The Detroit Lions went off in Week 10 against the Washington Commanders, hanging 44 points on the scoreboard. While the Commanders posted 22 points, the Lions' victory was never once in any serious doubt, and the team from Motown cruised to an easy win. A win that felt like the loss of Commander quarterback Jayden Daniels aided it.
While the loss of Daniels didn't help the situation for the Commanders any, the Lions were just too tough on offense, rolling up the Washington defense with ease. No quarterback can help a defense that won't help itself. So it's fair to say that the blowout was earned on the Lions' end. Not just earned, but there's a possibility that it can be repeated in Week 11 against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday night.
The Eagles are a better class of team, but they're far from an unbeaten juggernaut. So it's not out of the question that the Lions can repeat their success. Just, how would they hang another massive figure on the Eagles?
1. The Lions’ Running Game Is Next Level
Despite being 6th in the league in rushing yards per game, no team ahead of the Lions has two running backs with 450 rushing yards each. In fact, except for the Chicago Bears, the other four teams (Buffalo Bills, Indianapolis Colts, New York Jets, and Baltimore Ravens) feature scrambling quarterbacks as the player with the second most amount of yards. Usually, those yards come from pockets breaking down and quarterbacks improvising with the ball in their hands. No team features two dynamic backs who can carve up defenses as well as the Lions do.
2. The Eagles’ Run Defense Is Far from Solid
Heading into Week 11, the Eagles are just 19th against the run. They give up 118.6 yards per game on the ground alone, and have shown serious weaknesses on the ground against less than impressive teams than the Lions. For instance, the New York Giants and Cam Skattebo hung 172 rushing yards on the Eagles' defense. Skattebo had just 98 yards of that, but the Giants as a whole really highlighted the Eagles' issues. The Lions are a far superior team running the ball, and the Eagles may just find themselves on the wrong end of the box score.
3. The Eagles Offense Is Awful
The Philadelphia Eagles' offense ranks just 23rd in total yards. Saquon Barkley isn't what he was in 2024, and the Eagles' passing attack seems to have seen better days, with players like AJ Brown reportedly disgruntled. The Lions' defense, while a unit with its own issues, has the players needed to really rough up the Eagles' night. The Eagles have struggled against equally talented defenses like Green Bay and Kansas City, but neither of those teams has the same offense the Lions have. If the Lions' defense can handle the Eagles the way the Packers and Chiefs did, the Lions may just leave with a huge win.