Now Is the Best Time for Win No. 1

Photo Credit: Kirby Lee (USA TODAY Sports)

The winless Detroit Lions will take on the 2-5 Philadelphia Eagles at Ford Field on Halloween. Philadelphia is a three-point favorite in this matchup. However, the Lions have their best chance so far this season to get their first win, and it may be their last chance for a while.

Detroit isn’t your typical 0-7 team. They could be 6-1 right now if a few things broke their way. The Lions have lost six out of their last seven games by an average of seven points, and two of those losses came from field goals from further than 50 yards out. They are the first team in NFL history to lose twice in one season on 50-plus-yard field goals.

Every game the Lions have played in has been competitive, except the loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, who are currently the No. 1 seed in the AFC. Detroit has struggled to put teams away, and they’ve had some bad luck.

The Eagles are 2-5, their worst start since 1999.

Their two wins have come against the 3-3 Atlanta Falcons and the 3-4 Carolina Panthers. Sam Darnold and the Panthers started hot, but they have become a vastly different team after opening the season with three-straight victories. When the Eagles played Carolina, they were a shell of their 3-0 self. On the other hand, the Falcons simply aren’t that great of a team despite their talent on the offensive side.

Now let’s take a look at the Eagles’ losses. They have lost by 10-plus points three times already this season, falling by that margin to the Dallas Cowboys, Las Vegas Raiders, and Kansas City Chiefs. They suffered closer losses to the San Francisco 49ers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Though the Eagles have lost to decent teams so far, they haven’t looked particularly good in any of those games.

Philadelphia doesn’t run the ball often. Their offense mainly revolves around Jalen Hurts’ arm. The Lions have the 30th-overall quarterback rating for opposing teams (110.9), which may make fans nervous. But Detroit’s pass defense has improved recently.

In the last three weeks, the Lions have allowed an 87.0 QBR, 11th best in the league. Detroit has a young but talented secondary. Expect this trend to continue with the Eagles.

Also, Detroit’s defensive line matches up well against the Eagles’ offensive line. The Lions D-line has been a bright spot this season. If you look at how they have performed against mobile quarterbacks like Hurts, it gets even better. The Lions notched four total sacks against the Baltimore Ravens and had Lamar Jackson running for his life. Julian Okwara has also been solid this year and has put up decent stats, considering how much attention he commands.

The Lions can get their first win on Halloween. It’s a home game against a subpar team. However, things will get bleak if they miss this opportunity. The Eagles are the most beatable team on Detroit’s schedule for a long stretch.

Everyone knows just how frustrating this season has been. Now is the time for the Lions to pick up their first win.

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