Dave Birkett
The Lions have not forgotten the butt-kicking they took from the Eagles last fall, with assistant head coach Duce Staley telling reporters Friday, “it would be real good to go out there and smack them in the mouth a little bit” as payback. I cannot discount that possibility, not with a sell-out crowd expected at Ford Field and the energy that comes with a season-opener. This Lions team is much better than the one that lost 44-6 to the Eagles last season, but they still have questions throughout their defense and the injuries on their offensive line are a major concern. I don’t expect Philadelphia to have nearly the same kind of success it had running the football last season, but the Eagles are a more talented team and that’s enough to give them the edge in Week 1. The pick: Eagles 27, Lions 24.
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Carlos Monarrez
Philadelphia has high expectations for a deep playoff run behind the talents of Jalen Hurts, who led NFL quarterbacks last year with 784 rushing yards and 10 rushing touchdowns. That’s bad news for the Lions, who struggle against mobile QBs. Jared Goff gets his first crack at showing his much-talked-about improvement against a defense that ranked 10th last year and spent three of its first four draft choices this year on that side of the ball, including tackle Jordan Davis, the 13th overall pick. The pick: Eagles 31, Lions 24.
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Jeff Seidel
This game will be a microcosm of the season. The Lions will look improved. They will fight and keep it close. But they will lose more than they win. In this loss, the Lions will struggle to run the ball and struggle to protect Jared Goff because of injuries to the offensive line. The Lions defense will have a better pass rush but it won’t be enough to beat the Eagles. The pick: Eagles 24, Lions 21.
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Shawn Windsor
The Lions should be better. They are relatively healthy and if Frank Ragnow plays — he says he will try — then the offensive line should give Jared Goff some time against a fearsome front. Still, it’s not enough yet against Philadelphia. The Lions stay competitive but come up short. The pick: Eagles 31, Lions 24.