By Blessing 
The Detroit Lions are heading into one of the biggest games of their 2025–26 season on Sunday, November 9—a primetime road matchup against the reigning champions, the Philadelphia Eagles. There’s a reason this game was chosen for the national spotlight. Both teams sit near the top of the NFC, and both are built well enough to walk away with the win.
The Eagles enter the week with a strong 7–2 record, backed by quarterback Jalen Hurts, who continues to be one of the most dynamic dual-threat players in the league. But the Lions aren’t far behind. Detroit sits at 6–3, and quarterback Jared Goff is playing some of the best football of his career.
To stay competitive against Philadelphia, the Lions need to bring their best—and that includes staying as healthy as possible. Injuries have hurt Detroit in past seasons, and while their current injury report could certainly be worse, they still got a scare on Wednesday, November 14. Star defensive end Aidan Hutchinson appeared on the practice report as a DNP due to an elbow injury. For a game of this magnitude, that raised immediate concern. So how is he doing now?
Detroit Lions and Aidan Hutchinson
Losing Hutchinson, even temporarily, would be a major setback for Detroit. The team needs him at full strength to pressure Hurts and collapse the pocket consistently. When his name unexpectedly showed up on the injury report, Hutchinson reassured fans and reporters that he would be “good to go” on Sunday. Still, seeing an elbow injury next to his name—even a minor one—was unsettling.
Fortunately for Detroit, Hutchinson returned to full practice participation on Thursday, November 13. That update alone gave the Lions and their fans a real reason to breathe easier. Things aren’t perfect, though. Tight end Sam LaPorta, cornerback Terrion Arnold, and safety Kerby Joseph all missed practice for the second straight day. But at least Hutchinson is trending in the right direction.
Hutchinson has been having a dominant season. According to NFL research, he has logged 18 total tackles, 17 quarterback hits, 57 pressures, and 38 hurries so far. He also has seven sacks and four forced fumbles, the most in the league. Pro Football Focus backs up his impact: Hutchinson holds a 91.2 overall grade, ranking third among 114 graded edge defenders, as well as a 92.3 pass-rush grade, which ranks second.
Detroit Lions Quarterback Jared Goff: By the Numbers
The Eagles may have Hurts, but the Lions have Goff—and his numbers this season have been outstanding. On Wednesday, November 12, the Lions highlighted Goff’s performance on social media, and the stats speak for themselves.
According to NFL research, Goff leads the entire league in completion percentage at 74%. He ranks second in passing touchdowns (20), passer rating (117.7), and passing first downs (41.4%). He’s also fourth in passing touchdown rate (7.3%) and fifth in yards per attempt (8.19).
Sunday’s matchup marks the first meeting between these teams since the 2022–23 season, adding another layer of anticipation. The Lions and Eagles nearly met in last season’s NFC Championship Game, but Detroit fell to Washington before that could happen.