Countdown to Kickoff: Eagles at Lions
5...PLAYERS TO WATCH
A.J. Brown - The king-sized receiver makes his Eagles debut amid high expectations as the perceived final piece to a potentially dynamic offense. Brown should make things easier for Jalen Hurts when it comes to throwing the football on third downs and in the middle of the field.
Jordan Davis - The defensive version of Brown. Davis’ presence as a true zero- or shade-technique should help everything else on Jonathan Gannon’s defense fall into place.
Dallas Goedert - This is the first season Goedert will start as the undisputed TE1 for Philadelphia and the expectation is he will join George Kittle, Mark Andrews, and Travis Kelce in the NFL’s elite at the position.
Frank Ragnow - The Lions center and former All-Pro played in only four games last season and already his status for Sunday's game is questionable with a groin injury. His return to the lineup, though, can’t be overstated. Ragnow is the best pure football player in Detroit and one of the best centers in the NFL.
Aidan Hutchinson - The No. 2 overall pick, the defensive end is the kind of talent that must start paying dividends before people default to the cliched “Same Old Lions” sentiment.
4...KEY MATCHUPS
Lions TE T.J. Hockenson vs. Eagles LB Kyzir White - This shapes up as strength vs. strength. Hockenson is one of the more underrated pass-catching tight ends in football and White arrives in Philadelphia as one of the better coverage LBs in the NFL.
Lions Center Frank Ragnow vs. Eagles NT Jordan Davis - Davis’ first test might be his toughest of the season. Ragnow, when healthy, is a top-five center in the league and at 310 pounds, he’s one of the few who can consistently fend off the bigger and stronger DTs.
Lions RT Taylor Decker vs. Eagles Edge Rusher Haason Reddick - The classic speed vs. strength matchup here. If Reddick can pin his ears back, it’s advantage Eagles. If Decker is rolling downhill against Reddick, it’s a plus for the Lions.
Lions DT Alim McNeil vs. Eagles C Jason Kelce - You might remember McNeil as the player the now-deposed Tom Donahoe wanted in the 2021 NFL Draft. He’s quietly turning into a solid player who could be ready to take the next step on the Lions' interior. Holding his own against Kelce, who barely worked in the summer due to elbow surgery could be a stepping stone.
3...THINGS TO KNOW
-The all-time regular-season series between Philadelphia and Detroit is deadlocked at 16-16-2, meaning the winner of Sunday’s game will have the bragging rights until at least the next meeting. The Eagles’ 44-6 drubbing of the Lions last year at Ford Field kickstarted a run toward the postseason for Philadelphia and also halted a three-game losing streak to Detroit.
-The Eagles rushed for a season-high four touchdowns in Detroit last season, including a pair by Boston Scott. Darius Slay, a former Lions star before being traded to Philadelphia, also returned a fumble forced by Detroit native Avonte Maddox 33 yards for a TD in the game.
-The Eagles have the most season-opening victories in the NFL since 2011, capturing 9 of their last 11 kickoff weekend matchups. including a 5-1 record in Week 1 games since 2016.
2...X-FACTORS
Eagles: S Chauncey Gardner-Johnson - A big debut could really fuel the Eagles' defense early in the season while a couple of blown coverages coming off short prep time could have Philadelphia regretting not keeping Anthony Harris on the 53 as an insurance policy.
Lions: STC Dave Fipp - The former long-time special teams guru in Philadelphia likely sees what we all see in that the Eagles' special teams units weren’t all that good last season and little was done to improve them. That could result in Fipp trying to press the issue to create a big play in the third phase to try and steal the game
1...PREDICTIONS
John McMullen (0-0, 0-0 vs. the spread) - Forget about 44-6. That isn’t happening this year. The Eagles are the far more talented team but a Week 1 home opener will help Detroit, which will come in fired up as Philadelphia GM Howie Roseman noted. It might be tougher than expected but the Eagles should have enough to out-talent the Lions
EAGLES 24, LIONS 20
Ed Kracz (0-0, 0-0 vs. the spread) - I had this one marked as a layup in my post-schedule release story. It may not be as easy as first believed, but I still think the Eagles will win. It just won't be a game where you can sit back in the second half and feel good about the start of the 2022 season. They are going to have to work for this one, but they will do enough to start 1-0.
EAGLES 27, LIONS 17
-John McMullen contributes Eagles coverage for SI.com's Eagles Today and is the NFL Insider for JAKIB Sports. You can listen to John, alongside legendary sports-talker Jody McDonald, every morning from 8-10 on ‘Birds 365,” streaming live on YouTube.com and JAKIBSports.com. You can reach John at jmcmullen44@gmail.com or on Twitter @JFMcMullen
