Getty Jamaal Williams celebrates a big run against the Rams.
The Detroit Lions have had a rough run of luck so far this season, and are still looking for their first win in what’s been a tough 0-7 start to 2021.
So far, the Lions might seem like they are on a hopeless path as they push toward trying to end their losing streak. That’s not what some of the experts see whatsoever heading toward Week 8, though.
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Heading into the game, a pair of ESPN Insiders elected to boldly proclaim they see the Lions pulling off the mild upset and getting the win. Writers Jeremy Fowler and Dan Graziano both selected the Lions to beat the Philadelphia Eagles for their first win of the year.
The reason for the picks? According to Fowler, he sees the Lions playing inspired football and the Eagles trending in the opposite direction right now. As he predicted, if the Lions can keep the game low-scoring, he believes they will have a chance to win. Similarly, Graziano conceded that the Philadelphia offense hasn’t looked good, and the Lions have been close to winning. That adds up to a tough day for the Eagles in the reporter’s mind.
For a few weeks, the Lions have been knocking on the door.
Lions vs. Eagles Primer
The Lions and Eagles aren’t common opponents, but when the sides do clash through the years, the games are typically memorable. The last time both teams played was 2019, and the Lions won a fast-paced game that was decided in part by a kickoff return for a touchdown. The Lions and Eagles are in similar places in 2021, even if the Eagles have a win to their credit and the Lions do not. Detroit will be looking to get their offense going in a much bigger way having only scored 19 points last week. Philadelphia will look for a better effort on both sides of the ball entirely for this game, having struggled to a 33-22 loss a week before.
Dan Campbell Senses Lions Close to Winning
The Lions, to some, might not seem close to coming through with a win at this point in time. That isn’t true for Campbell, who believes the team is close to turning a corner and getting a victory, thanks to the fact that as most folks have noticed, the team is competing hard in game and finding a way to improve even when it looks like they are not on the surface thanks to the losses.
Speaking to the media this week on Monday, October 25, Campbell made thee admissions.
“I do (think the Lions can win) because, bottom line is, we are what our record says we are, but man we are competing. We’re giving ourselves a chance to win these games at the end, which is all you can ask for at this point and know we’re improving,” Campbell told the media.
Specifically, Campbell cited several young players and their development as a reason he thinks the Lions can and will turn the corner soon and get in the win column.
“When I see guys like Alim McNeill and Jerry Jacobs and Levi Onwuzurike and (Derrick) Barnes and Jonah Jackson and (D’Andre) Swift. A ton of these young guys that are just getting better and better, that’s encouraging,” Campbell said. “We’re making strides now and that’s going to pay dividends sooner rather than later.”
If the young players continue to develop and find a way to pull through, it will be a huge feather in the cap for a coaching staff which has them believing thanks to the boss who has never stopped.
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