Eagles Defeat Lions, 16-9: 10 Takeaways From Philadelphia’s Statement Win

The Philadelphia Eagles shut down the Detroit Lions on their way to a 16-9 victory in Week 11. Despite many claiming that Philadelphia’s close, low-scoring win over the Green Bay Packers last week wasn’t sustainable, the Eagles did it once again.

Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio put on a coaching clinic that had Lions quarterback Jared Goff seeing ghost. While Philadelphia’s inconsistent offense still struggled, the Eagles were able to lean on their defense and improve their regular season record to 8-2.

Here are my 10 takeaways from Philadelphia’s statement win at Lincoln Financial Field.

Something Needs To Change on Offense

There’s no denying that Philadelphia’s offense is a total failure, from top to bottom right now. Despite a star-studded roster, the Eagles simply can’t do anything right. While many are blaming first-year offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo, he is far from the only one that deserves blame for this mess.

Jalen Hurts has missed throws and hasn’t been utilized as the rushing threat that we’ve seen in recent seasons. Saquon Barkley looks indecisive at times behind a banged up, struggling offensive line. A.J. Brown has voiced his frustrations and DeVonta Smith also appeared bothered by the offensive struggles during a recent mic’d up video.

While there isn’t an obvious answer to Philadelphia’s offensive struggles, something needs to change. It’s clear that there is a disconnect between several pieces of the puzzle. The Eagles can’t let their recent success get in the way of addressing the issues at hand.

Fred Johnson Saved the Day (Again)

When the Eagles traded a 2026 seventh-round pick to the Jacksonville Jaguars for Fred Johnson in late August, it wasn’t exactly the sexiest move. Yet the addition of Johnson has proved to be one of Philadelphia’s best moves.

Eagles All-Pro right tackle Lane Johnson has missed time in several games due to multiple different injuries this season. “Big Fred” has stepped up each time and did so in Week 11.

According to Pro Football Focus, Johnson just two total pressures against the Lions on Sunday night. He hasn’t allowed a sack since Week 3 against the Los Angeles Rams.

Eagles Need To Draft an OT Early in 2026

Lane Johnson isn’t getting any younger. He’s 35-years old and has dealt with four different injuries this season alone. It sure seems like Johnson is heading down the same path that Jason Peters did towards the end of his career in Philadelphia.

Now Johnson is expected to miss at least four games due to a lisfranc injury. While Fred Johnson has been able to fill-in admirably this season, he’ll be a free agent in 2026. The Eagles will have four picks in the first two days of the 2026 NFL Draft and should use at least one of them to address the offensive line.

No More Excuses for A.J. Brown

No player has been more vocal about Philadelphia’s offensive struggles this season than A.J. Brown. The 28-year-old wide receiver has talked about his role and lack of involvement for the Eagles in 2025.

While Brown was heavily targeted against the Lions, he appeared to give up on a deep shot down the sideline in the third quarter. This wasn’t the first time that Brown appeared to stop running a route this season, he did so against the Denver Broncos in Week 5.

If Brown is going to continue complaining about his role in Philadelphia’s offense, he can’t continue to show a lack of effort on the field. That is simply inexcusable behavior for a player of Brown’s caliber, especially following his social media post and comments in 2025.

Tank Bigsby Deserves More Touches

Philadelphia’s offense has been a mess yet one player showed flashes in Week 11. Tank Bigsby had four carries for 34 rushing yards against the Lions, as he appeared to show significantly more burst than Saquon Barkley.

While Bigsby has leaped ahead of Will Shipley on the running back depth chart, he still isn’t getting enough touches. Bigsby has averaged 7.6 yards per carry with the Eagles this season and deserves more touches moving forward.

Jaelan Phillips Is a Game Wrecker

Following an impressive debut for the Eagles last week, some were concerned that Jaelan Phillips set the bar too high in the first same with his new team. Yet he somehow exceeded expectations in his home debut for the Eagles.

Phillips led Philadelphia’s edge rusher rotation with 45 snaps played and made his presence known against the Lions. Phillips recorded five total tackles, including his first sack with the Eagles. Since arriving in Philadelphia, Phillips has been a game wrecker for the Eagles.

Moro Ojomo Is Milton Williams 2.0

While Moro Ojomo showed flashes as a rotational interior defensive lineman in 2024, some were skeptical of his ability to replace Milton Williams as a starter. Yet Ojomo has managed to exceed expectations in his first year as a full-time starter in Philadelphia.

According to Pro Football Focus, Ojomo has recorded 35 total pressures, the second-highest mark on the Eagles this season. Ojomo has also made a major impact against the run. The former seventh-round pick looks like one of the biggest steals in recent NFL Draft history.

Jordan Davis, Jalen Carter Are Elite Rim Protectors

Philadelphia’s pass rush had a dominant performance against Detroit’s explosive offense on Sunday night. Yet even when the Eagles couldn’t get to Goff, they did an incredible job of getting their hands up to bat passes down.

Jordan Davis and Jalen Carter did their best impersonation of Hall of Fame shot blocker Dikembe Mutombo in Week 11. Carter has recorded four batted passes over Philadelphia’s last two games. While Davis recorded three batted passes against the Lions.

The Nakobe Dean Effect

When Nakobe Dean suffered a torn patellar in his left knee against the Packers in the playoffs last season, many wondered if he would ever be the same player again. Well Dean is back…and somehow better than ever.

Philadelphia’s defense has taken a massive step forward since Dean returned in Week 7. The Eagles are 4-0 when Dean has played on defense this season and his role continues to grow each week. While Dean might depart as a free agent in the offseason, Philadelphia needs to cherish him while he is still here.

Adoree’ Jackson Is More Than a “Survivor”

Fangio called 30-year-old veteran cornerback Adoree’ Jackson a “survivor” ahead of the team’s matchup with the Lions. Yet Jackson proved he is more than just a survivor in Week 11, as he played arguably his best game as a member of the Eagles on Sunday night.

While Jackson surrendered Detroit’s only touchdown of the game, he played at a high level outside of that. According to NFL Gen Stats, Jackson matched up with Lions All-Pro wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown on 11 plays.

Brown had just one reception for eight yards on five targets against Jackson. Despite many still doubting if Jackson is the answer at outside cornerback opposite of Quinyon Mitchell, he silenced a lot of those doubters with his performance in Week 11.