Week 12 is here already. It’s Thanksgiving football time and the Lions are looking for their first turkey day win since 2016. But first, we have to finish looking at the remnants of Week 11. The Lions had a crazy comeback win over the Bears. Did that change the opinion of the power rankings makers? Let’s see:
ESPN: 4th
Previous ranking: 4th
“The Lions are off to their best start since 1962, and sitting comfortably atop the NFC North standings in position to win their first division title since 1993. Goff has been a major factor this season, as he has continued to revitalize his career under coach Dan Campbell and offensive coordinator Ben Johnson. Goff has 2,743 passing yards through 10 games this season as well as 16 touchdowns to just eight interceptions. The next thing he has to prove is whether he can lead the team in the playoffs.” -Eric Woodyard
NFL: 3rd
Previous ranking: 4th
“Jared Goff threw three picks Sunday against the Bears, though two of them were a little fluky, as one was tipped and another spawned from contact that might have been defensive pass interference. Still, Goff also had two other passes that easily could have been picked, including one that might have been a long pick-six by Bears CB Jaylon Johnson. It felt like the Bears threw way more pressure at the Lions than expected, which threw off the rhythm of the passing game. But unlike some others, I saw this win as a positive for Detroit. Almost everything went against the Lions in this game. They were minus-three in turnovers and trailed by 12 points with less than four minutes left … yet they found a way to win. This should be the type of game that makes us respect Detroit more.” -Eric Edholm
Yahoo Sports: 3rd
Previous ranking: 3rd
“The Lions were incredibly sloppy on Sunday and that’s concerning. Jared Goff threw three interceptions, his most this season (he had thrown just five in Detroit’s first nine games). It happens. The takeaway is that Detroit won anyway. You’d like to play great every week, but that’s not realistic and there’s something to be said about winning with your C- or D+ game.” -Frank Schwab
The Athletic: 3rd
Previous ranking: 3rd
“The Lions scored 17 points in the final 2:59 Sunday, and it’s that offense that makes them so dangerous. They are second in the league in yards per game (399.6) and fifth in scoring (27.2) but only 17th in red-zone touchdown efficiency (52.9 percent) so there’s still room for growth. The Lions, who are 16-4 in their last 20, haven’t started a season this well since 1962.” -Josh Kendall
The Sporting News: 3rd
Previous ranking: 3rd
“The Lions didn’t look good with Jared Goff turnovers for most of the game vs. Chicago, also having more defensive breakdowns. But credit them for digging deep late and making the plays needed to win, a sign of a strong, complete playoff team.” -Vinnie Iyer
USA Today: 6th
Previous ranking: 6th
“A team that has zero NFC North crowns to its credit has won seven consecutive divisional games for the first time since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger. They can run that streak to eight on Thanksgiving by beating Green Bay.” -Nate Davis
CBS Sports: 2nd
Previous ranking:3rd
“They had to rally to beat a so-so Bears team at home, which isn’t a good sign. But the fact they did it shows they are a truly a good team.” -Pete Prisco
Sports Illustrated: 4th
Previous ranking: 4th
“An inspiring comeback for the Lions, who continue to remain themselves during moments of adversity, while also riding the tailwind of a distinct coaching edge. At the end of Sunday’s game against the Bears, when needing a game-winning touchdown, Detroit didn’t have to do, really, anything different. Jared Goff was the most comfortable we’ve seen him all afternoon despite throwing three picks.” -Connor Orr