Detroit Lions

Quarterback Jalen Hurts will be tough to contain with his mobility, while wide receivers A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith will be tough to cover for the relatively ...

But, on paper, the Eagles are the better team. It will be up to them to keep the fans engaged for all four quarters. I am very intrigued by what Ben Johnson's offense is going to look like in the regular season. The Philadelphia Eagles pose a test with both their speed and physicality. Detroit can and will compete. Quarterback Jalen Hurts will be tough to contain with his mobility, while wide receivers A.J.

Tim Twentyman reports on inactives for Sunday's Lions-Eagles matchup.

The team elevated running back Justin Jackson and linebacker Anthony Pittman from the practice squad to the gameday roster Saturday and both are up. It likely would have been second-year guard Tommy Kraemer, but Kraemer has been dealing with a back injury this week and is inactive today. Having Ragnow to anchor the center of the line is certainly good news for the Lions.

Detroit Lions defensive lineman Isaiah Buggs moves to tackle Philadelphia Eagles running back Miles Sanders in the first half in Detroit, Sunday, Sept.

Third quarter. 14:53 -- Philadelphia Eagles drive starts on own 18. Jeff Okudah back on the field for the defense. Charles Harris and Malcolm Rodriguez all ...

The third-year running back gets the carry on the next snap, and breaks it for 48 yards down the sideline. Hurts is killing this defense on third down -- 10-yard scramble keeps the drive alive. Third-and-10 and it’s rocking inside Ford Field -- false start on the Eagles, tip of the cap to the crowd on that one. Fourth-and-goal -- and he walks in for the touchdown. Hurts to Dallas Goedert for enough to move the chains on the first snap here. The Eagles will open the second half with the ball. It’s third-and-4, with 44 seconds on the clock. Eagles 38, Lions 21 Lions S Tracy Walker ejected after double personal fouls on the play. Jamaal Williams finishes the drive with the score. Brown for 8 yards on the second snap. Holding on the return (Kerby Joseph) takes the Lions from the 49- to the 26-yard line.

Follow along here for live updates from Detroit News contributor Sean Reider as the Lions open their season against the Eagles.

Q2 15:00: Another 3rd and 5 to start the second quarter and Hurts hits Brown for a short pass over the middle. Q1 8:42: After Jalen Hurts rushed for a first down with an 11-yard keeper, Detroit brought the heat at the line of scrimmage to force two frantic incompletions and a false start. Q2 12:56: Fourth and goal for the Eagles and they elect to go for it once again. Q2 7:35: A Lions penalty (12 men on the field) backs Detroit up to their own six-yard line and Hurts follows up with a keeper to the outside for five yards. Q1 7:10: Eagles elect to go for it on 4th and 5 but Amani Oruwariye is on top of Hurts' pass to A.J. Q2 10:17: Eagles driving with relative ease, completing a pass to Dallas Goedert for a first and a subsequent nine-yard run from Myles Sanders to set up 3rd and 1. Brown splitting inside for a short pass and he falls into the endzone after the catch for a touchdown to cap off a 14-play scoring drive. Q2 6:26: Facing 2nd and 16, Jared Goff uncorks a short pass to Hockenson...only for Kyzir White to tip into the hands of James Bradberry for an interception. Q2 2:00: On the seven-yard line, Jamaal Williams takes the handoff and barrels ahead into a mass of Eagles linemen for no gain. Then, the Eagles offensive line stood tall under Detroit's pass rush and Hurts made the most of it, lofting a deep ball to Brown for a 54-yard gain to put Philadelphia four yards away from another touchdown. Two personal fouls called on Tracy Walker III after Hurts slipped around the edge to convert on 3rd and 5, Walker hit him late and he then threw a punch after Dallas Goedert and Zach Pascal stepped up to defend their quarterback. Lions defense followed up by corralling Hurts on second down before Austin Bryant swatted another quick pass to force a punt and get the Lions off the field.

Detroit Lions' Pro Bowl center Frank Ragnow will start in the season opener against the Eagles four days after leaving practice with a groin injury.

