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For the most part, the 2021 Detroit Lions battled and managed to hang in every game. That didn’t apply for a mid-season battle against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Detroit was slammed 44-6 by the Eagles, and it was arguably the worst loss the team sustained all year long. The defeat was resounding and stinging, to the point where Dan Campbell still feels it almost a year later.
This week, ahead of Week 1’s matchup against Philadelphia, Campbell admitted that the hope of revenge does play a factor for his team, especially with regards to how the game played out last season. Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press tweeted some of the coach’s thoughts:
“Dan Campbell: Last year’s loss to Eagles It was embarrassing. It was an embarrassing loss. They let us have it, they rubbed our nose in it. They came in and everything they wanted to do. Campbell he expects Eagles to try to do the same thing this week,” Birkett tweeted.
In terms of what the Eagles could do, running the ball effectively comes to mind. That day, Philadelphia rushed for over 200 yards with four touchdowns, and Detroit put up no resistance in the trenches. That will probably have to change this time around.
Listening to Campbell speak, it’s clear he knows the team has to have a chip on their shoulder for this matchup given what happened last year.
Lions Preparing Hard for Jalen Hurts
A big reason the Lions struggled last season was the play of Jalen Hurts. The quarterback occupied plenty of attention for the team, and ended up making plenty of big plays on the field.
This season, the Lions know they can’t take anything for granted when it comes to preparing for Hurts. Heading into practice this week, the team is going to leave no stone unturned in getting ready.
“Dan Campbell said Tom Kennedy or Amon-Ra St. Brown could try and replicate Jalen Hurts in practice. Or, he said, it could be a coach. … Antwaan Randle El, perhaps?,” Birkett tweeted.
No matter who plays the role of Hurts, the team will have to key in. Hurts rushed for 71 yards in last year’s game, and while he didn’t hurt the Lions much with the pass throwing for only 103 yards, he is a major dual-threat on the field.
Stopping Hurts is a big way the Lions could avenge last season’s frustration on the field.
Lions Home Opener Offers Shot at Revenge
Arguably the most ugly loss the Lions sustained during the 2021 season came at the hands of the Eagles, who drilled Detroit in a Week 8 matchup.
From the start of the game to finish, Philadelphia put it on the Lions in the game. The 44-6 score likely could have been way worse, because Detroit didn’t stop the Eagles much if at all during the contest.
Perhaps the worst part of the game for the Lions was how the team’s defense didn’t manage to stop the Eagles consistently on the day up front. Philadelphia gashed Detroit for 236 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns on the day. The Eagles didn’t do a ton of damage through the air with just 114 passing yards, but they didn’t have to.
The Lions, meanwhile, and were a combined 7-19 on third and fourth down. Their offense did next to nothing in putting up just six points, and their defense was outgunned most of the day. It was an ugly game, and arguably the worst effort the team had all year long.
In this year’s home opener, the Lions could be motivated by revenge. The Eagles have drawn plenty of hype as a major contender, while the Lions haven’t drawn much hype at all.
Memories of last season will have to be fresh in the minds of the Detroit players.
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