Tag: NFL power poll

Lions climb into top 5 in most NFL power rankings

Lions climb into top 5 in most NFL power rankings in the Week 17 power poll roundup

As the NFL enters the final two weeks of the regular season, the Detroit Lions have firmly established themselves as one of the league’s best teams. The 11-4 record and NFC North title stand out in a league where every team has gone through rough patches at some point through the season.

At USA TODAY, where Detroit somehow fell despite winning in Week 15, the Lions rose up to No. 5 overall. They moved up from No. 8, passing the Chiefs (who lost), the Dolphins (who beat Dallas) and the Cowboys.

The Lions are also up into the fifth spot at The Athletic, rising from No. 7. In an interesting twist, they named Penei Sewell the Lions’ MVP so far. At CBS Sports, Detroit bubbled up one spot to No. 4. Our friends at Touchdown Wire bumped the Lions to No. 5 from seventh, noting,

The Lions have won the NFC North for the first time, and it’s their first division title since 1993. Dan Campbell is certainly a candidate for Coach of the Year, and the fact that he accomplished this in just three seasons is incredible.

NBC, via Pro Football Talk, holds the Lions at No. 6 overall. The Lions held steady at the No. 4 spot over at The Sporting News after clinching the NFC North.

My personal ranking after Week 16:

  1. Ravens
  2. 49ers
  3. Dolphins
  4. Lions
  5. Bills

Lions solidify their spot in NFL power polls after big Week 15 win

Detroit is firmly in the top 8 across most major NFL power polls after blowing out a Broncos team with a winning record

After a stunning Monday night outcome with the Seahawks upsetting the Eagles, Week 15 ended with some real potential for movement in the NFL power polls. The Detroit Lions were poised to jump up after hammering the Broncos 42-17, improving to 10-4 and getting there by pounding a team with a winning record.

Despite the big win, there wasn’t a lot of upward movement for the Lions. Detroit sits firmly in the middle realms of the top 10 teams in most power polls.

Detroit’s highest ranking comes from Sporting News, where the Lions are fourth overall. Analyst Vinnie Iyer noted,

The Lions got back on track at home on Saturday with the elite running game plowing through a porous Broncos un defense. That returning development also resettled Jared Goff at home to play well and inspired the defense. They can now feel better about their playoff dangerous status as soon-to-be new division champions.

The Lions vaulted up to No. 5 at Yahoo Sports, which was shared from Broncos Wire. At The Athletic, the Lions bumped up a spot to No. 7 after the win over the Broncos.

Oddly enough, Detroit fell a spot to No. 8 in the USA TODAY power poll. They’re a spot behind the Cowboys, who got annihilated 31-10 by a Buffalo team that isn’t currently qualified for the AFC postseason. The Eagles, losers of three in a row, actually moved up a spot to No. 3.

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Week 10 power poll roundup: Lions gain ground during the bye week

Week 10 power poll roundup: Lions gain ground during the bye week thanks to losses by other teams in their tier

The Lions were fit for a king during their bye week. Detroit gained status in several NFL weekly power polls by simply not playing in Week 9, a good case of when everything means nothing. No fear of missing out in a crazy weekend around the league.

Detroit moved up in the Touchdown Wire poll, hopping from No. 8 to No. 6. The move up came at the expense of Buffalo and Miami, with both AFC East teams losing in Week 9. At ESPN, the Lions climbed three spots and into the top five with the No. 5 ranking.

The Lions also ascended three spots at CBS, up to No. 6 from ninth. Detroit’s highest ranking comes from The Athletic, where Dan Campbell’s Lions spun up one spot to No. 4 overall.

In this week’s USA TODAY power poll, the Lions held steady at No. 7. The focus is on Jahmyr Gibbs’ impressive start to his rookie campaign,

In the three games he’s started, rookie RB Jahmyr Gibbs has a league-best 132.3 yards from scrimmage per game.

Dallas, losers to Philadelphia, fell from sixth to eighth but the idle Lions got jumped by the Bengals, who have won four in a row.

 

NFL power rankings: Update after Week 8

It’s time to update the Lions Wire NFL power poll. Where do the 6-2 Lions rank?

Two months have come and gone off the NFL calendar. Between the impending flip to November and the Lions’ bye week hitting at a much-needed time, it’s a good opportunity to update the Lions Wire NFL power poll.

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Quite a bit has happened at both the top and the bottom of the poll in recent weeks. Three weeks ago I’d have put San Francisco as No. 1 or No. 2, but now it’s a struggle to place them in the top 10.

As for the 6-2 Lions? You’ll have to scroll down a good way before you find them in the rankings from 32 to 1…

Lions find their level in NFL power polls after Week 7

The Lions slid a little in NFL power polls after getting blown out by the Ravens

It was to be expected. Getting trounced 38-6 in Baltimore was bound to drop the Detroit Lions in NFL power polls after Week 7.

