The Detroit Lions went into their Week 6 bye in a comfortable second place in the NFC North, but they’re kicking off Week 7 in the division’s basement, sitting in fourth. That’s right, a bye week managed to drop them from a solid spot after the Minnesota Vikings also took a bye, and the Chicago Bears and Green Packers both pulled off wins last Sunday. Talk about a gut punch before you even get back on the field.
Power Ranking Whiffle Ball: Up, Down, Then Sideways?
This standings slide has analysts all over the map with Detroit’s national power rankings. While some national folks saw the standings drop as a reason to bump the Lions down a spot, others actually moved them *up*, pointing to other NFL teams outside the NFC North losing their shine. It’s a real head-scratcher. The Athletic, with Chad Graff and Josh Kendall, actually jumped the Lions three spots from 12 to 9. But then you’ve got Sports Illustrated’s Connor Orr, USA Today’s Nate Davis, and CBS Sports’ Pete Prisco all keeping them at 11, though USA Today and CBS Sports had them at 12 previously. And Yahoo Sports’ Frank Schwab moved them up two spots from 13 to 11. So, depending on who you ask, the Lions are either moving on up or just treading water, even after falling into the NFC North’s last place. Wild.
Goff’s Got Game, But The Defense Is The Question Mark
When you look at the individual numbers, you see why some analysts are still high on this team. Jared Goff, the 11-year veteran quarterback, is quietly having an insane year. He’s third among quarterbacks in fantasy scoring with 23.0 points per game, rocking 12 touchdowns with absolutely zero interceptions, and he’s fourth in EPA per dropback at a super efficient 0.29. Seriously, no picks? That’s clutch. And then there’s running back Jahmyr Gibbs, who’s not just good, he’s leading *all* fantasy scorers with a mind-blowing 30.7 points per game. That’s legit.
But here’s the thing, as Connor Orr from Sports Illustrated pointed out, is Goff going to need to keep scoring 30-plus points a week to keep the Lions in the conversation? Because their defense is the big, blinking red light here. It’s been called “bad” and in desperate need of improvement. The good news is some reinforcements are on the way. Center Cade Mays is expected back from injury, and safety Brian Branch is also set to return from a torn Achilles. Branch is a “difference maker when healthy,” according to Yahoo Sports, which is huge for a defense that needs help. Coach Dan Campbell said Branch won’t get a full snap share right away, and there’s still a question if the Achilles injury cost him any explosiveness, but just having him and Mays back is a big shot of hope for the Lions.
Two Games To Define Their Season
Now, the rubber meets the road. Still sitting at 3-2 after their bye, the Lions have fallen into that NFC North basement, but as Nate Davis from USA Today wisely noted, “that can change fast.” Why? Because their next two opponents are none other than the Packers and the Vikings. Both games are at Ford Field, and both are absolutely critical. Pete Prisco from CBS Sports straight up said the bye was good for an ailing team as they get ready for the “hot Packers.” Frank Schwab at Yahoo Sports put it bluntly: these two games “will determine if they’re a factor in a tough NFC North race.” So, the question isn’t just if their defense was fixed, or has the potential to be fixed, it’s whether they can pull off wins against division rivals right now to claw their way back. It’s go time.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pride of Detroit.
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