PHILADELPHIA — The Eagles delivered a loud and clear message on Sunday night: if you want to get through the NFC, you’re going to have to get through their defense.
In a gritty 16-9 win over the Detroit Lions, Philadelphia’s defense took over the game, smothering quarterback Jared Goff and shutting down one of the league’s most explosive offenses.
“We talked about it all week — be physical, play our style, make them come through Philly,” defensive tackle Jordan Davis said. “We made a stand, made a statement. I’m proud of the guys.”
Davis was everywhere, swatting three passes and setting up a Cooper DeJean interception on one of them. His former Georgia teammate Jalen Carter added two more batted balls, part of a plan the Eagles developed after spotting Goff’s low-angle throws on tape.
They practiced it all week, even setting up defenders behind the linemen in drills to catch the tipped passes. And the preparation paid off.
Goff finished with the worst completion rate by any NFL quarterback this season — just 38%. He was pressured 20 times, hit seven times and went 0-for-12 under duress, something only Blake Bortles had done in the last eight years.
Little things like batted balls, Davis said, “mess with a QB’s mind,” and the Eagles clearly got in Goff’s head.
Detroit went 0-for-5 on fourth down, a rare complete shutdown of the aggressive style coach Dan Campbell is known for.
Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts said he was blown away by his defense.
“It was one of the best performances I’ve ever seen,” Hurts said. “To do that against such a potent offense — I have so much respect for that.”
Over the past two weeks, Philly has held two NFC contenders — the Packers and Lions — to just 16 combined points. It’s the first time since early 2022 that they’ve kept back-to-back opponents under 10.
A big part of this surge? Newly acquired edge rusher Jaelan Phillips. After being traded from Miami before the deadline, he has quickly become a force, racking up six pressures and a sack Sunday after dominating Green Bay the week before.
“He fit in right away,” linebacker Nakobe Dean said. “His personality, the way he plays, the physicality — everything.”
The defense has needed to rise up because the offense has scored only 26 points across two wins — their lowest in a two-game streak since 1997.
Still, the Eagles keep finding ways to win. At 8-2, they now have a 47% chance to secure the No. 1 seed in the NFC, according to ESPN Analytics — a number that would have dropped to 17% with a loss.
“Our team is waiting to win,” coach Nick Sirianni said. “They know how to win. And that matters.”
How to Watch: Lions at Eagles — Sunday Night Football
The Lions continue their road stretch with a primetime showdown against the Eagles at 8:20 p.m. ET on Sunday, November 16. The last time these teams met was Week 1 of the 2022 season, a 38–35 Eagles win.
WATCH LIVE
TV: NBC | Peacock
Play-by-play: Mike Tirico
Analyst: Cris Collinsworth
Sideline reporter: Melissa Stark
International:
- Canada: TSN2
- Germany: DAZN & NFL Game Pass
- Brazil: SPORTV2 & NFL Game Pass International
Streaming: NFL+ (live local & primetime games, replays, more)
LISTEN LIVE
Lions Radio Network:
- Play-by-play: Dan Miller
- Analysts: Lomas Brown, T.J. Lang
Westwood One:
- Play-by-play: Ryan Radtke
- Analyst: Ross Tucker
