The Detroit Lions (6-3) and Philadelphia Eagles (7-2) will square off in a Week 11 matchup between two of the best teams in the NFC. This “Sunday Night Football” battle figures to be significant for both teams and will likely have playoff implications that will linger into late January.
“Philadelphia Eagles, good team. Really good team,” Lions coach Dan Campbell said earlier in the week. “I think what’s most glaring about them is that they win. They know how to win. They’ve got a style, they have an identity. They know how to take it to the end of the game, possess the ball, and finish it with it in their hand with a dub. So, they’ve been able to do that, they’ve mastered it.”
If the Lions want to continue their winning ways, they’ll need to follow the keys to victory laid out in this week’s Honolulu Blueprint.
Eagles’ base schemes
For a detailed look at the opposing scheme, make sure you check out our complementary breakdown piece: Lions Week 11 Preview: Breaking down Eagles’ offensive and defensive schemes.
Key 1: Run it back
Heading into the game in Washington, the Lions had failed to reach 100 yards rushing in two of their previous three games. But they changed things up with coach Dan Campbell calling the plays, and the rushing attack exploded for a combined 226 yards on the ground, a season high for the team. So, what changed?
Let’s start on the ground, where the Lions found success using multiple blocking schemes, including outside zone, duo, gap, pin-and-pull, trap blocks, and wham blocks.
The play below is an excellent example of how they flawlessly executed their trap blocks. On the play, tight end Sam LaPorta (No. 87) delivers a wham block on the 3-technique, LG Kayode Awosika slants right, which distracts the MIKE linebacker from seeing RT Penei Sewell close on him. Then, rookie RG Tate Ratledge drives the edge upfield, while LT Taylor Decker locks up the front-side EDGE rusher, with C Graham Glasgow driving to the second level to block the WILL linebacker, and WR Kalif Raymond getting inside leverage on the corner:
We also saw the Lions alter their personnel, increasing their usage of 11 personnel (3 wide receivers, 63.2% of the time, per Next Gen Stats) and Big Sets with a sixth offensive lineman (Dan Skipper, 10.3% of the time), while reducing their deployment of 12 personnel (1 running back and two tight ends, 16.2% of the time). According to Next Gen Stats, the results were notable:
“(The Lions generated) season-highs in offensive success rate (57.4%), explosive rate (19.1%), and EPA per play (+0.44). Jahmyr Gibbs rushed for 109 yards out of 11P groupings against the Commanders, the most in a single game in his career and the 7th-most by any player in a game this season.”
Lastly, the flow of the game was much smoother with Campbell calling plays, something offensive coordinator John Morton pointed out in his Thursday press conference:
“You (could) feel it. It’s just first down, second down, first down, second down, first down, second down. And we had those moments this year, but it’s just like everything was clicking last week. I just thought that was really cool seeing that. And the players feed off of that.”
The Lions didn’t reinvent themselves in Week 10; they simply made some minor tweaks in a few key areas, and Campbell pulled the right levers at the right time. This coming week against the Eagles, the Lions should take the lessons they learned from the alterations and continue to attack with their fresh new approach.
Key 2: Pre-snap motion, play-action, and cautious quick passes
A few other subtle changes we saw in Week 10 directly helped quarterback Jared Goff, including increases in pre-snap motion and play-action usage.
The Lions increased their pre-snap motion from 38.9% to 57.4%, resulting in an average of 10.1 yards per play on these plays, the third most by any offense in 2025, per Next Gen Stats. Players like Amon-Ra St. Brown, Raymond, LaPorta, and Brock Wright were all involved in this area, helping Goff diagnose the defense while also setting them up in advantageous situations.
Goff also used play-action on 51.5% of his dropbacks in Week 10 (a season-high and fifth-highest career mark, per Next Gen Stats), resulting in 12 completions on 17 passes for 186 yards. On the season, Goff is generating 9.9 yards per passing attempt using play-action, as well as a 75% completion percentage.
Against the Eagles, the Lions would be wise to continue to utilize both pre-snap motion and play-action at high rates. According to Next Gen Stats, play-action pass situations have given the Eagles defense fits this season:
“The Eagles defense has struggled against play action this season, allowing 10.0 yards per attempt, the 5th-most in the NFL. Opposing quarterbacks have also averaged 9.7 air yards per attempt on play action against the Eagles, the 4th-most. The Eagles have allowed a league-high 17.6 yards per attempt against downfield (10+ air yards) play action passes in 2025.”
One area where Goff has had success all season is in the quick-passing game. On the season, he has accumulated 980 passing yards (fifth most in the NFL), averages a league-leading 8.3 yards per quick pass, and has thrown for 12 touchdowns (second most) on those throws.
Against the Eagles’ attacking front, it would make sense to lean on this strength of Goff’s game, but he’ll need to be cautious in his decision-making because the Eagles have defended quick passes well all season. On average, the Eagles allow only 5.2 yards per quick pass attempt, the second-lowest total in the NFL this year.
Key 3: Win in the red zone
While their raw numbers show the Eagles aren’t dominating games as they have in the past, they’ve achieved a 7-2 record by executing when it matters. For example, they are easily the best team in the NFL at execution in the red zone. On offense, the Eagles score touchdowns on 81% of drives that reach the red zone (best in the NFL), while their defense tightens up and allows touchdowns on only 48.15% of trips inside the red zone (fourth best). Those extra points earned/saved have been critical to Philadelphia this season, and are a big reason why they’re 6-1 in one-score games.
On offense, the Lions will test the Eagles’ defense in the red zone. Entering this game, the Lions are scoring on 68.42% of their trips to the end zone (fourth best in the NFL). Goff’s two favorite targets in the red zone have been St. Brown, who accounts for 40.5% of the Lions’ red zone targets (the highest rate in the NFL), and Gibbs, who sees 16.7% of targets. While St. Brown will certainly have the Eagles’ attention in the red zone, the Lions reminded people last week that Gibbs is uncoverable on Texas routes.
