It's beginning to feel like what we're seeing from the Detroit Lions' offense the last few weeks is simply what the reality is for the unit that, just last year, was the best in the NFL.
Against the Philadelphia Eagles, Jared Goff and the Lions were completely off kilter, resulting in just nine points despite the Lions defense holding the Eagles to only 16 points. It was another week where a strong pass rush completely unseated the Lions' offensive line, resulting in beyond shaky play from Goff in a cold weather game.
This has left Detroit in a less than desirable position in the NFC North. They're now in second place behind the Chicago Bears, with several games still left to be played against defenses that can be just as disruptive as the Eagles were in this contest. There's not much to be excited about after this one, and things are getting to a point of no return for this offense, led by Goff.
5 losers and 1 winner from Lions' humbling loss to Eagles
Loser: Jared Goff
Goff has yet to show what he offers when facing down a strong pass rush like the Eagles had in this contest. He was perpetually pressured and unable to escape it, thanks to his lack of mobility in the pocket. He took seven quarterback hits and two sacks, resulting in a 14-37 passing night from Goff.
There's something to be desired from this Lions offensive line, especially as they continue to work through the motions of missing Frank Ragnow under center. The lack of a pristine pocket from which Goff can work from leaves him visibly uncomfortable, and that's a big problem for Detroit as they look to march into the postseason against defenses that look just like that of the Eagles.
Loser: Amon-Ra St. Brown
After a hot start to the season, St. Brown has been dropping a ton more passes than usual and doesn't seem to be as in sync with Goff as in previous contests. Maybe the emphasis being back on Jameson Williams has led to a lack of rhythm for St. Brown, but he has quickly gone from the most reliable receiver for Detroit to one of their shakier ones in recent weeks.
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With 12 targets, St. Brown only managed 42 receiving yards in this loss. That's not going to get it done for Detroit as they are always looking to open up their passing game to then open up their run game. Without him being an integral part to their offense, Goff is simply not set up to succeed.
Loser: Dan Campbell (and his glasses)
Much was made of Campbell's decision to take over play-calling from John Morton for the rest of the season, especially after the trouncing that took place against the Washington Commanders in Week 10. Those Commanders and their lack of a defense were nothing compared to what the Lions saw in this contest.
Campbell was far too aggressive at times, like when he pulled the trigger on a fake punt that Philadelphia's defense had clearly been anticipating based on the personnel they had on the field, or when he didn't just take a field goal in the first half after the Lions kept getting stopped on fourth down.
He also just couldn't scheme for how aggressive the Eagles' defensive front was in this game, which threw Goff off his game and, as a result, the entire offense off its game. Campbell has work to do regarding the offensive line and their ability to stay strong against these types of defenses. Turns out, John Morton might not have been the entire issue with this offense.
Loser: Brad Holmes
At the trade deadline, the Lions could've done...something, to make their pass rush go from decent to great. They've gotten a healthy and solid year from Aidan Hutchinson so far, and adding someone to their arsenal to help him out could've gone a long way towards their playoff aspirations.
Instead, the team felt they had more than enough in the tank on defense, especially considering how many defenders are coming off the IR for them.
Jalelan Phillips could've been the perfect target for Detroit at this year's deadline, lack of control in 2026 be damned. Instead, he was dealt to the more aggressive Eagles, and he absolutely dominated the Lions with one sack for a loss and two key quarterback hits. It was an unwelcome reminder of what could've been for this Lions defense, especially since their offense looks really inept this year.
Winner: Kelvin Sheppard
Amid so many questions surrounding the Lions' playcalling, there's one coordinator that has really shown out in recent weeks despite injuries decimating his unit: Kelvin Sheppard. The Lions' defensive coordinator has been Detroit's biggest hype man on the sideline this season, clearly doing an excellent job of coaching up his unit of mostly backups.
Despite this loss, Detroit managed to hold Philadelphia to just 16 points, which was beyond impressive considering the team was without Terrion Arnold in this one. He continues to be a great hire for the Lions from this past offseason.