](https://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2022/09/09/detroit-lions-frank-ragnow-groin-philadelphia-eagles-nfl-season-opener/68017402007/) [Here we go again, Lions fans, once more into the breach](https://www.freep.com/story/sports/columnists/mitch-albom/2022/09/11/detroit-lions-2022-season-begins-delusions/69404741007/) [Detroit Lions](https://www.freep.com/sports/lions/)' Pro Bowl center, will start in [today's season opener against the Philadelphia Eagles](https://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2022/09/10/detroit-lions-philadelphia-eagles-dave-birkett-scouting-report-prediction/68099516007/) four days after leaving practice with a groin injury.

Lions starting center Frank Ragnow is ACTIVE and should start in Week 1 vs. the Philadelphia Eagles.

Because the Lions have eight offensive linemen active for Sunday’s game, they are eligible to expand their game-day roster from 46 to 48 players. They also claimed offensive guard Drew Forbes off waivers from the [Browns](https://www.dawgsbynature.com/), leaving their active 53-man roster with only 52 players. He was able to return on Friday in limited fashion but was still given a questionable designation for this game. “I think it’s less on me because I’m going to try to go,” Ragnow told the media following Friday’s practice. The home team got a bit of good news this morning, as starting center Frank Ragnow is active for the game. [placed starting right guard Halapoulivaati Vaitai](https://www.prideofdetroit.com/2022/9/5/23338300/detroit-lions-place-halapoulivaati-vaitai-ir-claim-drew-forbes-waivers) and [defensive lineman Levi Onwuzurike on injured reserve](https://www.prideofdetroit.com/2022/9/10/23346070/detroit-lions-place-levi-onwuzurike-injured-reserve-back) with back injuries.

After a midweek scare, Lions center Frank Ragnow is active for the team's season opener against the Eagles.

Among Detroit's six inactives for the contest are three players battling injuries and three rookies. It's also a relief for Ragnow, who missed the final 13 games last season after suffering a toe injury. "Wednesday, I was pretty down, not gonna lie, after last year's deal," Ragnow said on Friday.

Detroit Lions offense looked good, led by D'Andre Swift, but defense was torched by Jalen Hurts, A.J. Brown and the Philadelphia Eagles in 38-35 loss.

The Eagles also scored a touchdown on a short field after they recovered a surprise onside kick in the third quarter. [This is the one thing the Detroit Lions can’t do this season](https://www.freep.com/story/sports/columnists/carlos-monarrez/2022/09/11/detroit-lions-2022-season-preview-dan-campbell-ben-johnson/67368075007/) Hurts had 243 yards passing and 90 rushing, extending numerous plays with his feet and side-stepping at least five sacks. the Philadelphia Eagles at Ford Field. [expected to contend for the NFC East title](https://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2022/09/10/detroit-lions-2022-season-predictions-record/65749762007/) and a playoff berth. [Here we go again, Detroit Lions fans, once more into the breach](https://www.freep.com/story/sports/columnists/mitch-albom/2022/09/11/detroit-lions-2022-season-begins-delusions/69404741007/)

Live score updates and highlights for the Detroit Lions' Week 1 matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles.

On the very next play, the Eagles hit a 22-yard pass to Dallas Goedert, bringing the Eagles to the 1-yard line. The Lions pulled a nifty fake double screen on the first play of the final quarter, and Swift took it all the way down to the 1-yard line. The Eagles would make the chip-shot field goal to make it a two-score game at halftime. The Lions offense kept the chains moving the following drive with third-down pickups of 16 from Swift on the ground and 13 from Chark through the air. The Lions came out of the break, rushed to the line, and gave Swift the ball on a sweep that he easily took for the 7-yard score 21-14 Eagles. After dinking and dunking down the field for a couple plays, Tracy Walked picked up a nice sack on a blitz. For the second time, the Eagles went for it on fourth down. The Eagles took their first lead of the game on the next drive as the Lions defense looked gassed. Williams took the ball to the 1-yard line and the bounced off a defender to punch it in on second down. Things went from bad to worse for the offense on the next drive. Hockenson for just enough to pick up the first down and set up a first-and-goal from the 5. D’Andre Swift opened up the game with a huge, 50-yard run to get the Lions deep into Eagles territory and a couple runs from Jamaal Williams got them into the red zone.