Things get more challenging when the teams flip sides because the Lions’ red zone defense is allowing teams to score touchdowns on two of every three trips (66.67%, 25th in the NFL). During the Lions’ bye week, Lions defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard noted that the defense needed to improve their red zone efficiency:
“I believe we should be better and will be better at, starting with the red zone. When you allow teams down there, it’s huge that you limit points in those situations. Call them kind of the four-point plays as far as when teams are in that seven-point striking distance and you only give up a field goal. So, we’ve definitely got to uptick there.”
Unfortunately, since Sheppard made this statement, the Lions have allowed a touchdown on six of the eight red-zone drives over the last two weeks. This is by far the Eagles’ biggest statistical advantage, and in a game projected to be close-scoring, how the Lions’ defense performs in the red zone could be the difference.
Key 4: Stack the box to stop Saquon
Last season, Saquon Barkley ran for a league-leading 2005 rushing yards on his way to being named a first-team All-Pro and the 2024 NFL offensive player of the year. However, this season, the Eagles’ rushing attack has taken a step back. Entering this game, they’re 22nd in rushing DVOA, average 4.0 yards per carry (25th as a team, but Barkley is at 3.9 ypc), and have a 41.7% rushing success rate (19th).
But don’t expect the low statistical production to lead the Lions to take the Eagles’ rushing attack lightly. This week, coach Campbell gushed over Barkley as a player, while DC Sheppard also praised Barkley, as well as the Eagles’ offensive line and coaches. Here are a few excerpts:
Campbell:
“He’s big, but he’s got the agility and the speed of a scat back. He’s powerful, he’s strong, explosive. He can hit the hole. And if he’s got a step and there’s a hole, he can take it the distance.”
Sheppard:
““Yeah, probably one of the most violent units I’ve seen, as far as the offensive line. Obviously coached by one of, if not, the best […] (Offensive Line Jeff Stoutland) Stout is the man and it’s for a reason. […] He’s one of the most elite backs in this League, in this game and that has been. He’s a generational talent.”
Most suggest that the main reason for Barkley’s decline in production has been the lack of holes produced by the offensive line. For example, Barkley’s yards before contact this season is just 1.2 ybc, less than half what it was in 2024. However, he’s not helping matters much either, as the Eagles average only 2.63 yards after contact (30th in the NFL). Barkley is forcing a missed tackle on just 19.5% of his carries, the seventh-lowest mark among running backs in the NFL.
Things won’t get any easier this week against the Lions. On average, they have allowed 1.71 yards before contact (28th), but they’re the best team in the NFL in yards after contact allowed (2.37 yards on average). Meaning, if the Eagles’ offensive line can’t generate much space before contact for Barkley, he’ll be in for a long night because the Lions rarely miss their tackles—they have an 8.2% miss tackle rate, the lowest in the NFL.
Further complicating things for the Eagles is that teams are stacking the box 31.7% of the time (fifth-most in the NFL) and blitzing 38.7% of the time (the highest rate in the NFL). The Lions aren’t too far off from those averages, either, as they play in their base defense, stack the box 34.6% of the time (sixth most), and blitz 29.6% of the time (11th).
Key 5: Contain and Squeeze
It feels like we have this section in the Lions’ keys to victory every week, as they’ve faced a plethora of mobile quarterbacks this season. But Hurts is a dynamic runner and will surely draw the Lions ’ slow-moving, tight-squeezing approach to their pass-rushing defensive front.
The contain-the-quarterback and squeeze-the-pocket approach has been very effective for the Lions this season. So far, they’ve generated 129 pressures (eighth most in the NFL), a 38.5% pressure rate (fifth), recorded 30 sacks (fourth), with a 9% sack rate (fourth). They rank in the top five of PFF’s pass rush grades and find themselves near the top of Next Gen Stats results in multiple categories. The one knock on the Lions’ pass rush is that the boa constrictor approach takes time (2.86 seconds to pressure, 30th)—but the Lions are willing to live with this wart, as long as they continue to produce.
The Lions’ success with this approach depends on two things: gap discipline from their defensive front and sticky coverage on the back end. While the Lions are averaging 2.86 seconds to pressure, their coverage is holding up, and they force quarterbacks to hold the ball on average for 2.95 seconds (the longest in the NFL).
If the Lions can hold up long enough for the pressure to get to Hurts, his EPA per play drops from 0.05 (standard play) to -0.20 (when pressured).
Key 6: Lean into Zone
The Lions run man coverage 43.9% of the time, more than any team in the NFL, and for good reason. When in man coverage, they allow just 4.9 yards per play (10th-best in the NFL) and a success rate of just 36.7% (fourth-lowest).
However, Hurts is one of the best quarterbacks vs. man coverage in the NFL. This season vs. man, Hurts has an EPA of 0.36 per play (fourth), registers 9.04 yards per play (second), and has accounted for 13 touchdowns (second), while throwing just one interception—his only on the year.
Against zone coverage, Hurts’ stats tell a different story. This season vs. zone coverage, Hurts’ EPA per play drops to -0.02 (30th in the NFL), his yards per play average falls to 7.06 (25th), and he’s thrown for just three touchdowns on 187 plays, but has yet to throw an interception.
This season, the Lions have done a nice job of matching coverage to a quarterback’s weaknesses (save the game in Kansas City in Week 6). And while I am not expecting them to completely abandon man coverage—they won’t because it’s who they are at their core—it would benefit them to run more zone coverage disguised as man, as they did against the Bucs and Baker Mayfield in Week 7.
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