There is a lot of excitement and hope surrounding the Detroit Lions entering the 2024 season. Many believe they can make a run all the way to New Orleans for Super Bowl LIX. First things first, Week 1. Power rankings are out for the start of the season. Where did the Lions rank across the media? Let’s take a look.
Pro Football Talk
Current rank: 2
What Mike Florio had to say: “They’ve never been the hunted. They will be this year.
ESPN
Current rank: 6
What Mike Clay had to say: “Detroit already had the offense (the OL might actually be better this season), and the defense is much improved (hello, Carlton Davis III, DJ Reader and Terrion Arnold). Perhaps this is the year the Lions take the NFC.”
NFL.com
Current rank: 4
What Eric Edholm had to say: “The 2023 Lions were a few plays away from reaching a Super Bowl with a defense that started out somewhat promisingly last season but really slipped after the early-November bye. Naturally, a lot of the focus has been placed on how much difference a revamped secondary and a beefed-up front can do for this team. Interestingly, the offense didn’t really cook until the defense had backslid a bit, so you almost have to marvel at how Detroit got to 12-5 in spite of very few complete performances — offense, defense and special teams all getting it done — after about Week 4. Believe it or not, I actually see this as a positive. The Lions were absolutely fearless, which was a big driver of their success, and I don’t expect that to change much this season. Now the talent level has risen, if only incrementally, but the biggest gains might be in the secondary and defensive front — two areas where Detroit arguably had the most room for growth. The NFC North is suddenly a bear, and the journey might not be as gilded at times, but I think the Lions can find a way to forge through with another banner season.”
Yahoo Sports
Current rank: 2
What Frank Schwab had to say: “The Lions had some injury scares during training camp and preseason but it doesn’t seem like any major contributors will miss Week 1. We’ll have to see if rookie first-round pick Terrion Arnold gets a starting nod for Week 1 after missing time in August with a pectoral injury.”
USA Today
Current rank: 2
What Nate Davis had to say: “Remember that WR Jameson Williams nearly put them over the top against the Niners in the 2023 NFC championship game. If he can develop into a consistent threat over a full season, there may be no stopping this team.”
CBS Sports
Current rank: 7
What Pete Prisco had to say: “They should once again push for a deep playoff run and more. Dan Campbell needs to stop being so reckless with his fourth-down decisions since his team is much better now.”
Sports Illustrated
Current rank: 2
What Conor Orr had to say: “The Sports Illustrated preseason Super Bowl favorite Lions come in at No. 2 on our power rankings. We can discuss a lot about this roster but, for me, the strength is on the line of scrimmages. This is a decidedly unsexy way of talking about a team with Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jahmyr Gibbs, among many others. But D.J. Reader, Alim McNeill and Aidan Hutchinson as a combination are way more exciting to me. The Lions are going to absolutely wear teams down by forcing them into obvious passing situations which will lessen the stress on their still-developing secondary. They are also going to continue to be one of the most dominant possession teams in the NFL. Last year, the Lions held onto the ball for more than 31 minutes per game. The Browns, for reference, were the only club that broke the 32 minute barrier last year.”