The Lions nearly erased a 17-point fourth-quarter deficit before falling, 38-35, in the season opener at Ford Field.

From there, a fourth Eagles player, running back Boston Scott, was able to punch in a touchdown in on the ground, making it 38-21. Facing a three-score deficit, the Lions continued to put up a fight, going on a 14-play touchdown drive. Detroit managed to temporarily slow the bleeding before the end of the half, working into Eagles territory with a 28-yard completion from Goff to Josh Reynolds. Hurts capped the drive with a 1-yard touchdown run on fourth-and-goal, running untouched around the right side of his offensive line. The Lions made a statement with the game's opening possession, racking up 77 yards on the ground, buoyed by a 50-yard romp by running back D'Andre Swift. The Eagles scored on five of six possessions, including four touchdowns, in the second and third quarters to twice build a 17-point lead.

Detroit Lions running back D'Andre Swift (32) warms up before a NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, September 11, 2022 in Detroit, MI.

2 overall pick, was fairly quiet on the stat sheet (one assisted tackle), but did record a couple pressures and a couple near sacks in the first half that Hurts was able to escape from. They extended the lead to 31-14 with a Kenneth Gainwell 4-yard run in the third quarter. Hurts finding room to run (90 rushing yards) was a theme throughout the game for the Eagles, who recorded 216 rushing yards. [D’Andre Swift](https://www.detroitlions.com/team/players-roster/d-andre-swift/), who rushed for 144 yards with a touchdown on 15 carries. The Lions' defense struggled to contain quarterback Jalen Hurts and the Eagles' offense for most of the afternoon. The Lions fell behind by as many as 17 points in the second half, but showed some of that grit head coach Dan Campbell keeps talking about to keep it a game into the fourth quarter.

Vote for which Detroit Lions player you think most deserving of the Week 1 game ball.

Ragnow was the catalyst on two big screen plays, one from Swift and another from T.J. Setting a career-high mark with 10 tackles, Okudah was a presence as a run defender, often peeling off his man and supporting the defensive front. Not to be out done by Jackson, Ragnow was also on the move quite a bit, running free down the field and laying people out. The Lions ran 69 offensive plays against the Eagles and Swift was on the field for 47 of them. Jackson also pulled on several screen plays, but his best play of the day arguably came when he pulled on Swift’s fourth-down sweep run that resulted in a touchdown. The Lions started the game out on a very positive note, storming down the field for the early lead, but things turned sour quickly and they fought from behind most of the game.

Detroit Lions 2022 season schedule for regular season, with game times and days, TV channel info, scores and more.

Chicago Bears, 1 p.m., Fox Minnesota Vikings, 1 p.m., Fox 24: at Carolina Panthers, 1 p.m., Fox 18: at New York Jets, 1 p.m., Fox 13: at Chicago Bears, 1 p.m., Fox Jacksonville Jaguars, 1 p.m., Fox Green Bay Packers, 1 p.m., Fox 9: at New England Patriots, 1 p.m., Fox 25: at Minnesota Vikings, 1 p.m., Fox 2: Seattle Seahawks, 1 p.m., Fox Washington Commanders, 1 p.m., Fox Week 5, Oct.

Exploring Detroit Lions studs and duds following 2022 season-opening loss to Philadelphia Eagles.

