1. The Eagles offense looks for more production
There is not a single player in the locker room who believes the offense has played at its peak this season. That’s the exciting part for a team that is 7-2 and has high hopes for the remainder of the season.
The goal is to have a consistently high level of execution.
“It’s been winning in a lot of different ways. It’s truly been the collective of that. Playing together,” quarterback Jalen Hurts said. “I think we’re still searching for those things. We’re always a work in progress. We’re always trying to get better. We’re always trying to improve. We’re always trying to figure things out, and that’s just the mentality we have to have regardless of what it looks like. It doesn’t matter what the performance is or what the outcome is. It’s about the process.”
How do the Eagles attack the Lions? Hurts called the Lions’ defense “disruptive,” a group that mainly plays “man” coverage but, in this instance, could show some zone looks to the Eagles. Most defenses have played zone against Hurts and Co., stacking the box to contain the running game and trying to take away the early reads in Hurts’s progression.
Detroit has some injury concerns on defense: Cornerback Terrion Arnold and safety Kerby Joseph, the team leader with three interceptions, were both ruled out.
2. Vic Fangio schemes against a prolific attack
Detroit has a stacked offense in every way. Running back Jahmyr Gibbs, for example, put up 172 scrimmage yards (142 rushing, 30 receiving) in last week’s win over Washington. He and David Montgomery form a potent tandem in the running game, one that ranks sixth in the NFL with 136 ground yards per game. Wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown has 64 catches, 693 yards and eight touchdowns on 82 targets. Speedster Jameson Williams averages 17.6 yards on his 43 receptions. Quarterback Jared Goff has 20 touchdown passes and only three interceptions, and he’s completing 74 percent of his passes. The Lions will be without standout tight end Sam Laporta, who was ruled out with a back injury.
This presents a great challenge for the Eagles defense. Defensive Coordinator Vic Fangio has talked about it this week. The Lions may have the best offense in the NFL. It’s going to be fascinating to see what Fangio draws up for Sunday night against a team that leads the league in a very significant category: Yards after the catch. This is an explosive offense, no doubt about it.
