Detroit Lions at Philadelphia Eagles: Complete game guide and 3 things to watch in the Week 11 matchup
● What: Detroit Lions at Philadelphia Eagles
● When: Sunday, Nov. 16, 8:20 p.m.
● Where: Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia
● How to watch: NBC (Tirico/Collinsworth/Stark
● How to listen: 97.1-FM The Ticket in Metro Detroit or any number of network affiliates around the state.
● Line: Eagles -2.5
● Injury report: The Lions have some issues going into this one, missing two starters in the secondary, with a third questionable after a mid-week injury in practice. Cornerback Terrion Arnold (concussion) and safety Kerby Joseph (knee) have been ruled out, while Amik Robertson (hamstring) is a game-time decision.
Additionally, a back injury landed star tight end Sam LaPorta on injured reserve this week, meaning he’ll miss at least the next four games.
Detroit has several others who are questionable for the matchup, including rookie receiver Isaac TeSlaa, who was a Saturday addition to the injury report with an oblique issue. It doesn’t look good for him, given that the team elevated two receivers off the practice squad on Saturday.
● Officiating assignment: Alex Kemp’s crew. He last worked a Lions game in Week 4 of last season, a win over Seattle.
● Last meeting: The teams haven’t played since the season opener in 2022, when the Eagles took a 17-point lead into the fourth quarter and held on for a 38-35 victory.
Three things worth watching
● Losing LaPorta is undeniably a big blow. The third-year tight end’s 489 receiving yards are the second most on the team. Plus, he’d made significant strides as a blocker this year, playing a key role in many outside runs, including last week’s 43-yard touchdown romp for Jahmyr Gibbs.
The Lions will look to experienced veterans Brock Wright and Ross Dwelley to shoulder the load while LaPorta is sidelined. Wright, an underrated athlete, is well-versed in all the schematic responsibilities for his position and has been an efficient receiving option for quarterback Jared Goff, even if the tight end lacks the field-stretching element LaPorta brings to the table.
Dwelley, meanwhile, has only seen 50 offensive snaps in seven appearances since joining the Lions. However, the eighth-year pro, who spent most of his career in San Francisco, has logged more than 1,400 during his career.
Detroit also has jumbo package options with Dan Skipper, as well as the talent to go more 11 personnel with three receivers, but either option could make their run/pass tendencies a little more obvious.
There’s also going to be a trickle-down impact on special teams. Wright has played a bunch with those groups, but expect that role to be reduced with more offensive responsibilities. For what it’s worth, he’s also been nursing an ankle injury this week.
● The interior of Detroit’s offensive line, which was down starter Christian Mahogany, still delivered its best collective performance in last week’s win over Washington. The trio of Graham Glasgow, Tate Ratledge and Kayode Awosika combined to help the Lions rack up 226 yards on the ground and allowed just four pressures and no sacks in pass protection.
That will be difficult to repeat against the Eagles, who counter with one of the league’s more formidable fronts, despite average output this year. The opposition is allowing a pedestrian 4.4 yards per carry, and their 20.5% pressure rate and 19 sacks are also below league average.
Still, it would be foolish to sleep on the game-wrecking ability of defensive tackle Jalen Carter or mammoth, space-eating Jordan Davis’ ability to make running up the gut problematic.
The interior group is rounded up by Moro Ojomo, who is playing a far larger role in his third season following the offseason departure of Milton Williams. Ojomo has stepped up with the added responsibilities and is leading the Eagles with 34 pressures and 4.0 sacks through nine games.
The addition of Jalean Phillips via the trade deadline has also sparked an anemic edge rush for Philadelphia that lacked a complement for Jalyx Hunt. In his debut last week, Phillips generated five pressures.
● After getting shut out on the stat sheet against Tampa Bay in Week 7, Jameson Williams is coming to life. Aided by play-calling that had him more involved and better utilized in last week’s win over Washington, he produced a season-high 119 yards with six grabs.
Williams was able to showcase his growth as a route runner in the victory, including two timing patterns coming back toward Goff. One converted a third down on the opening drive, and the second provided an explosive gain on the first possession of the third quarter. Both series ended in a touchdown for the Lions.
We’ve known since training camp that Williams was capable of offering more this year. Now, with LaPorta out, the offense is going to need Williams to continue his recent ascension of production and reliability.