The Detroit Lions took a bold approach on Sunday night, attempting to go for it on fourth down five times, including once in a fake-punt situation. But the Philadelphia Eagles defense, anchored by Nakobe Dean, shut them down every single time.
Dean didn’t mince words after the game, calling the Lions’ repeated gambles “almost disrespectful.” By his reckoning, Detroit wasn’t just testing his defense — they were underestimating Philadelphia’s offense, believing the Eagles wouldn’t mind giving up reasonable field position. He made it clear, though, that the Eagles expected this kind of aggressiveness; they came in ready to impose their will and defend on their own terms.
Early in the game, on a 4th-and-1 around midfield, the Lions tried to run through Jahmyr Gibbs — but defensive tackle Moro Ojomo met him in the backfield and denied the conversion. On the fake punt, Detroit sent someone other than a punter, but the Eagles sniffed it out and stuffed it.
Later on, the Lions kept rolling the dice: they tried passes on 4th-and-5, 4th-and-goal, and 4th-and-3. But Eagles’ pass rush — especially from Jaelan Phillips — and pressure from the defensive line (including Jordan Davis and Jalen Carter) disrupted Jared Goff repeatedly. Meanwhile, their secondary did a great job: Quinyon Mitchell and Adoree’ Jackson covered tightly, making it very difficult for Goff to find reliable targets.
Statistically, this shut-down was historic: according to NBC Sports, it’s only the third time since 1991 that a team has gone 0-for-5 (or worse) on fourth down. The Lions’ head coach Dan Campbell was visibly frustrated — he later said his team really needed to convert at least a couple of those, but just “couldn’t find the rhythm.”
For the Eagles, this kind of defensive dominance is becoming a defining trait. Dean, in particular, emphasized they came into the game wanting to set the tone physically. And in the final moments, Dean made a big play: he blasted through the edge and sacked Goff, collapsing Detroit’s hopes for a late comeback.
All told, those failed fourth-down tries by the Lions weren’t just missed opportunities — they swung the momentum and helped seal the Eagles’ 16–9 victory.
