The Lions certainly put their fans through the wringer Sunday night, but it was worth it in the end as Detroit erased a 16-point deficit to score a 26-23 win over the Houston Texans to move to 8-1. It’s Detroit’s best start since 1954.
Most power rankings already had the Lions as the top team in the league, even with the Chiefs still undefeated. Are they getting closer to sweeping the power rankings we’re tracking here? Let’s take a look.
USA Today
Current rank: 2
Last week’s rank: 2
What Nate Davis had to say: “ Add resilience to their special sauce now that they’ve notched their first win under HC Dan Campbell after trailing by double digits at halftime … while becoming the first team in 12 years to prevail despite its quarterback serving up five INTs.e from Hutchinson’s production. Yet maybe it won’t even matter much given how well this multi-faceted offense is clicking. QB Jared Goff and WR Amon-Ra St. Brown haven’t had a missed connection since Week 3, hooking up on 30 consecutive targets – tied for the longest streak for any wideout since 2016.”
Pro Football Talk
Current rank: 2
Last week’s rank: 1
What Mike Florio had to say: “Team of Destiny B.” (A was Florio’s new No. 1 team, the Chiefs.)
ESPN NFL Nation
Current rank: 2
Last week’s rank: 2
What Eric Woodyard had to say: “Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson said (wide receiver Amon-Ra) St. Brown “might be the most consistent player I’ve ever been around.” And that mentality has rubbed off on teammates as he has become one of Detroit’s foundational players since being selected in the fourth round of the 2021 draft. St. Brown has continued his record-setting pace in Year 4 with a receiving touchdown in seven consecutive games, the longest streak in franchise history.”
ESPN’s writers were asked to name each team’s non-quarterback MVP to this point.
NFL.com
Current rank: 1
Last week’s rank: 1
What Eric Edholm had to say: “The Lions’ seventh straight victory was unlike any they’ve had in some time, with Jared Goff succumbing to early pressure en route to a five-INT performance in Houston. But if Detroit has shown us anything over the past two years or so, it’s that this team will figure out a path to victory more often than not, even if it’s not the one the Lions came into a game embracing. I thought Dan Campbell said it best, as he often does: “When it’s not your day and you can still win? That’s a sign of a good team.” The Lions’ defense got the comeback started in the second half with two key turnovers and really was the reason they even had a chance to win, with Jake Bates‘ two monster kicks adding the fairytale sparkle to the story and bringing the game full circle.
I don’t want to get ahead of myself, but I think Detroit might lose both coordinators next offseason to head-coaching jobs. OC Ben Johnson and DC Aaron Glenn each deserve a shot at the big chair. But first, there’s a Super Bowl to go try to win. Victories such as Sunday night’s show the Lions are eminently capable.
”
Yahoo Sports
Current rank: 1
Last week’s rank: 1
What Frank Schwab had to say: “For all the praise of the Lions’ comeback win, they do need to figure out how Jared Goff went off the rails on Sunday night and more than doubled his interception total for the season. It shouldn’t be a problem. But the Lions can’t let it become one either.”
CBS Sports
Current rank: 2
Last week’s rank: 2
What Pete Prisco had to say: “Winning the way they did on Sunday night against the Texans is proof of just how tough this team can be. They rallied in a big way, which shows their Dan Campbell grit.”
USA Today
Current rank: 2
Last week’s rank: 2
What Nate Davis had to say: “ Add resilience to their special sauce now that they’ve notched their first win under HC Dan Campbell after trailing by double digits at halftime … while becoming the first team in 12 years to prevail despite its quarterback serving up five INTs.e from Hutchinson’s production. Yet maybe it won’t even matter much given how well this multi-faceted offense is clicking. QB Jared Goff and WR Amon-Ra St. Brown haven’t had a missed connection since Week 3, hooking up on 30 consecutive targets – tied for the longest streak for any wideout since 2016.”
Pro Football Talk
Current rank: 2
Last week’s rank: 1
What Mike Florio had to say: “Team of Destiny B.” (A was Florio’s new No. 1 team, the Chiefs.)
ESPN NFL Nation
Current rank: 2
Last week’s rank: 2
What Eric Woodyard had to say: “Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson said (wide receiver Amon-Ra) St. Brown “might be the most consistent player I’ve ever been around.” And that mentality has rubbed off on teammates as he has become one of Detroit’s foundational players since being selected in the fourth round of the 2021 draft. St. Brown has continued his record-setting pace in Year 4 with a receiving touchdown in seven consecutive games, the longest streak in franchise history.”
ESPN’s writers were asked to name each team’s non-quarterback MVP to this point.
NFL.com
Current rank: 1
Last week’s rank: 1
What Eric Edholm had to say: “The Lions’ seventh straight victory was unlike any they’ve had in some time, with Jared Goff succumbing to early pressure en route to a five-INT performance in Houston. But if Detroit has shown us anything over the past two years or so, it’s that this team will figure out a path to victory more often than not, even if it’s not the one the Lions came into a game embracing. I thought Dan Campbell said it best, as he often does: “When it’s not your day and you can still win? That’s a sign of a good team.” The Lions’ defense got the comeback started in the second half with two key turnovers and really was the reason they even had a chance to win, with Jake Bates‘ two monster kicks adding the fairytale sparkle to the story and bringing the game full circle.
I don’t want to get ahead of myself, but I think Detroit might lose both coordinators next offseason to head-coaching jobs. OC Ben Johnson and DC Aaron Glenn each deserve a shot at the big chair. But first, there’s a Super Bowl to go try to win. Victories such as Sunday night’s show the Lions are eminently capable.
”
Yahoo Sports
Current rank: 1
Last week’s rank: 1
What Frank Schwab had to say: “For all the praise of the Lions’ comeback win, they do need to figure out how Jared Goff went off the rails on Sunday night and more than doubled his interception total for the season. It shouldn’t be a problem. But the Lions can’t let it become one either.”
CBS Sports
Current rank: 2
Last week’s rank: 2
What Pete Prisco had to say: “Winning the way they did on Sunday night against the Texans is proof of just how tough this team can be. They rallied in a big way, which shows their Dan Campbell grit.”