious and make sure everyone’s doing what they’re supposed to do.”

In Sunday’s 44-22 rout at Washington, Goff was 24 of 33 for 320 yards, zero interceptions and a 135.9 rating. So far this season, he has thrown 20 touchdowns against just three interceptions — just one in the last five games.

Goff finds himself in elite company. He is one of two quarterbacks in NFL history to complete  74 percent of their passes, produce 20-plus  passing TDs and have 3-or-fewer interceptions through the first nine games of any season. The other is Drew Brees from 2018.