The Detroit Lions’ Week 7 win over the Green Bay Packers did more than just add another divisional victory to the ledger. It pushed Detroit into the Week 8 power rankings top 10, and the reason is simple: the defense finally showed enough life to make the whole team look different.
Against a Packers group that had Josh Jacobs back and was supposed to be closer to full strength, Detroit turned in one of the lowest opponent success rates in the NFL on Sunday. That kind of performance changes the tone around a team fast, especially when the offense is already humming.
The biggest bright spot might be up front, where OT Blake Miller has quickly justified the hype that came with being the No. 17 pick. He was brought in to start right away, and the 22-year-old has done exactly that.
After matching up with Aidan Hutchinson in training camp, Miller still hasn’t allowed a sack in five games this season, mostly at right tackle. The one blemish: five penalties so far.
Even so, Detroit’s offense is producing the second-most points in the league at 30.67 per game, trailing only Buffalo at 32.83.
Jared Goff continues to be the steady hand driving it all. He now has a claim no quarterback has ever had before, according to Pro Football Focus: at least 200 passing yards, a passing touchdown and no interceptions in each of his team’s first six games. That kind of consistency is hard to miss, and it’s part of why Detroit keeps piling up points.
Still, the defense is the part of this story that keeps coming back around. Even after Brian Branch returned, concerns remain about the pass defense.
Detroit has the league’s fourth-worst expected points added per play on dropbacks against them, and the unit is still described as the league’s worst overall defense. That said, Sunday marked an important turn.
The Lions allowed fewer than 20 points for the first time this season, and there were real signs of improvement.
Green Bay managed only 17 points, and Detroit made life uncomfortable for Jordan Love even though the box score showed just one sack. The pressure was there. The Packers also couldn’t get the run game going, finished five of 15 on third downs and converted only one of four red-zone trips into a touchdown.
That made the game feel like a step forward, not a fluke. Dan Campbell’s choice not to fire defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard looked a lot better after this one, and the win came with the Lions preventing the big plays when it mattered most. It was not spotless, but it was enough.
There was even a sense that the best might still be ahead. One take on Detroit’s performance called it the team’s best football yet after the bye, with the added help in the secondary making the defense look less like a liability and more like something the offense can actually win with. When Goff is rolling and Jahmyr Gibbs is helping set the pace on the ground, Detroit is a difficult team to deal with.
The Lions also got a dose of praise for Goff specifically, with one note calling for a little more MVP attention. Another pointed out that Detroit’s offense is good enough to beat anybody, but the defense has to stop giving games away.
The next test is already lined up: first-place Minnesota comes to town next.
In Other News...
Lions May Have A Real Chance To Upgrade Behind Sam LaPorta
The Lions are expected to be active buyers as the trade deadline approaches, with cornerback and tight end among the spots they could look to fortify. Indianapolis recent moves have only sharpened that possibility, since the Colts have already started acting like a team willing to sell off pieces. For Detroit, the tight end market is especially intriguing because the club could use another reliable option behind Sam LaPorta without having to overhaul the room.
One name that makes sense is Mo Alie-Cox, a veteran who has brought efficiency as both a blocker and a receiver. The Lions have gotten steady work out of Brock Wright, but adding a different kind of presence at TE2 would give them more flexibility in how they deploy the position. If Detroit does get serious about upgrading the depth chart, this is the kind of move that would fit the profile. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Just Got Put On The Spot In The NFC North
The NFC North suddenly has a different feel to it after Chicago swung a major deal for Jeffery Simmons, a move that tells the rest of the division the Bears are not content to wait their turn. For Detroit, it raises the kind of question contenders hate hearing this time of year: whether standing pat is enough when a rival has already made a clear bet on getting better.
The Lions have had their own issues on defense, especially in the secondary, and that makes the spotlight a little brighter now. If Detroit wants to keep pace in a division that is getting more aggressive, the conversation may soon turn to whether the front office needs to chase a cornerback at the top of the market to stabilize that side of the ball. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Fans Will Be Watching One Thing Closely In Vikings Showdown
The Lions Week 8 trip to Minnesota comes with a familiar name in charge of the officiating, as Craig Wrolstad will head the crew for Sundays game. Wrolstad has been a head referee since 2014, and Detroit fans have seen him before in a setting they remember well, including the franchises first playoff win in 30 years.
What may matter most this week is the way his crew has handled games so far this season. Wrolstads group has drawn attention for how often it reaches for the flag, and that kind of whistle-heavy profile can shape the flow of a divisional matchup in a hurry, especially in a game where every snap tends to carry a little extra weight. [Read more 🡒]