The Detroit Lions fought hard in Week 14, but once Matthew Stafford went down with a rib injury, asking them to come back against the Green Bay Packers was too tall an order.
Now, with the Tennessee Titans (9-4) waiting for them in Week 15, most experts are not expecting much from the Lions — and their rankings reflect that.
Let’s take a closer look at what the national analysts thought of the Lions’ victory and what the experts are saying this week.
Touchdown Wire: 26 (Previous: 21)
“Last week’s comeback victory over the Chicago Bears pulled the Detroit Lions back into the playoff hunt. The odds were slim, as according to the New York Times the Lions had just a five percent chance at getting into the postseason. Those odds dipped to just one percent in the wake of Detroit’s loss Sunday to the Green Bay Packers. As has been the case for most of the season, the woes were on the defensive side of the football. The Lions could not slow down the Green Bay passing game, particularly due to the mounting injuries in the secondary and up front. Aaron Rodgers threw for three touchdown passes, and ran for one more. Adding insult to injury – literally – was the fact that Matthew Stafford was knocked out of the game after taking a big hit near the end zone, giving way to Chase Daniel for the finish. Now, the task is even tougher for the Lions to sneak in. They’ll have to win out, and given that they’ll face three teams in the playoff hunt (Tennessee, Tampa Bay and Minnesota) even that seems like an insurmountable task, before considering the help they’d need along the way.” — Mark Schofield
USA Today: 29 (Previous 28)
“Hard to envision Detroit keeping it close Sunday in Nashville if QB Matthew Stafford is out or even partially hampered by his rib issues.” — Nate Davis
NFL: 28 (Previous: 26)
“The Lions hung close against a loaded Packers team on Sunday, but they lost the game and possibly Matthew Stafford after the quarterback exited with a rib injury in the fourth quarter. Stafford shined in last week’s dramatic win over the Bears and played another solid game against Green Bay — the timing of his latest injury has to be supremely frustrating for interim head coach/offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell. The defense struggled to hold Aaron Rodgers in check on Sunday, and the unit will have an equally challenging test of a different kind this week against the Titans and perpetual downhill running back Derrick Henry. At 5-8, the Lions will finish at .500 or below for the third straight season. Change is coming.” — Dan Hanzus
ESPN: 25 (Previous: 25)
“There isn’t a lot that is stunning here: Detroit’s biggest concern was defense before the season (and, really, the past two-plus years). Injuries, a lack of playmaking talent and poor coaching have all been part of the issue. Sunday against Green Bay showed that the effort is there, but the skill level is in question. The offense has been efficient despite injuries, and the special teams, under Brayden Coombs, have been a bright spot. But the defense is why Detroit is in a hole at the moment, getting ready for a complete regime switch in the offseason.” — Michael Rothstein
CBS Sports: 29 (Previous 27)
“They just don’t have enough good defensive players to slow teams. It’s time to start planning for the new coach.” — Pete Prisco
Sports Illustrated: 28 (Previous: 27)
“Matthew Stafford did everything he could to hang in with Aaron Rodgers’s Packers, until suffering a rib injury while trying to make a first down at the goal line. His status for next week is up in the air, as is his future in Detroit.” — Note: MMQB uses a rotating staff to make selections, so they will sometimes vary drastically from week to week.
Sporting News: 22 (Previous: 21)
“The Lions keep fighting for interim coach Darrell Bevell, especially with the offense finding a groove with Matthew Stafford and young stars T.J. Hockenson and D’Andre Swift. But that can’t mask their leftover defensive deficiencies without Matt Patricia.”– Vinnie Iyer