The Detroit Lions went full beatdown mode on the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday and then the Kansas City Chiefs lost their first game of the year. Surely that means the Lions will finally ascend to the number one spot in all power rankings right? Let’s see.
ESPN: 1st
Previous ranking: 2nd
“Preseason hot seat: WR Jameson Williams
Current temperature of hot seat: Cold
Williams has been a huge part of the Lions’ high-powered offense and might even have exceeded most on-field expectations with his stellar play as a deep threat. After a slow start to his NFL career, the No. 12 pick of the 2022 draft is the team’s second-leading receiver through Week 11 (behind All-Pro WR Amon-Ra St. Brown) despite being suspended two games for violating the NFL’s performance-enhancing substances policy. Williams exploded for a career-best 124 receiving yards and a 64-yard touchdown against Jacksonville.” -Eric Woodyard
The Athletic: 1st
Previous ranking: 2nd
“There’s no better marriage of coach and city than in Detroit where Dan Campbell has been a one-man city revitalization effort. The Lions are 23-7 (including playoffs) since the beginning of last season. They had 38 first downs and outgained the Jaguars by 475 yards Sunday. Detroit has beaten three teams by at least 38 points this season, and its point differential (plus-15.9 per game) is on pace to be second-highest in the NFL since at least 2000 behind only the 2007 Patriots, according to TruMedia. “If people got problems with what we’re doing or complaining about it, they can just come out here and play better football. That’s the only fix to this problem,” cornerback Carlton Davis said.” -Josh Kendall
USA Today: 1st
Previous ranking: 2nd
“With K.C. finally falling from the ranks of the unbeaten – flimsy as the champs’ “perfection” was – there’s no more denying Motown is currently the epicenter of the NFL universe. The Lions’ +159 point differential is more than 50 clear of anyone else. Their 46-point win over Jacksonville on Sunday was the largest in the franchise’s 95-season history, and the 645 yards gained were also Detroit’s most ever. They’re only the third team in the Super Bowl era (since 1966) to win three of their first 10 games by at least 35 points and the second since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger to score at least 50 points in back-to-back home games. Good luck, Indy.” -Nate Davis
Sports Illustrated: 1st
Previous rank: 1st
“We’ll begin here to say this: I was happy the Lions throttled the Jaguars over the weekend. When I was reporting out the cover story for this year’s football preview issue in Detroit, the theme of controlling the controllable essentially saved the Lions’ franchise. Wading through the muck can seem so daunting when you consider the entirety of it all … but less so when you just focus on one step. The Lions aren’t worried about a Super Bowl right now, the team put together a plan against Jacksonville; specific plays for Jacksonville. It’s not Detroit’s fault that the Jaguars opted not to show up or stop them.” -Connor Orr
CBS Sports: 1st
Previous ranking: 2nd
“They abused the Jaguars on Sunday to get the offense back on track. They are rolling as the top seed in the NFC.” -Pete Prisco
Bleacher Report: 1st
Previous ranking: 2nd
“If the NFL had a mercy rule, it would have been implemented Sunday in Detroit.
To say the Lions made their case as the NFL’s best team is an understatement. Detroit scored touchdowns on seven consecutive drives. Quarterback Jared Goff had a perfect passer rating of 158.3. Wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown caught 11 passes, topped 150 receiving yards and scored twice…” -NFL Staff
The Sporting News: 1st
Previous ranking: 2nd
“The Lions got their offense back on track at home with Jahmyr Gibbs, David Montgomery, and the running game fueling everything for Jared Goff again. They also have seen their defense improve and make more impact plays with each ensuing game, even without Aidan Hutchinson. The loss of LB Alex Anzalone (arm) for what’s likely to be the rest of the regular season will hurt, though.” -Vinnie Iyer