The Detroit Lions (8-5) got back in the win column, convincingly beating a hot Dallas Cowboys team by two touchdowns. But was that enough to sway voters to put the Lions back inside their top-10 rankings?
Let’s take a look at how things shook out in this week’s power rankings.
The Ringer: 5 (Previous rank: 6)
Detroit’s offense is finding last year’s heights again, having scored 102 points in the past three weeks in spite of injuries and attrition. We should be celebrating this major step forward and forecasting what this unit can do in the wide-open NFC playoff field—but there’s a chance that Detroit won’t get there at all.
Because of Chicago’s success this season and San Francisco’s easy road into the wild-card round, the Lions have to win out to secure their spot in the postseason. And since they have games left against the Rams, Bears, and Steelers, I’m not certain that’s a realistic ask.
Sports Illustrated: 8 (Previous rank: 9)
As we watch the NFC South again produce a division winner that could enjoy a more advantageous path to the Super Bowl than 50% of the NFC North, I think about the withdrawn Lions proposal to give home field to only the division winner with the best record in each conference.
The Athletic: 8 (Previous rank: 10)
From Josh Kendall and Chad Graff:
Worst-case scenario: A road playoff game
Detroit has a 39 percent chance of making the playoffs after beating Dallas, but it’s still staring at a playoff game away from home if it does make it. That could mean a trip to Philadelphia, Chicago, Green Bay or Seattle. For all of Jared Goff’s improvements, he still has a 57.7 career completion percentage outdoors when the temperature is below 50 degrees. In the last two years, he’s 22nd in the league in EPA per dropback in those conditions (0.01) compared to sixth (0.22) indoors.
USA Today: 8 (Previous rank: 12)
It’s amazing how many good players coach Dan Campbell and GM Brad Holmes have amassed here − and a shame so many of them are sidelined. But Jahmyr Gibbs, who needs to be recognized as the league’s premier running back at this point, fortunately remains in the lineup for a team still capable of offensively overwhelming its competition.
NFL.com: 10 (Previous rank: 11)
With their backs against the wall, the Lions willed their way to victory over the Cowboys and kept alive their streak of 15 straight wins following a loss. That’s the kind of mental toughness Dan Campbell has instilled in his team, but that resilience is going to be put to the test with Brian Branch suffering a season-ending Achilles injury. The star safety is as much the heartbeat of Detroit’s defense as Aidan Hutchinson is — losing Branch at an already-thin position could be a massive blow to Kelvin Sheppard’s unit. Adding to the degree of difficulty: three road games in the final four, with zero gimmes remaining. The Lions’ only contest against a team that’s not currently in the playoff field comes in a short week at Minnesota on Christmas Day. With Jahmyr Gibbs on their side, anything is possible. But no doubt, the Lions still have a ton of work to do and several obstacles in their way.
Yahoo Sports: 11 (Previous rank: 11)
Here are the Lions’ results since the start of October: win, loss, win, loss, win, loss, win, loss, win. The win over the Cowboys hinted at their potential again, but it’s hard to rank them much higher than this when they haven’t put together a two-game winning streak in more than two months. Also, Detroit’s ability to make a deep playoff run probably relies on the Lions not catching any cold-weather games, given how much worse they are in outdoor games. The Lions are a good team but it’s hard to talk yourself into a Super Bowl run for them.
ESPN: 11 (Previous rank: 11)
From ESPN Staff, excerpt from Eric Woodyard:
Most shocking statistical ranking: First in points per game
Coach Dan Campbell took over playcalling duties from first-year offensive coordinator John Morton in Week 10, which was a sign that the Lions’ offense didn’t look as fluid and consistent as it did under Ben Johnson in 2024. But Detroit leads the NFL with 30.3 points per game. The Lions have also reached the 40-point mark three times this season, which is tied for the most in the NFL, and 12 times since the start of the 2023 season.
Sporting News: 12 (Previous rank: 13)
The Lions got their offense back in hyperdrive with Jahmyr Gibbs going supersonic on the Cowboys in Week 14. They need to go right back to revving up for Jared Goff’s revenge game at Stafford and the Rams in Week 15.
CBS Sports: 17 (Previous rank: 15)
They may have saved their season by beating the Cowboys at home, but now face a tough road trip to the Rams. Losing safety Brian Branch (torn Achilles) is a major blow.
