Another huge test for the Detroit Lions takes place Sunday night against the Philadelphia Eagles on the road.
The Lions (6-3) had a major bounce-back win over the Washington Commanders last week with coach Dan Campbell taking over play calling and the offense was as explosive as it’s been all season.
The Eagles (7-2) are on a three-game winning streak and sit tied atop the NFC, but concerns about their offense have sparked some questions about whether Philadelphia is really a contender to win back-to-back Super Bowls.
Here are score predictions for Detroit’s road matchup with the Eagles from MLive’s beat writers:
Ben Raven
Listen, I’m not down on the Lions or the offense under Dan Campbell. This is just a tough matchup on the road against a team that can beat you a number of ways. And every time the football world seems out on the Eagles, they bounce right back.
Detroit’s interior OL will be tested mightily. And the short-handed secondary will have to handle a frustrated A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith. A back-and-forth game that goes down to the wire between two NFC heavyweights.
Prediction: Eagles 23, Lions 20
Kory Woods
This could be the prequel to a looming playoff showdown between two NFC powerhouses. Philadelphia’s offense is in flux, both internally and on the field. I actually think this could be a get-right game for them, with Jalen Hurts trying to get his receiver duo going against a Lions secondary that’s still a bit banged up.
That said, if the Lions offense carries over its performance from last week against the Commanders, I think they can edge the Eagles in a high-scoring game. I expect Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery to be featured early and often to establish the run, opening things up later for Jared Goff to start picking apart their secondary. Keeping Goff upright and away from Jaelan Phillips — who had a strong Eagles debut on Monday — will be key.
Prediction: Lions 38, Eagles 35
Jacob Richman
This is as close to a true toss up as I think the Lions have had this season. You’d think an offensive display like last week would certainly get the job done, but this Eagles defense is far more disruptive and that’s going to allow Philadelphia to stick around.
The Eagles offense looks rough at times and Saquon Barkley’s production is a shadow of hisself from a year ago. But veteran running backs with offenses committed to their ground game — Packers with Josh Jacobs, Vikings with Aaron Jones before getting hurt — have caused problems for the Lions and I think the Eagles will have the edge here.
Prediction: Eagles 28, Lions 24
Here are some additional predictions from national media for the Lions-Eagles game:
Pick: Eagles
“The Lions are playing consecutive road games, while the Eagles are playing on a short week. That kind of cancels them out. The Eagles have had trouble scoring, while the Lions rolled up big numbers last week. But at home, look for the Eagles defense to slow down the Lions, while the Eagles get their offense going for the win.”
Pick: Lions (majority)
Pick: Lions (majority)
Why Brooke Cersosimo picked the Eagles: “Great teams find ways to win. Both of these clubs fall into that category. Yet, with Detroit dealing with a few too many injuries to its secondary and with this game being played in Philadelphia, the scales tilt the Eagles’ way."
Pick: Eagles
“This game could end up being an NFC championship game preview, or at least a playoff game preview. The difference in this game could come down to a Jalen Hurts rushing score.”
Pick: Lions
“This is a potential NFC championship preview. Dan Campbell took over play-calling duties for the Lions last week – and they rushed for 226 yards. The Eagles have cleaned up the run defense. Both teams convert more than 70% of their attempts on fourth down. This game is a huge opportunity for the Lions – who have lost to the Packers and Chiefs in the national spotlight. "
Pick: Lions (majority)
“In this house we pick the Detroit Lions without much consideration. Even against a fellow NFC frontrunner. Dan Campbell back on the headset could mean trouble for the rest of the league.”
Pick: Lions (unanimous)
“One team has an offensive identity. The other does not (other than the tush push).”
Pick: Lions (majority)
“This game is scary, but the Eagles offense has shown me nothing to be overly excited about or having legitimate potential to hang in a shootout with the Lions offense.
I expect Philly to play more like the team we saw a year ago in this one, rising to the occasion in a potential NFC title game preview.
But the Lions tend to love the spotlight and have already won two prime-time MNF games this year. SNF isn’t much different, and while I’ll take these points all day, I’ve got my foot on the throttle for an outright Detroit victory."
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