The Detroit Lions played well defensively as part of a tough 16-9 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, but their offense couldn't get over the hump and endured a mistake-filled night in defeat.
Looking at the box score, it might seem there wasn't anything more Detroit's defense could have done to pull out a close game. In spite of that, it's clear the Lions missed a chance to make their defensive line even scarier at the trade deadline, and it bit them in Week 11.
The Philadelphia Eagles made the savvy move to pick up pass rusher Jaelan Phillips for a third-round pick, and the decision has paid immediate dividends. Against the Lions, Phillips was particularly active, piling up five total tackles and one sack. PFF shows him as pressure stud.
Jaelan Phillips recorded four total pressures, including one sack in Week 11, per @PFF.
Phillips has recorded 12 total pressures in his first two games with the Eagles. ⭐️ pic.twitter.com/QSG0Sc8doU
— Anthony DiBona (@DiBonaNFL) November 17, 2025
While Detroit decided they didn't need Phillips for a variety of reasons, the positive impact he has made on the Philadelphia defense is hard to miss. He's injected that group with life, and a unit which was already fantastic may have gotten to the next level with his addition. He's been a pressure maestro, and that's precisely what the Lions could use consistently opposite Aidan Hutchinson.
Unfortunately for the Lions, they ended up on the other side of Phillips, who proved why he is likely to be considered a deadline steal for a contender.
Lions defense could have used one more playmaker for a championship push
The saying 'defense wins championships' seems especially apt after watching the Lions and Eagles compete. Philadelphia parlayed a fantastic defense into a Super Bowl victory last season, and look stout once again in 2025.
Detroit, meanwhile, is certainly on a better footing than they were last year. Fighting injuries in 2024, the Lions' defense wasn't as impressive. This year, they've been markedly improved and have battled hard. It's safe to say last year's defense may not have survived under the duress this year's team has placed on them.
READ MORE: NFL playoff picture after Lions' loss to Eagles is a disaster for Detroit
Dan Campbell was a fan of how Detroit's defense battled Sunday night in a variety of tough circumstances. Still, it was clear he was looking for that side of the ball to potentially bail out the offense even more than they did.
"(The) defense I thought really, really played their tails off. I thought they showed up (and) played championship-style defense. They had to put out a number of fires there between the takeaways and the fourth-down stops. Like I told them, I know (you played well), but it's also, you got the hot hand. You got to beat them back one more time."
Right now, the Lions aren't quite to Philadelphia's standard in terms of being championship worthy. Another addition like Phillips could have tipped the scales in this game, allowing them to get the added stops or impact plays that are required to beat a high-level opponent. Detroit will have to find that somewhere else on the roster down the stretch.
Once again, the trade deadline represented a major opportunity missed for Brad Holmes and Detroit's front office. If the 2025 season doesn't finish how they hope, there will be no choice but to look back on the decision not to add any depth as a major mistake.