Sure enough, the Lions did fall out of the top five with the loss. However, the fall wasn’t very far for Detroit in most polls. The 5-2 Lions remain firmly in the NFL’s top 10, as they should.

The commentary from Touchdown Wire’s Jarrett Bailey sums it up nicely,

Huh. Well alrighty then.

That was a burn the tape game for the Lions. They were dominant throughout the first month and a half- it was only a matter of time before they came down to Earth and got smacked in the mouth. Every team, no matter how good, has one of those games. They play the Raiders on Monday night- I fully expect them to win.

Bailey dropped the Lions from fifth to No. 8. It was a similar story at USA TODAY, where Detroit fell from No. 3 to No. 6 after the loss.

The Athletic also slotted Detroit in the No. 6 slot. The fall at ESPN was a little steeper. Detroit dropped from 4th to 9th.

As for our rankings at Lions Wire? I only update them every four weeks to avoid being too reactionary. I still can’t name five teams that are definitively better than these Lions, however, not after the performances by the 49ers, Bills and Seahawks in Week 7.

Oh by the way, the Kansas City Chiefs are either first or second in every poll. The Lions beat them in Kansas City in Week 1–the Chiefs only loss.

Where the Lions rank in NFL power polls entering the preseason

Tracking where the Detroit Lions rank in NFL power polls as the preseason starts

Preseason power polls are flying off the presses now that the exhibition games are actually starting. For once, you don’t have to scroll way down the list to find the Detroit Lions in these preseason power rankings.

While they’re inherently speculative, these power polls do give a strong indication of how the Lions (and all teams) are viewed around the league. Based on these polls, there is very real validation to the Lions fan excitement that is guzzling the Honolulu Blue Kool-Aid this summer.

At NFL.com, the Lions are perched just outside the top 10. Coming in at No. 11, Detroit is upwardly mobile thanks to a much-improved (on paper anyway) defense, notably the secondary.

For the first time in what feels like ages, it looks like Detroit has some actual, real depth on defense. Peering beyond the clear-cut standouts, such as second-year edge Aidan Hutchinson, the Lions appear to have some tough decisions to make on who starts and who plays what role. The additions of CB Cam Sutton and especially versatile DBs C.J. Gardner-Johnson and rookie Brian Branch give DC Aaron Glenn some real flexibility on the back end. The first-round selection of Jack Campbell appears to have pushed 2022 rookie standout Malcolm Rodriguez into a leaner role. Up front, guys like Charles Harris and Josh Paschal could be pleasant surprises after tough 2022 seasons. It’s another reason to be excited about Detroit this season.

The ranking is a little lower at Touchdown Wire, where USA TODAY analyst Jarrett Bailey slots Detroit 14th. Bailey also cites the defensive upgrades in his breakdown, while also noting the skepticism that the Lions franchise has earned for failing to meet expectations in the past,

The secondary was the worst unit for Detroit in 2022, and all they did to fix that was sign all of the hottest available defensive backs in Cam Sutton, Emmanuel Mosely, and C.J. Gardner-Johnson. I like the direction of the Lions. We’ll see how they do with actual expectations.

Over at The Sporting News, things are more bullish on Detroit. The Lions are No. 7 in their preseason power poll. Analyst Vinnie Iyer writes,

The Lions are buzzing with their rookies and young players to build on a budding offensive and defensive core. A year removed from “Hard Knocks” and following a 9-8 finish, Detroit has given no reason to indicate that isn’t the new preseason favorite to win the NFC North under Dan Campbell.

Detroit is also seventh over at Yahoo Sports in analyst Frank Schwab’s preseason listing. The lowest listing comes from Pro Football Focus, where Detroit sits 15th.

It will be interesting to check back in after the preseason concludes and see what impact, if any, the exhibition games have on the rankings.

The Lions get a subdued ranking in Touchdown Wire’s preseason power poll

While most current NFL power polls slot the Lions inside the top 10, this one holds more skepticism on Detroit.

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Expectations and hype around the Detroit Lions are higher than it’s been in years. Not everyone is buying into the team’s ascension into one of the NFL’s top teams just yet, however.

In the preseason ranking from Touchdown Wire’s Natalie Miller, the Lions slot in at No. 14 of 32. That’s a lower spot than most current power polls and reflects the memory of the team’s 1-6 start a year ago not being completely erased by the 8-2 finish.

Miller writes,

The Detroit rebirth continues from the end of last season, where this Lions team was able to run off a 5-1 finish and will carry that same energy over to the 2024 season. With superstar offensive coordinator Ben Johnson returning, and the ever energized Dan Campbell leading the charge, this Detroit team looks to make a ton of noise on their way to the playoffs this season.

Of note, the Minnesota Vikings are ranked 12th here, one of the rare instances where the defending NFC North champions are slotted above the emerging Lions. Division rivals Chicago and Green Bay are well back at 23rd and 25th, respectively.