[Goff](https://www.si.com/nfl/lions/) in his second season as a Lion. Hockenson](https://www.si.com/nfl/lions/) that was returned for a score. [Oruwariye](https://www.si.com/nfl/lions/news/four-takeaways-from-lions-loss-to-eagles) drew a tough matchup with Philadelphia wide receiver A.J. In all, the former Tennessee Titans receiver totaled 10 catches for 155 yard, and caused havoc in [Detroit’s ](https://www.si.com/nfl/lions/news/four-takeaways-from-lions-loss-to-eagles)secondary. Brown](https://www.si.com/nfl/lions/news/four-takeaways-from-lions-loss-to-eagles) had a solid day during the opener of his second season, finishing with eight catches for 64 yards and a touchdown. His abilities on in-between crossing routes was important for quarterback [Jared Goff](https://www.si.com/nfl/lions/news/four-takeaways-from-lions-loss-to-eagles), after the offense sputtered through the first half. He redeemed himself with an excellent contested catch in the end zone, on a nice toss from Goff in the final quarter, giving the team a fighting chance to win the game. [Lions'](https://www.si.com/nfl/lions/news/four-takeaways-from-lions-loss-to-eagles) offense countered by cutting the Philadelphia Eagles’ lead to three points, but the defense couldn’t get a key stop on fourth-and-1. He threw a key block on Swift’s first big run, and was motioned in multiple times to help set a hole for both running backs. He finished as the team’s leading tackler with 13 tackles and notched a sack, but he was tossed after throwing a punch in a move that ultimately hurt his team. His speed and strength were key components of the Lions’ offensive attack, which came to life in the second half. Later in the first half, the Georgia product reeled off runs of 13 and seven yards, before another seven-yard carry resulted in a score.

Dan Campbell and his Detroit Lions look to write a new narrative this year. After being the stars of HBO's hit series Hard Knocks, Jared Goff and crew will ...

This may not be what everyone is looking for but they take the hassle out of figuring out which package is the best for you and provide everyone with the same awesome experience. With all of these perks and a competitive channel listing FuboTV could be the perfect set up for Lions fans this year. DIRECTV STREAM is the streaming service for someone who needs to be able to stream a bunch of different stuff all at once. Hulu + Live TV is a great option to live stream the Detroit Lions this 2022 season. For sports fans we suggest going with either the Blue plan or the Orange and Blue plan to get the most out of Sling TV this NFL Season. With all the hype surrounding the Lions this season will they be able to get it done?

Jalen Hurts had 90 yards rushing and the Philadelphia Eagles topped 200 yards rushing against the Detroit Lions for the second straight year.

The Lions gifted the Eagles three points late in the first half, when A.J. Brown beat Will Harris on a 54-yard deep ball one play after Campbell called a timeout following a sack with 54 seconds left; Harris was playing in place of Jeff Okudah, who was on the sideline with cramps. Brown and not for the [Detroit Lions](https://www.freep.com/sports/lions/). Hockenson turned his route up field, and he was booed by home fans after he overthrew an open Kalif Raymond in the fourth quarter. Goff, who had 88 yards passing late in the third quarter, finished 21 of 37 for 215 yards with two touchdowns. The Lions opened with a nine-play, 75-yard touchdown drive, highlighted by Swift’s 50-yard run, then failed to pick up a first down on their next four possessions. The Lions had six passes that could reasonably be considered drops and Goff seemed out of synch with his pass catchers part of the day. Hopefully we can attribute it to first-game stuff and hopefully next week, stuff like that isn’t happening. The Eagles gobbled up chunks of yards on the ground – they finished with 216 yards rushing, after running for 236 yards last October at Ford Field. “A lot of mental errors mostly, and stuff that could be cleaned up easily, but stuff that can’t happen on game day. Now, if we just take this whole approach where every week it’s like, well, we played and we lost by three, we lost by three, we lost by three then what are we doing?’ So we got to clean this up and we got to be better. And the offense – the team, really – walked off the field kicking itself over a multitude of missed plays and self-inflicted mistakes.

The Eagles scored 24 points in the second quarter and had a 17-point lead in the fourth that was cut to three when Jared Goff threw a 22-yard touchdown pass to ...

Brown caught a 4-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter. At about the same time on Sunday afternoon, his brother, Equanimeous, had a touchdown reception to help Chicago beat San Francisco. Brown wasn't the only player to perform well in his Eagles debut. When Walker hit Hurts above the shoulders after he went down on a run into Detroit territory, Philadelphia players came to their quarterback’s defense. “I’m glad we fought back and I told the guys that we didn’t play well and only lost by three, so that’s a positive," coach Dan Campbell said. “That’s a really good team, give them credit, but we shot ourselves in the foot all day." “That was a big one," Brown said. Hurts accounted for 333 yards and a touchdown and A.J. “As a quarterback, that is the best play sometimes." 18 pick and a third-round choice to Tennessee for Brown and signed him to a four-year contract worth at least $57 million. Jalen Hurts accounted for 333 yards and a touchdown and A.J. Hurts ran 17 times, one short of his career high, for 90 yards and a 1-yard touchdown.

