The Detroit Lions have been a resilient team all season, but their latest loss may have sunk any hopes of repeating last season’s finish — and this time, a career-worst game from quarterback Jared Goff is to blame.
The Lions came into Sunday night’s game against the Philadelphia Eagles with a chance to climb into contention in the NFC North. But the offense struggled to get going in a 16-9 loss, one where Goff had the lowest completion percentage of his career and head coach Dan Campbell’s aggressive fourth-down calls blew up on the Lions.
The loss leaves the Lions in a big deficit in the NFC North and likely ended their hopes of repeating as the No. 1 overall seed in the conference.
The Lions did well to rebound from each of their first three losses this season, winning after each one and keeping alive their three-year streak of no back-to-back losses. But the loss to the Eagles on Sunday handed the Lions their fourth loss of the season and put them two games behind Philadelphia for the top spot in the conference.
The Athletic’s Colton Pouncy noted that Sunday’s loss will likely make it impossible for the Lions to finish atop the NFC like they did in 2024.
“The Lions are 6-4, third in the NFC North and on the outside looking in for the playoff race,” Pouncy wrote. “This is not where they were expected to be after 11 weeks. They just lost a measuring-stick game against a contender in their conference, and any lingering hope of securing a first-round bye is just about lost after this outing.”
Pouncy noted that the Lions still have time to get back in the hunt for the division crown, facing the hapless New York Giants next week followed by a rematch with the Green Bay Packers. But Pouncy suggested that the Lions look nothing like the dominant team that won the division in 2023 and 2024.
“You never quite know what to expect from this group on a week-to-week basis — something you haven’t been able to say about them since they turned the corner in 2023,” Pouncy wrote.
Goff’s performance was one of the biggest factors in Sunday’s loss. The veteran quarterback struggled against the aggressive defense, completing a career-worst 37.8% of his passes, going 14-for-37.
Goff took two sacks and had several passes batted down, often leaving the Lions with long third downs. The Lions rarely converted from there, going 3-for-12 on third downs and 0-for-5 on fourth-down attempts.
The Lions suffered from some costly miscues outside of Goff’s poor performance. After wide receiver Jameson Williams caught a 40-yard touchdown tie the game at 6-all late in the first half, the receiver celebrated by jumping onto the goal post upright and drew a 15-yard penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct.
The Lions went on to miss the long extra point, losing out on a chance to take the lead.
Campbell also drew criticism for his repeated fourth-down calls, which were falling flat in the face of an aggressive Eagles defense.
The Titans’ coaching search revealed itself as a closely guarded state secret with intimate details rarely leaking out despite perceived heavy interest in the job. Tennessee’s front office saw fit to relieve former head coach Brian Callahan of his duties in the middle of October. The Athletic’s college football reporters spilled the tea on the latest ongoings in the coaching carousel of that part of the world. Their tea included a spicy morsel that a sitting head coach of a potential CFP program draws the Titans’ interest. Will the Titans shock the world with a surprise in their coaching search? Per The Athletic, here’s the section that has Titans’ fans agog with interest on both sides of the carousel.
“This situation seems to be trending in a positive direction for Rebels fans who would like to keep their coach, but one note of caution: One industry source said there was at least a modicum of interest in Kiffin among decision-makers with the Tennessee Titans.”
Lane Kiffin isn’t the first collegiate head coach connected to Tennessee’s open head coaching vacancy this cycle. Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian drew that honor via a report from Diana Russini last month. Coach Kiffin becomes the spiciest name to be associated with the gig. There are remnants of the University of Tennessee’s fanbase who still hold Kiffin in the most contemptuous regard. The offensive savant who brought Nick Saban into the modern era of offensive football is the subject of intense pursuit by multiple SEC programs.
Ironically, Kiffin and Sarkisian share multiple connective tissues throughout their mutual careers. Both men served on the same USC staff under Pete Carroll. The Ole Miss coach has an indirect link to the Titans as he also learned under the watchful eye of former Titans OC Norm Chow. After his service with the Trojans, he parlayed the job into the Raiders’ head coaching job in 2007. The Raiders were a disaster under his reign, which began at just 32 years of age. Owner Al Davis fired him in 2008 with the dramatic flair of ancient media technology and accusations of impropriety. The coach filed a lawsuit that was later dismissed.
Theatrical Drama
Kiffin’s tumultuous and often mercurial relationship with the state of Tennessee began in 2009 with his lone season in Knoxville. His tenure was brief but memorable for his quips and barbs in the media, often accusing other coaches of engaging in salacious recruiting practices. He then left for the USC job, where he lasted for over two seasons, trying to recover from the fallout of the Reggie Bush scandal.
The former USC coach delivered on his panache of dramatic exits when he was fired at LAX after a loss. Kiffin used his time wisely for three seasons as Alabama OC, piloting the Tide’s offense to greater heights under Saban. Delivering on a great flair for the dramatic, he was relieved of his duties before a national championship loss. The reason cited was that he needed time to focus on his next head coaching job at FAU. Interestingly, Sark replaced Kiffin at USC and at Alabama.
After three seasons at FAU, he was named the head coach of Ole Miss for the 2020 season. He’s led the Rebels to previously unheard-of success, garnering 10 more wins in four of five seasons.
Kiffin has had success with a variety of quarterback styles, making him an ideal candidate for an NFL team looking to fuel its offense. However, his time in Oakland will bring some pause, but Kiffin is mature as a man in his 40s. Tennessee has a youthful offense that needs direction, and he would be a good fit in that regard, armed with an interesting rolodex of assistants to call upon. He’s an offensive genius who elevates that side of the ball wherever he goes. The Titans could go in this direction, but are more likely to interview him to gather ideas on how to improve Cam Ward. If there is a legitimate interest between the two, they must strike quickly, given the hot and heavy interest elsewhere.
The playoff-contending Rebels are in the midst of their best season, but have to deal with the whims of the coaching carousel. The 2025 coaching cycle is wild, with powerhouse programs like Penn State, Florida, and LSU vacant. Ole Miss will need to fend off interest from Florida and LSU in particular, given the resources of those programs. Kiffin is reportedly happy in Oxford, but history shows that he has a wandering eye. The social media savant clearly marches to his own beat, poking bears and coaching great offenses. Attempting to fend off P2 interest is one thing, but can the Rebels withstand an NFL team that offers money and a better quality of life? The Rebels will find out in the next couple of weeks and months ahead.