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It’s been easy to find the Detroit Lions in NFL power polls over the past couple of years. Scroll to the bottom and Detroit was sure to be in the bottom 2-3 teams, and that’s where they belonged too. But many analysts have seen enough progress in the roster and the impressive coaching staff to move the Lions out of the cellar in 2022.
The latest example is Pro Football Focus. In PFF’s updated power rankings, the Lions aren’t at the bottom. Heck, they aren’t even in the bottom tier of six teams that are effectively written off before the season even starts.
Not only did Detroit emerge out of the “rebuilding” tier, but the Lions also shot up past a couple of teams in the “in limbo” grouping. Detroit ranks 24th, lodged between the Washington Commanders and New York Jets–who have also risen up this offseason.
The rebuild project in Detroit still doesn’t have its quarterback of the future, but the rest of the roster is coming together very nicely, and Jared Goff has shown the capacity to be a better-than-average quarterback in the right environment. The Lions are still relying on the development and growth of young players that they added a year ago, but if things go as planned, Detroit could make more noise this season than people expect.
It’s nice to hear genuine optimism from another national outlet. It needs to be validated with wins, of course, but things are definitely looking up for the Lions.
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