Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell sees no issue with the Eagles’ tush push despite its frequent controversies.
On Sunday, the Detroit Lions picked up a big road win over the Washington Commanders to help put the previous week’s loss vs the Minnesota Vikings in the rearview mirror. Calling the plays on offense for Detroit was head coach Dan Campbell, who assumed those responsibilities with solid results in the victory.
Up next for the Lions is a date with the Philadelphia Eagles, who have not shyed away from bringing out the Tush Push so far this season despite frequent complaints from fans. The Eagles are frequently allowed to jump early on these plays without flags being thrown, and also have gotten away with fumbling the ball and the play being ruled dead, which has further stirred the controversy.
However, one person who doesn’t have a problem with the play is Dan Campbell himself.
“I’m a purist. You take something out of the game, then we’re taking the next thing out of the game, and pretty soon we don’t have pads anymore. Then pretty soon you’re only playing 30 minutes. … They’ve got a niche, they’ve found something, they’re good at it, and it’s for everybody else to stop,” said Campbell, per Ari Meirov of The 33rd Team on X, formerly Twitter.
While the Eagles will appreciate Campbell’s sentiments, unfortunately for them, most figures in the NFL do not have the same opinion, making it highly likely that the play will be addressed once again this offseason, especially considering referees’ blatant inability to officiate it correctly.
Still, as long as they’re allowed to do it, the Eagles have no signs of considering stopping the play, so it will be up to the Lions to try to stop it on Sunday.
The Eagles and Lions are set to kick off on Sunday at 8:20 PM ET from Philadelphia.
The Detroit Lions showed their stuff with a lopsided 44-22 win over the Washington Commanders on Sunday, November 9, on the road, and that took away a bit of the sting of losing to NFC North rivals the Minnesota Vikings the week prior. While it was a great to get a win against Washington, now, the Lions are looking ahead to a contest against the reigning NFL champions: the Philadelphia Eagles.
The Lions and Eagles go up against each other on Sunday, November 16, at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. The Eagles have a 7-2 record going into the game, while the Lions are 6-3, and both teams are being called among the best in the NFL for the 2025-26 season.
“It’s a great place to play,” Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell told 97.1 The Ticket in Detroit about playing in Philadelphia under the bright lights. He almost channeled his inner Metallica, noting, “I mean, it’s electric. Had batteries thrown at us, spit on. It’s just the classic stuff. It’s probably the most hostile place to play.”
So, Campbell is ready to take on the Eagles on the road, and so is quarterback Jared Goff. While Goff isn’t a flashy name like Patrick Mahomes or Josh Allen, he’s quietly been winning this season when it comes to his statistics.
On Wednesday, November 12, the team took to social media to announce Goff’s numbers from this season. According to NFL research, Goff is first in the entire league in completion at 74%. He’s also second in passing touchdowns at 20, passer rating at 117.7 and passing first down at 41.4%, plus fourth in passing touchdowns at 7.3% and fifth in yards per attempt at 8.19.
Goff will take those numbers into the Eagles contest. Sunday’s game will mark the first time these teams have played since the 2022-23 season. The Lions and Eagles almost went up against each other in last season’s NFC championship game, but the Lions were upset by the Washington Commanders in the divisional round of the playoffs.
The Lions are slight underdogs in Sunday’s game, and Pete Prisco from CBS Sports predicts an Eagles 31, Lions 27 final score.
“The Lions are playing consecutive road games, while the Eagles are playing on a short week,” he notes in the feature, out on Wednesday, November 12. “That kind of cancels them out. The Eagles have had trouble scoring, while the Lions rolled up big numbers last week. But at home, look for the Eagles defense to slow down the Lions, while the Eagles get their offense going for the win.”
In the NFL’s official Week 11 power rankings, out on Tuesday, November 11, the Eagles are No. 4 on the tally, and the Lions are No. 5. So, yes, this game is going to be tight.
“Dan Campbell took over offensive play-calling, and the Lions had arguably their most productive showing of the season on that side of the ball,” Eric Edholm says of the Lions’ win over the Commanders last Sunday. But, he adds, “Tougher challenges await, but the Lions gave a reminder that they can still go nuclear when they’re on.”