Don’t look now but our Detroit Lions are not just hot, they are HOT HOT!!! Following their impressive 34-23 win over the Minnesota Vikings in Week 14, the Lions have now won five of their last six games to move to 6-7 on the season, and they are still alive when it comes to the NFL playoffs. If you have been paying attention to the media, both at the local and national level, you have probably noticed that the Lions are getting quite a bit of love. Well, everybody has been releasing their latest NFL Power Rankings and the Lions are skyrocketing up the charts!
Where do the Detroit Lions rank in this week’s NFL Power Rankings?
According to Dan Hanzus of NFL.com, the Lions are now the No. 10 ranked team in the NFL. That is up seven spots from a week ago.
From NFL.com:
“These Lions are for real. Dan Campbell’s team continued to roll the opposition on Sunday, this time piling up 464 yards on the NFC North-leading Vikings in a 34-23 win at raucous Ford Field. The offense is led by Jared Goff, who is playing quarterback at a very high level right now. The veteran threw for 330 yards and three touchdowns, and he has not thrown an interception in five weeks. Goff and Co. will face a stiff test with a Week 15 trip to the Meadowlands to face the Jets. If this offense proves it can travel against a tough defense in the elements, we’ll be talking about a playoff team in Detroit come January.”
But Hanzus is not the only national media member who has the Lions moving into the Top 10. Bo Wulf of The Athletic also has the Lions at No. 10 in the rankings.
From The Athletic:
“Are we out over our skis in ranking the Lions over the Vikings despite the four-game difference in their records? Here’s a blind comparison:
Team A: 12th in overall DVOA (defense-adjusted value over average), seventh in offensive DVOA, fifth in offensive EPA per drive, 24th in defensive DVOA, 32nd in defensive EPA per drive, point differential of plus-2.
Team B: 21st in overall DVOA, 18th in offensive DVOA, 17th in offensive EPA per drive, 22nd in defensive DVOA, 20th in defensive EPA per drive, point differential of minus-1.
Team A, of course, is the Lions, who have given their fans real hope for the first time in a very long time. It seems too appropriate that one long-suffering fan base is guaranteed to have their hearts broken following this weekend’s Lions-Jets game with huge playoff implications.
Nation, where do you think the Detroit Lions should rank?