The Lions’ loss to the Eagles came down to their struggles on fourth down. Detroit attempted to convert five times and came up empty each time. Instead of debating whether the calls themselves were smart, this breakdown focuses on what went wrong on each play and whether the issues came down to play design or execution. If execution was at fault, were there recurring themes?

Second Quarter — 3-0 Eagles — Fourth-and-1 from Lions’ 48

Detroit tried to push Jahmyr Gibbs straight into the defensive front. At first glance, it looked like the line had created enough space for him to pick up the yard. Graham Glasgow and Trystan Colon managed to handle Eagles’ DT Jalen Carter well, though Glasgow stumbled over Colon as he tried to reach the second level. Gibbs seemed to have a clear path forward, but Brandon Graham’s stunt from the edge disrupted the play. Graham drove Kayode Awosika back into the running lane, and Gibbs ended up hitting his own blocker. Moro Ojomo made the tackle, but Gibbs likely could have gained the yard had he not collided with Awosika.

Second Quarter — 3-0 Eagles — Fourth-and-2 from Lions’ 43 (Fake Punt Attempt)

Coach Dan Campbell said the team saw the look they wanted for the fake punt, and on paper, they had the numbers advantage. In reality, the play was ruined by Moro Ojomo, who got low and forced Grant Stuard to leave his feet. The Eagles’ defense wasn’t fooled at all, immediately collapsing on the play and shutting it down.

Third Quarter — 13-6 Eagles — Fourth-and-5 from Eagles’ 32

This one primarily falls on Jared Goff. Jameson Williams ran a strong route despite his defender having inside leverage. Goff had a mostly clean pocket, though Jalen Carter’s rush after Ojomo’s inside move caused some disruption. Unfortunately, Goff’s throw was low, and while Williams made an effort, the ball slipped through his hands. This was a tough play, but it shows how precision matters on fourth down.

Third Quarter — 13-6 Eagles — Fourth-and-Goal from Eagles’ 3

This was a well-designed play. Multiple routes drew defenders to the left, leaving Brock Wright wide open on the right. Contact on Amon-Ra St. Brown pushed him out of bounds, technically removing him from the play. Despite the smart design, the offensive line couldn’t hold, Jaelan Phillips beat Penei Sewell, and Jordan Davis pushed past Awosika. Goff had two defenders in his face and couldn’t deliver the ball to Wright.

Fourth Quarter — 13-6 Eagles — Fourth-and-3 from Eagles’ 45

Here, the miscue was between Goff and St. Brown. Goff appeared to expect St. Brown to sit in the route, while St. Brown cut outside. Without clarity on the route option, it’s hard to assign blame, but the middle of the field was crowded. Goff’s next best option may have been David Montgomery leaking out, but by then Jalyx Hunt had forced Taylor Decker back, and Ojomo’s push split Glasgow and Ratledge, leaving Goff no time for a secondary read

Across all five plays, the recurring issue was execution. While some plays might have had design flaws, most had a legitimate chance to succeed if executed cleanly. Problems included offensive line breakdowns, Goff’s errant throws, and minor receiver mistakes. The Eagles’ defensive front played a major role, but ultimately, sloppy execution doomed Detroit’s fourth-down attempts.