DETROIT (AP) — Detroit Lions defensive back Tracy Walker was ejected for swiping in a scrum with the Philadelphia Eagles after hitting Jalen Hurts near his ...

I was hotheaded at the moment." “Me, as a team captain, I’ve just got to be better. DETROIT (AP) — Detroit Lions defensive back Tracy Walker was ejected for swiping in a scrum with the Philadelphia Eagles after hitting Jalen Hurts near his head as he went to the turf.

The Detroit Lions could have run another 40 seconds off the clock late in the first half had they waited to run a play before their touchdown.

"I felt like we were going to get a turnover at any minute and to balance the scales back out and it didn’t happen today, but that’s — we got to get some of those. "Certainly (that swing was) tough, but I think — look, I kind of think of it, man, we just need to get ourselves back in position to, 'Don’t let this thing get out of hand to where you don’t have a chance in the fourth quarter,'" Campbell said. [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]). The Lions followed with a touchdown of their own, then tried the failed onside kick "because I wanted the ball back," Campbell said. The Eagles started the ensuing possession with 1:51 on the clock — about 40 seconds more than they would have had, had the Lions waited until after the two-minute warning to run their third down play — and drove 73 yards for a Jake Elliott field goal with 6 seconds left in the half. And it’d have been easy enough to do it, but that’s kind of how I felt."

Lions safety Tracy Walker was ejected in the third quarter and linebacker Alex Anzalone had a 15-yard penalty that aided a Philadelphia scoring drive.

There’s a lot to clean up, a lot to get better with, but it was a good starting point.” He ran out of the tunnel after being announced as a starter at right guard, a position he had never played in college or a live NFL game. "We just got him back and he's in a good place," Campbell said. With his sack of Hurts near the end of the first half, he became the second Lions defensive back to have a half with at least eight tackles and one sack. Walker's play was the second in a line of thoughtless aggressiveness by Lions' defensive captains. "That's something that we preach upon, and the win is what's going to change the narrative about the Detroit Lions." There were some bumps along the way on Sunday. I was hot-headed at the moment and I've just got to make better decisions at the end of the day." Will Harris got beat down the sideline by Eagles receiver A.J. Despite exiting near the end of the third quarter, he finished with a team-high 11 tackles. "Me, as a team captain, I've got to be better. Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts scrambled for a first down and took a late hit from Lions safety Tracy Walker.

Detroit Lions safety Tracy Walker says he let NFL team down after being ejected following Jalen Hurts hit.

There’s a lot there that we did well, so we’ve just got to continue to build." “No, I’m just saying, I didn’t see what I was doing at the time," Walker said. "I didn’t see what I was doing wrong. "It's not good," he said." “I just let my team down," Walker said postgame. I was hot-headed at the moment, and like I said, I’ve just got to make better decisions at the end of the day.”

Grading Detroit Lions Dan Campbell following 2022 NFL loss to Philadelphia Eagles.