Lions crash some top 10s, swiftly rising around all NFL power polls for Week 15

The Detroit Lions move into the top 10 at a couple of prominent NFL power polls for Week 15 and are rising up in all the others

Winning five times in six games will raise a team’s profile. For the Detroit Lions, the surge upward in the standings is impressive enough to land the team into realms not seen in many years in some current NFL power polls.

The Lions improved to 6-7 by beating the 10-3 Minnesota Vikings, 34-23, in Week 14. The big win over the NFC North leaders propelled the Lions way upward in the Week 15 NFL power poll watch.

Touchdown Wire elevated the Lions all the way into the top 10. Despite the 6-7 overall record, Detroit claims the No. 10 spot.

Last week: No. 13

There is a path to the playoffs for Detroit, but it includes winning out and essentially the New York Giants continuing to lose as the Lions hold the tiebreaker. The Lions will be heavily tested to close out the year as three of their final four games are on the road.

It’s the same story at NFL.com, where the Lions are also sitting in 10th after Week 14.

While they’re not in the top 10, the Lions did surge up to 13th at USA TODAY. Detroit was 18th after Week 13.

The status ranking is still not so high at some other outlets. The Lions sit at No. 17 at both ESPN and The Ringer. Pro Football Talk slots the Lions 15th. The lowest ranking from major outlets comes from CBS Sports, which places Detroit at 18th. The CBS Sports rankings are almost a straight copy-paste from the actual NFL standings.

The Sporting News also places the Lions at No. 17 but gives proper mention to the recent defensive improvement in Detroit,

The Lions have all their key offensive pieces back healthy around Jared Goff and their strong line, and it’s showing with their explosion, especially at home. But it’s really Aidan Hutchinson and the defense that have sparked the big turnaround.

Keep on winning and those top 10s will be a lot more commonplace.

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Lions playoff potential has them surging up NFL power polls in Week 14

The Detroit Lions playoff potential has them surging up NFL power polls in Week 14

Don’t look now, but the Detroit Lions are back in the NFC playoff picture. The Lions have surged up to ninth place in the conference playoff race thanks to winning four of their last five games. The rise in the standings has elevated Detroit in the weekly NFL power polls, too.

At USA TODAY, the Lions are back up in the top 20. And the commentary hints at something even bigger: the playoffs. Detroit is No. 18 this week,

Despite a horrendous start to the season, the remaining schedule very much suggests this surging squad should get to eight or nine wins … which might allow them to sneak into postseason.

The Las Vegas Raiders, who have won three in a row after starting 2-7, are one spot below and got the exact same commentary.

Over at ESPN, the Lions powered up to 20th. The spotlight on Jamaal Williams and the team’s top-ranked red zone offense helps justify the rise in the rankings from No. 23 a week ago. Detroit rose two spots to 22nd at the Sporting News. 

At CBS Sports, vision of playoff potential danced the Lions up to 19th. Detroit is 20th at NBC Sports. The highest ranking comes courtesy of The Athletic, where the Lions cracked the top half of the rankings at No. 16.

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Lions power rankings show the wide divide on QB Jared Goff

The commentary on the Detroit Lions power rankings after Week 12 shows the wide divide on QB Jared Goff

Tuesday means the weekly NFL power polls get updated around the mediasphere. This week’s collection of the Detroit Lions rankings reflects a pretty consensus rankings status but a big divide on quarterback Jared Goff.

At USA TODAY, the Lions dropped two spots to 21st in the latest update. Interestingly, NFC North rivals Green Bay (22) and Chicago (23) immediately follow Detroit in the rankings. The Lions’ blurb is an interesting perspective on Goff,

QB Jared Goff might be in the MVP conversation if he could play all his games at Ford Field – where he’d be projected to throw for nearly 4,400 yards and 43 TDs over 17 games with a 102.6 passer rating.

Over at NFL.com, the Lions were one spot higher at No. 20. The Lions check in a little lower at ESPN, where Dan Campbell’s team ranks 23rd. Detroit fell to 24th in the Sporting News latest polling. Sportsnaut dropped the Lions to 20th after losing to the Bills. Their commentary veers strongly in the other direction regarding Goff,

The Detroit Lions’ record in one-score games might suggest it’s time to replace Dan Campbell. In reality, the first step is finding a franchise-caliber quarterback to take over for Jared Goff. Find the passer who can make the big throws in critical moments and lift the ceiling on this offense. Accomplish that and the Lions are a playoff contender.

There was a similar sentiment from Pro Football News, where Detroit sits at No. 23,

Detroit hung with Buffalo for four quarters, and the consistent battles they find themselves in despite their roster inadequacies should give fans hope for the future – one hopefully with a QB who can elevate those around him.

Jared Goff is playing some of the best football he has in years, and it should come as no surprise Detroit has one of the best offensive lines in the NFL. He’s still a lost puppy when pressured, but the Lions’ pass protection isn’t allowing pressure as often.

One analyst sees Goff as having MVP potential, while two others strongly believe the Lions need to replace him to move upward. Where do you stand?

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