The Lions keep winning, but the national rankings still aren’t fully buying in.
Detroit sits at 6-2 after four straight victories, owns a 2-0 mark in the NFC North with wins over the Packers and Vikings, and is still only a half-game behind the Bears. For the first time this season, the Lions landed in the top 10 of every national power ranking being tracked.
Even so, the respect hasn’t come all at once. In more than half of those rankings, Detroit actually slid this week.
That’s the odd part of the Lions’ current spot: the record is strong, the division results are strong, and the head-to-head results are strong, yet some outlets still have them behind both Green Bay and Minnesota. Yahoo Sports and Sports Illustrated placed Detroit behind the Packers, while Sporting News and ESPN kept the Lions behind the Vikings despite the same record as Minnesota or a better one than Green Bay, plus wins over both teams.
The Athletic moved Detroit to No. 8 from No. 7.
Nick Shook pointed to the Miami win as the kind of game good teams have to survive, even if it wasn’t clean. “Sunday’s victory wasn’t pretty by any means, but sometimes a team needs to find a way to win an ugly one.
The Lions did that in Miami, getting just enough from Jahmyr Gibbs to leave with a W. That’s what I’d expect from a team in the top 10, but I’m hoping this was an informative experience to grow from, not a harbinger of things to come.”
CBS Sports also had Detroit at No. 8, up from No. 9. Chad Graff and Josh Kendall noted the rough edges on defense, writing that “the underlying defensive stats (they rank 30th in EPA per play) remain concerning,” while adding that the offense has been one of the league’s best as the Lions head to New England.
Yahoo Sports dropped Detroit to No. 9 from No. 8.
Pete Prisco summed up the Miami result bluntly: “It wasn’t pretty against the Dolphins, but they found a way. They can’t play that way this week against a wounded Patriots team or else.”
ESPN kept the Lions at No. 10.
The outlet highlighted the Munich matchup as a meaningful moment for the franchise, especially with Amon-Ra St. Brown’s German background and family ties to the country.
ESPN also noted that this is Detroit’s first game in Germany and its first international game as the designated home team.
USA Today was one of the few outlets to bump Detroit up, moving the Lions to No. 6 from No. 7.
Nate Davis focused on St. Brown’s quiet stretch and wondered whether Munich could be the spot for a breakout: “WR Amon-Ra St.
Brown hasn’t scored since September and only has two 100-yard receiving games this season. Think the German-American star might break out Sunday in Munich − especially given how the Pats secondary just got shredded?”
Frank Schwab of Sporting News kept the Lions at No. 9 and offered the strongest case for their recent defensive surge. He pointed out that Detroit has held its last three opponents under 17 points, including the Packers, and said the defense has improved with Brian Branch back after his Achilles injury.
Schwab also noted that the Lions have allowed 21 points or fewer in four straight games for the first time since 2016. Detroit gave up just 228 yards and 12 first downs against Miami, and Dan Campbell said, “We’ve cleaned a lot up,” adding, “Guys are trusting what they’re being taught, they’re executing it and with that execution comes confidence.”
Vinnie Iyer also kept Detroit at No. 9. He emphasized that the defense has allowed only 62 total points during the four-game winning streak and pointed to Jared Goff’s recent struggles, including back-to-back sub-200-yard, one-interception games, as the next thing to watch in Munich.
In Other News...
Lions Suddenly Have A Left Guard Problem Dan Campbell Didn't Settle
Christian Mahoganys sudden seat on the bench created a new wrinkle for Detroit at left guard, even if the door to reclaiming the job is still open. Dan Campbell confirmed Mahogany sat out a game because of a violation of team rules, and Miles Frazier stepped in to start in his place, giving the Lions a quick look at a different option on the interior line.
Campbells update leaves the position in a state of uncertainty heading into the matchup with the New England Patriots, especially with the rest of the roster still being monitored. He also said it is unclear whether cornerback D.J. Reed and defensive end DJ Wonnum will be available, so Detroit could be sorting through more than one availability question as it tries to settle the left side of the line. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Suddenly Have Real Hope In Jack Campbell Situation
Jack Campbells injury sent a jolt through the Lions last week, and the immediate concern was bigger than football. The linebacker was placed on injured reserve after suffering a serious neck injury against the Vikings, which means he has to miss at least four games, and teammates have been openly emotional in the aftermath. Jared Goff was among those reflecting on how the team handled the moment, a reminder of how quickly a routine division game turned into something far more sobering.
There is at least a sliver of encouraging news now, though, and it has given the building a reason to breathe a little easier. NFL reporter Mike Silver has indicated there is cautious optimism about Campbell possibly returning this season, based on the progress he has made since the injury. For a defense that has leaned on Campbells presence, the idea of getting him back at some point would be a meaningful lift, even if the timeline remains very much up in the air. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Still Waiting On Kerby Joseph As Secondary Decision Looms
Kerby Josephs return remains on hold as Detroit heads to Germany for its next game, with Dan Campbell confirming the safety will not be available while he continues to recover from a knee cartilage condition. Joseph is still on the physically unable to perform list, leaving the Lions to manage their secondary without one of their top defensive backs as the trip overseas approaches.
The timing only adds to the pressure on the roster decision ahead, because Detroit has until next week to decide whether to activate Joseph to the 53-man roster or leave him on PUP for the rest of the season. The Lions have already added Andre Cisco for depth at safety, a move that helps cover the position in the short term while the bigger question around Josephs status still hangs over the defense. [Read more 🡒]