Eagles versus Lions: 5 potential matchups to watch in Week 1

Every Eagles game carries its share of subplots and matchups. Week 1 versus the Lions is no different.

The hour approaches. The Philadelphia Eagles meet the Detroit Lions in Week 1 of the regular season. Some see this as the first of 17 games. Most of us see this as theatre.

Every NFL contest unfolds like a motion picture. They’re stories complete with drama, intrigue, highs, lows, and irony. It’s like reality television but without the script, and sometimes, the stories off of the field are just as interesting as the ones we see play out on gameday.

No story is interesting unless we’re intrigued by the characters though, so for now, we’ll stay with the Xs and Os. Here are five matchups that we’ll be watching during the opener. One of the most captivating surrounds Jonathan Gannon‘s defense.

Lions OC Ben Johnson versus Eagles DC Jonathan Gannon

Last year’s six-point outburst by the Lions during the Eagles’ visit to Motown didn’t fall totally on Ben Johnson’s shoulders as he was still the team’s tight ends coach. This time, the spotlight will be on him as he’s now Detroit’s recently-promoted offensive coordinator.

He’s charged with devising the scheme to attack Jonathan Gannon’s new-look defense, a defense that none of us have actually seen play yet in a game that counts.

Meanwhile, on Philadelphia’s sideline, there’s no margin for error. There’s no room for excuses though we’re certain that we won’t hear any, but how could we?

J.G. has everything he needs to run whatever scheme he wants. There’s no reason his unit shouldn’t dominate during the 2022-2023 NFL season. The journey begins with a test in The Motor City. Here are four other subplots to watch as well.