Eagles vs. Lions: What's the Game Plan for Philadelphia?

The Philadelphia Eagles face the Detroit Lions in a Thanksgiving Day showdown at Ford Field as they try to rebound from a demoralizing loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. 

The Eagles come into Week 12 with a 4-6 record and sit a full game behind the New York Giants in the NFC East. Philadelphia's offense is quickly unraveling following two consecutive losses. 

Meanwhile, Detroit is gaining momentum after beating the Oakland Raiders 18-13 in Week 11 and the Green Bay Packers 18-16 in Week 10. The Lions are heading in the opposite direction as the Eagles, as they are on a two-game winning streak to improve their record to 3-7.

It is a storied tradition that the Lions play on Thanksgiving Day, on which they are 35-38-2. But the Eagles are not strangers to the stage after they beat Dallas last year, as they remain undefeated with six wins on the holiday.

Let's take a look at what Philadelphia needs to do in order to come away with a win against Detroit on Thursday at Ford Field.

Offensive Game Plan

Philadelphia's quarterback situation remains in flux due to the uncertain health of Sam Bradford, but the Eagles still possess two talented running backs in their backfield.

The Eagles are 11th in the NFL with 119.2 rushing yards per game. Kelly needs to continue to rely on his backfield, as the Lions allow 116.7 yards on the ground each game. Detroit's defensive line has improved against the run in recent weeks as Haloti Ngata adjusts to his new surroundings, but Philadelphia's backs can hurt defenses in a number of ways.

DeMarco Murray and Darren Sproles bring different skill sets to Philadelphia's offense, and the Eagles should use their complementary styles to keeps the Lions defense off-balance.

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The best drive from the Eagles in Week 11 came when every play saw the ball go in the hands of their running backs. Philadelphia marched 61 yards on six plays before scoring a touchdown. Murray, Sproles and Kenjon Barner all got touches on the drive.

Murray churned forward to pick up consistent yards with his power running style against Tampa Bay's defense. Then when the defense grew both tired and frustrated, Kelly called upon the speedy Sproles for the big play. Mark Sanchez found the 32-year-old on a screen pass, and the tailback scampered 35 yards into the end zone. This drive needs to be the blueprint of Philadelphia's offense in Week 12.

Philadelphia's offense can look predictable at times, but mixing up the tailbacks and utilizing their unique styles can keep Detroit guessing. Additionally, an effective running attack mixed with a dangerous screen game can slow down the Lions' dangerous pass rush. When Kelly relies on his running attack, it opens up plays downfield and makes the offense more effective as a whole.

Defensive Game Plan

Philadelphia's defense is coming off its worst performance of the season, as it surrendered 45 points to Tampa Bay in Week 11. The Eagles could not stop the run or the pass, as Jameis Winston threw for five touchdowns and Doug Martin ran for over 200 yards.

This week, Billy Davis' defense needs to come with a clear game plan to slow down Detroit's passing attack. The Lions possess two legitimate weapons at wide receiver in Calvin Johnson and Golden Tate. 

Johnson caught five passes for 88 yards in Week 11, and Tate added another 73 yards on eight receptions. Both receivers struggled to make an impact in the early part of the season, but the improved play of Matthew Stafford helped turn around the entire offense. Stafford complete 22 of his 35 passes for 282 yards in the win over Oakland.

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Meanwhile, Philadelphia struggled to match up with Tampa Bay's receivers. Mike Evans and Vincent Jackson both overpowered Philadelphia's cornerbacks, as the receivers combined for 119 yards and two touchdowns.

Unlike Tampa Bay, Detroit does not possess a potent running attack. The Lions rank dead last in the NFL with only 71.1 yards per game on the ground. Without the threat of a balanced attack, Philadelphia can devote its personnel to stopping Detroit's wide receivers.

Johnson is a matchup nightmare at 6'5", so Davis needs to give his cornerbacks safety help over the top. Nolan Carroll struggled with the size of Evans and Jackson, giving up three touchdowns in coverage. High and low coverage will help prevent the Lions from torching the Eagles secondary on deep passes or end-zone fade routes.

Even with proper coverage, Stafford will likely take his shots deep to his receivers, but Philadelphia cannot afford to give him easy looks. The Eagles could be in for a long day defensively if they leave their corners on an island to deal with Johnson and Tate.

Player and Matchup to Watch 

Ziggy Ansah

This game could boil down beyond the big-name playmakers on either side of the ball, as the battle in the trenches presents difficult matchups.

The Detroit defensive line possesses a talented pass rush with dynamic defensive ends, while Philadelphia's offensive line is underperforming and dealing with injuries.

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The Lions are 13th in the league with 13 sacks through 10 games, and the most dangerous pass-rusher on Detroit's line is Ziggy Ansah with eight sacks. The 26-year-old ranks fourth in the NFL behind J.J. Watt, Chandler Jones and Carlos Dunlap in sacks.

On the other side, Philadelphia's offensive line has surrendered 21 sacks already this season. The offensive line is dealing with injuries and inconsistency from their supposed reliable starters. Jason Peters and Lane Johnson will be forced to deal with Detroit's edge-rushers. Peters returned from a back injury in Week 11 after missing two weeks but did not look fully healthy. Meanwhile, Johnson struggled at left tackle in Peters' absence and has had his own struggles at his natural right tackle position.

Ansah strikes fear into opposing defenses across the league, but the Lions possess pass-rushers on both ends of the line. Philadelphia's offensive line has a good track record in past seasons, but it has struggled this season. The Eagles' chance of winning starts with their ability to protect the quarterback and open up holes for the running backs.

Prediction

The pressure continues to mount on Philadelphia, as the chances of making the playoffs are drifting further and further away with each lost opportunity.

Fans of the team likely circled Weeks 10 through 12 as winnable games on the schedule. Instead, the Eagles blew an early 13-point lead in a one-point loss to the Miami Dolphins and did not show up at all the next week as Tampa Bay rolled over them with ease. Now, the team needs to wake up and take care of business on a short week.

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There is no such thing as an easy win for Philadelphia, but the Eagles can still take care of business away from home. In a time of uncertainty, Philadelphia needs its veteran players to rise up and steady the ship. One of the players Kelly can turn to continually to produce is Brent Celek.

The 30-year-old put together back-to-back impressive performances with a combined 11 catches for 213 yards in the past two weeks. While the rest of the offense struggles, the tight end continues to provide a reliable target for the quarterback. Look for Celek to put together an efficient performance with a handful of catches for almost 100 yards.

However, scoring will be at a premium in this game. Detroit only allowed 13 points in Week 11 against the Raiders, and Philadelphia could be in for similar struggles this week. The Lions possess a potent pass rush, and Philadelphia is struggling to block any team's pass-rushers. Look for Ansah to abuse a hurting Peters, as he gets two sacks on the day.

Detroit's momentum will carry it to a third straight win with an ugly victory against the Eagles. Philadelphia's playoff chances will vanish following yet another loss, and Kelly's seat will continue to heat up.

Final Prediction: Lions 17, Eagles 14