[Okudah](https://www.si.com/nfl/lions/news/four-takeaways-from-lions-loss-to-eagles) left the field near the end of the first half, Hurts connected with Brown for a 54-yard pass against [Will Harris](https://www.si.com/nfl/lions/news/four-takeaways-from-lions-loss-to-eagles). [Hurts](https://www.si.com/nfl/lions/news/four-takeaways-from-lions-loss-to-eagles) gave the Lions plenty of problems. [Chris Board](https://www.si.com/nfl/lions/news/four-takeaways-from-lions-loss-to-eagles) also played plenty and sped up [Hurts](https://www.si.com/nfl/lions/news/four-takeaways-from-lions-loss-to-eagles) into an incompletion during the second quarter. Brown](https://www.si.com/nfl/lions/news/four-takeaways-from-lions-loss-to-eagles) on NFL Draft night, giving Hurts a true top target. [Chark](https://www.si.com/nfl/lions/news/four-takeaways-from-lions-loss-to-eagles) and [Josh Reynolds](https://www.si.com/nfl/lions/news/four-takeaways-from-lions-loss-to-eagles) each had tough drops in key situations. [Tracy Walker III](https://www.si.com/nfl/lions/news/four-takeaways-from-lions-loss-to-eagles) recorded Detroit’s only sack attempt on a safety blitz, and finished with 13 tackles. [Amani Oruwariye](https://www.si.com/nfl/lions/news/four-takeaways-from-lions-loss-to-eagles) struggled as the defender primarily shadowing Brown. [Detroit’s](https://www.si.com/nfl/lions/news/four-takeaways-from-lions-loss-to-eagles) young defensive line. [DJ Chark](https://www.si.com/nfl/lions/news/four-takeaways-from-lions-loss-to-eagles). Hockenson](https://www.si.com/nfl/lions/news/four-takeaways-from-lions-loss-to-eagles) was an important part of the passing game, but he too had a drop near the sideline. Hockenson](https://www.si.com/nfl/lions/news/four-takeaways-from-lions-loss-to-eagles) on an out-and-up, making a throw too early that resulted in a pick-six for James Bradberry Jr. [Jared Goff](https://www.si.com/nfl/lions/news/four-takeaways-from-lions-loss-to-eagles) led a touchdown drive on the opening series, but struggled through the first half.

Tried and true loyalty. As the Detroit Lions played the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, Sept. 11 at Ford Field, a total of 64,537 fans embraced the home-opener.

[photo gallery below or click here](https://www.mlive.com/galleries/SI7JQJK2TRDWTAADZ53ODOZJ2E/) for more than 160 pictures, as seen through the eyes of MLive photojournalist Jake May, who was on the sideline before, during and after the game to capture all of your favorite Lions players amidst the action. We practiced – we knew about the sell-out, and we knew it was going to be like that. To play in front of the entire world and play in front of a rocking crowd like that on the road and be able to come out with a victory is big.” The Lions, the people of Detroit, they came out for this game, and we obviously knew it was going to be like that. 11 at Ford Field, a total of 64,537 fans embraced the home-opener. [Click here](https://www.mlive.com/galleries/SIIT6JZUYJDADN2HKVOHG34H6Y/) or look through the gallery above to see more than 50 pictures of the fan-demonium up close and personal. [Lions’ Tracy Walker gets tossed from first game as team captain: ‘I was hot-headed at the moment’](https://www.mlive.com/lions/2022/09/lions-tracy-walker-gets-tossed-from-first-game-as-team-captain-i-was-hot-headed-at-the-moment.html) [Lions CB Jeff Okudah says cramps took him off field in key spot during return](https://www.mlive.com/lions/2022/09/lions-cb-jeff-okudah-says-cramps-took-him-off-field-in-key-spot-during-return.html) [What’s being said nationally after Detroit Lions fall short 38-35 to Eagles in Week 1](https://www.mlive.com/lions/2022/09/whats-being-said-nationally-after-detroit-lions-fall-short-38-35-to-eagles-in-week-1.html) [Instant observations: Another Detroit Lions comeback comes up short in 38-35 loss to Eagles](https://www.mlive.com/lions/2022/09/instant-observations-another-detroit-lions-comeback-comes-up-short-in-38-35-loss-to-eagles.html) [Tracy Walker, a Lions captain, ejected after committing 2 personal fouls on same play](https://www.mlive.com/lions/2022/09/tracy-walker-a-lions-captain-ejected-after-committing-2-personal-fouls-on-same-play.html) [Halftime analysis: Jared Goff’s mistakes bury Detroit Lions in 24-14 deficit](https://www.mlive.com/lions/2022/09/halftime-analysis-jared-goffs-mistakes-bury-detroit-lions-in-24-14-deficit.html) [Watch: D’Andre Swift, Jamaal Williams team up to deliver Detroit Lions’ first TD of season](https://www.mlive.com/lions/2022/09/watch-dandre-swift-jamaal-williams-team-up-to-deliver-detroit-lions-first-td-of-season.html) [Lions All-Pro Frank Ragnow officially active for opener, expected to start against Eagles](https://www.mlive.com/lions/2022/09/lions-all-pro-frank-ragnow-officially-active-for-opener-expected-to-start-against-eagles.htmlhttps://www.mlive.com/lions/2022/09/lions-all-pro-frank-ragnow-officially-active-for-opener-expected-to-start-against-eagles.html) Fans were there to cheer on running back Jamaal Williams’ two touchdowns, as well as the show running back D’Andre Swift put on with 144 rushing yards on 15 attempts and a touchdown. And yes, the occasional Philadelphia Eagle fan was seen celebrating in the crowd as the Eagles went onto defeat the Lions 38-35. I’ll see if I can get the equipment guys to turn it up even louder, but it was rocking in there, and that’s what you want,” said Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni. That said, there was an endless sea of Honolulu blue jerseys as far as the eye could see throughout the stands. We practiced the crowd noise.

