The Philadelphia Eagles meet the Detroit Lions on Sunday, September 11, a year in which they defeated the woeful Lions 44-6. The game will be broadcast live on DirecTV Stream (free trial) and fuboTV (live stream).
That result aside, both teams are aware of the areas they need to improve ahead of the season opener.
The Eagles were largely one-dimensional during their march to the playoffs last year, and the game against Detroit was a good example. Jalen Hurts threw for 103 yards as Philadelphia did most of their damage on the ground. The Eagles ended up rushing for 236 yards, eight more than the Lions’ total offense generated.
Hurts was more impressive as a rusher than as a passer last season — finishing with 784 yards on the ground and 10 points — and while the Eagles led the NFL in rushing, they had no receiver to surpass 1,000 yards.
Enter AJ Brown, who surpassed 1,000 yards in 2019 and 2020 and was on track to do so again last year before being limited to 13 games. In three seasons with the Titans, he averaged 61.7 catches, 998.3 yards and 8.0 touchdowns – just the kind of weapon Hurts needs.
He has a sign in his locker that says “Always Open”.
The Lions, who posted a 3-13-1 record in their first season under coach Dan Campbell, are also betting their offense will be more dynamic. They also earned a starting wideout and signed DJ Chark to a one-year, $10 million deal.
The team believes it has one of the best offensive lines in football to protect quarterback Jared Goff – left tackle Taylor Decker, left guard Jonah Jackson, center Frank Ragnow, right guard Halapoulivaati Vaitai and right tackle Penai Sewell.
When is Eagles-Lions?
The Eagles play the Lions on Sunday, September 11 at 12:00 p.m. ET.
Live Stream Options
DirectTV stream
DirecTV Stream offers a free trial.
There are four options of DirecTV Stream:
The entertainment package, which consists of over 65 channels, costs $54.99 until the promotion ends on April 30th. It’s the basic package for entertainment that can’t be missed – including ESPN, TNT, Nickelodeon and HGTV.
The Choice Pack has 90+ channels and costs $74.99 during the promotion. The channels in ENTERTAINMENT as well as MLB Network, NBA TV, College Sports Networks and more. Enjoy regional sports networks without additional fees.
The Ultimate package has 130+ channels and costs $89.99 during the promotion. All in CHOICE, plus Oxygen, Golf Channel, NHL Network, Universal Kids and more.
The Premier Package has 140+ channels and costs $134.99 during the promotion. All in ULTIMATE, plus HBO Max, SHOWTIME, STARZ, Cinemax and more.
DirecTV Stream offers a free trial that doesn’t require much effort.
To sign up, enter a phone number, email address, and credit card and you’ll get five days of free service.
Also, enhance your experience with the DirecTV Stream device. While it doesn’t come with a free trial, it gives you access to thousands of apps like Netflix and more on Google Play. You can search with Google Assistant using voice remote control and enjoy a traditional live TV channel guide. It is sold separately.
Football TV
The game is streamed live on fuboTV, which offers a free trial. The most basic plan is the “Fubo Standard” plan, which includes 121+ channels for $69.99 per month. As with all cord cutting alternatives, there are many options, especially for sports. It comes with 1,000+ hours of cloud-based DVR and up to 10 screens simultaneously.
Will it be televised?
The Eagles and Lions are televised on Fox.
preview
PAGE CHANGE: Brown isn’t the only Eagle with something to prove on Sunday. Cornerback Darius Slay spent his first seven seasons anchoring Detroit’s secondary school, going to three Pro Bowls and earning All-Pro honors in 2017.
In 2020, however, the Lions clinched CB Jeff Okudah (Ohio State) with the third overall and Slay found himself in Philadelphia. In two years, Okudah has played just 10 games, intercepted one pass and allowed a 77.2% completion rate.
Meanwhile, Slay has played 31 games for the Eagles and has posted a 68.0% completion rate for fewer yards than Okudah. He’s also intercepted four passes, returned one for a touchdown, and returned two fumbles for touchdowns.
One of Slay’s hits came on a 33-yard fumble return against the Lions last season, giving the Eagles two touchdowns in 11 seconds and a 38-0 lead.
“He’s always in the right place, in the right phase and close to the ball,” said Goff. “He’s a damn good player and I have a lot of respect for him.”
POSSIBLE JERSEY CHANGE? Lions DE Aidan Hutchinson, the No. 2 pick in the April draft, said he’s already been offered a post-game shirt swap with longtime Eagles DE Brandon Graham. Both players grew up in Metro Detroit and played in Michigan before being selected in the first round.
Hutchinson said he was flattered by the offer but might want to keep his jersey from his first NFL game.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
