With a 31-9 win against the Minnesota Vikings, Jared Goff and the Detroit Lions won the NFC North division and secured the first seed in the NFC. Despite injuries to key players, the Lions have been the best team in their conference, and they have positioned themselves in a good spot to make a run at the Super Bowl.
Detroit is currently the favorite to win the Super Bowl. However, Nick Wright thinks the Lions are not even the best team in the NFC, as he picked the Philadelphia Eagles over them.
Nick Wright Explains Why the Eagles Are Better Than the Lions
In a recent segment of FS1’s “First Things First,” Wright highlighted how the Lions’ defense, due to the injuries, is the biggest reason why they are not the best team in their own conference.
“I obviously don’t think they should be the favorites over the [Kansas City Chiefs],” Wright said. “I think that’s an absurdity, but I don’t even want to focus on the Chiefs side of it. I don’t think they’re better than Philly. And I think that Philly, while they [Lions] have a better path, and the one seed is super valuable. If we do get Philly-Detroit in the NFC Championship Game, even though it will be in Detroit, I think Philly would win that.”
“I think what you’ll see is Philly has a very good but not great offense; they [Lions] have a great offense,” added Wright. “Philly, on the other hand, has a great defense, and Detroit doesn’t have a very good defense. Detroit has a pretty bad defense. … So no, I don’t think they’re the best team in the NFC, and they’re certainly not better than the Chiefs.”
“I don’t think they’re better than Philly… If we do get Philly-Detroit in the NFC Championship game, even though it’ll be in Detroit, I think Philly would win that.”
— @getnickwright pic.twitter.com/vN3lejQuLg
— First Things First (@FTFonFS1) January 6, 2025
Here’s a comparison of the Eagles’ defense against the Lions’ defense in major categories:
| Team | Points Allowed per Game | Total Yards Allowed per Game | Rushing Yards Allowed per Game | Passing Yards Allowed per Game |
| Eagles | 17.8 | 278.4 | 104.2 | 174.2 |
| Lions | 20.1 | 342.4 | 98.4 | 244.0 |
The Eagles have one of the best defenses in the league, while the Lions have struggled to contain their opponents, largely due to the players they have lost due to injuries.
Both teams have great offenses, and it will ultimately come down to which defense plays better. Detroit limiting Minnesota to nine points in Week 18 was a big positive for the team; however, whether they can do the same in the playoffs remains to be seen.
Jalen Hurts and Co. have experience in making it to the Super Bowl, and they might not melt under pressure as Sam Darnold did in Week 18. Moreover, the Eagles have Saquon Barkley, who didn’t get a chance to break the single-season rushing yards record and will be motivated to play his best football in the postseason.
Jared Goff Has To Come Up Big in the Playoffs
Since the Lions’ defense is not as reliable as they may hope, Goff will be under the most pressure to deliver for his team. The 30-year-old quarterback has had a great season and led Detroit to the first seed in the NFC, but the general perception of him can only change if he continues to play well in the playoffs.
In 17 games this season, Goff has thrown for 4,629 yards, 37 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions, completing 72.4% of his throws with a passer rating of 111.8. Here are his ranks among the starters this season in major passing categories:
- Passing Yards: No. 2
- Passing TDs: No. 4
- Completion Percentage: No. 2
- Passer Rating: No. 2
The Lions’ offense has averaged 33.2 points per game this season, and for them to reach the Super Bowl, Goff and Co. may have to regularly score 30+ points more than they’d like. Detroit will face the winner of the Los Angeles Rams-Vikings matchup in the Divisional Round, and both these teams have prolific offenses.
Moreover, on the other side of the bracket, teams like the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Green Bay Packers, Washington Commanders, and the Eagles are capable of exploiting the Lions’ defense. As a result, Goff has to be excellent throughout the postseason and help his team win the potential high-scoring affairs they might get involved in.