Detroit Lions cornerback Jeff Okudah had a solid game in return to the field and Tracy Walker laments his ejection in loss to Eagles on Sunday.

I was hot-headed at the moment and I've just got to make better decisions at the end of the day." "As a team captain, I've got to be better. "Now, I know Tracy got kicked out because of a second penalty," Campbell said after the game. "We just got him back and he's in a good place," Campbell said. But Lions defensive back Tracy Walker dove at him and hit him into the ground. [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]). "Which is unacceptable and he knows that. the win is what's going to change the narrative about the Detroit Lions." During that series, the Eagles had their biggest play of the day. On third-and-4, Jalen Hurts found AJ Brown, who outran Will Harris — filling in for Okudah at cornerback —for a 54-yard gain. "We were just trying to — let's monitor a little bit and not overdo it, but yet certainly get him his plays. Lions coach Dan Campbell said the team was trying to limit him in his first return to a full game of live action.

Jalen Hurts, Miles Sanders, Boston Scott and Kenneth Gainwell each found the end zone on rushes, propelling the Philadelphia Eagles past the Detroit Lions, ...

For the Lions, [D'Andre Swift](https://www.pff.com/nfl/players/dandre-swift/57212) went well over the century mark and broke six tackles of his own to earn an 80.0-plus rushing grade on first review. [Detroit Lions](https://www.pff.com/nfl/teams/detroit-lions/11) [Detroit Lions](https://www.pff.com/nfl/teams/detroit-lions/11) [CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP AND TRY PFF+ FOR FREE](https://dashboard.pff.com/signup) The linebacker allowed four catches into his coverage for only 24 yards. [Lane Johnson](https://www.pff.com/nfl/players/lane-johnson/7786) is on track to pace the group in both pass-blocking grade and run-blocking grade. [Malcolm Rodriguez](https://www.pff.com/nfl/players/malcolm-rodriguez/60731) enjoyed a strong debut, although his grade will be hampered by two missed tackles.

Optimism from "Hard Knocks" boosted the Detroit Lions. Then, the season started, and reality hit them hard Sunday, thanks to the Philadelphia Eagles.

That’s the problem with the NFL. If the Lions are truly improved, they’ll need to win those games. After that comes the Patriots, Cowboys, Dolphins and Packers. After a dazzling opening drive, Goff and the Lions offense went into a torpor that would have put a caffeinated Chihuahua to sleep. And that’s good, Others will note the 38 they allowed. The Lions will go as far as Jared Goff can take them. … We shot ourselves in the foot all day.” Aidan Hutchinson, the Lions No. Hutchinson finished with one tackle on the day. The Lions had no answer for Hurts, the brilliant college star at Alabama and Oklahoma who is making the Eagles look pretty smart for drafting him in the second round. Meanwhile, the Lions did too much to fall behind by 17 points and not enough to make up for it. So, as they did last year, and the year before that, our home team begins the season in a hole.

Walker was kicked out of the game after drawing two unnecessary roughness penalties on the same play.

“Unacceptable,” Campbell said of Walker, “and he knows that. Walker looked like one of those guys early against the Eagles. You’re one of the core.” The Lions were already struggling to handle Philadelphia before the ejection, allowing four scores on five drives, three of which were touchdowns. “Like I said, as I walked away, I got pushed in the back, so I reacted. “You belong here,” head coach Dan Campbell told Walker after the deal became official. “I just let my team down,” Walker said after the game. That’s a big reason why this regime -- which has spent carefully in the early years of the rebuild -- gave Walker more money than any other player in free agency. Walker is in his fifth season with the club, making him the longest-serving player on the defense. He’s grown up so much over the years, and began shouldering a vocal leadership role in the final year of the previous regime. DETROIT -- Tracy Walker is a rare homegrown success story from the previous regime. Then three quarters into the season, he was ejected after drawing two personal fouls for unnecessary roughness.

DETROIT The Detroit Lions went from HBO's Hard Knocks to the NFL's hard reality.

“I thought we played hard and played physical and put ourselves in position to win,” said Lions’ linebacker Alex Anzalone, whose team hosts Washington on Sunday. Chark, on a 22-yard reception, got the Lions to within three points with just under four minutes to play. Brown and Philadelphia carried a 38-21 lead into the final quarter. “You take away his rushing and I mean, we’re probably pretty good defensively or much better, I should say.” So, from that perspective, Sunday’s three-point loss would seem to indicate the team is making strides, but that’s not the measuring stick for the Lions. But if you’re a fan looking for the team to take a step towards its first winning season since 2017, like most in the crowd of 64,537 at Ford Field, you left disappointed after the Lions fell 38-35 to the Philadelphia Eagles.

8:13: Breaking down the Lions' offensive performance as a whole; 12:27: How did Aidan Hutchinson and Malcolm Rodriguez fare in their first NFL games? 16:44: ...

After notes on rookies [Aidan Hutchinson](https://www.detroitlions.com/team/players-roster/aidan-hutchinson/) and [Malcolm Rodriguez](https://www.detroitlions.com/team/players-roster/malcolm-rodriguez/)'s NFL debuts, Tim and PJ look ahead to Week 2 against the Washington Commanders. [D’Andre Swift](https://www.detroitlions.com/team/players-roster/d-andre-swift/)'s career day, Detroit's defensive struggles against Jalen Hurts and the Eagles' run game and the performance of [Jeff Okudah](https://www.detroitlions.com/team/players-roster/jeff-okudah/) before shifting the focus to the Lions' offensive output in Week 1. The two discuss

Still, just because the game met our expectations in terms of the outcome doesn't mean we have to be happy or upset about the results. Maybe players we didn't ...

But I will say I came away a lot more positive about the Lions secondary than I expected to. On paper, they’ve got a lot of really good pieces, and a ton of those players on the defensive line have already proven it in this league. And while on Sunday, they likely proved that they held the edge in three of those matchups, they decisively lost the matchup between their run defense and the Lions’ run offense. Hell, with Goff playing some of his worst football, the Lions still managed to put 35 points—the third-highest mark of Week 1 prior to Monday night’s game. We’ve got to be a lot better in all the areas.” “So, we’ve got to clean this up and we’ve got to be better.

The Detroit Lions looked and sounded like a better team after mounting a rally in a close loss to the Eagles, who routed them last year.

Don’t worry, the Lions don’t believe they’ve arrived just because they opened with a close loss to a playoff team with high expectations. We feel like we’ve got to win those games. I asked him if players were happy with the resilience they showed, but he pushed back immediately. They were down, 31-14, early in the third quarter and rallied on offense and defense. You grunting, growling gaggle of ear-piercing fanatics earned the opponents’ respect as much as Lions players did. We’ve got to be a lot better in all the areas.” Do you want to know what improvement sounds like for the Lions? The Lions, the people of Detroit, they came out for this game, and we obviously knew it was going to be like that. But that’s what the Lions got out of Sunday. It looks like a [38-35 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles ](https://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2022/09/11/detroit-lions-game-score-philadelphia-eagles/69485174007/)on Sunday that could have been worse than last year’s 44-6 loss. So we’ve got to clean this up, and we’ve got to be better. It sounds like 64,537 fans at Ford Field screaming from start to finish because they had something to scream about.