Monday, October 23, 2023

Week 8 Power Rankings


Yahoo (6. Detroit Lions (5-2, LW: 2):  The Lions aren't bad. We just need to recalibrate after Sunday's blowout loss. Great teams usually aren't trailing anyone 35-0, like Detroit was at the Ravens on Sunday. Only two Super Bowl champs (1994 49ers, 2000 Buccaneers) suffered a loss of 32 or more points. That's OK. We just need to slow down the talk about the Lions being perhaps the best team in the NFC. They're going to win the NFC North, be a tough out in the playoffs and if everything breaks right make a good run. That's a great season for a Lions team that hasn't won a division title in 30 years.):  https://sports.yahoo.com/nfl-power-rankings-maybe-the-bills-window-is-closing-and-were-starting-to-see-it-110027318.html

FTW (6.  Detroit Lions - Last week’s rank: 3.  Get blown out by over 30 points in the first big boy game you’ve played in weeks, and you lose your “Lions” name privileges. That was a thoroughly pathetic “LOINS” effort on the road in Baltimore. Aaron Glenn’s passive defense had no answer for Lamar Jackson, and Jared Goff isn’t remotely built to come back from behind. It’s back to the drawing board for Dan Campbell’s team, and they might just have to scrap everything. — RZ):  https://ftw.usatoday.com/lists/nfl-power-rankings-week-8-chiefs-eagles-ravens

USA Today (6. Lions (2): That resounding thud you heard was the end of a 15-game streak of scoring at least 20 points and a 17-game run of at least double-digit points.):  https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/columnist/nate-davis/2023/10/24/nfl-power-rankings-niners-lions-week-8/71297409007/

Walter football (6. Detroit Lions (5-2) – Previously: 5.  The Lions would be 6-1 right now if they didn’t suffer those eight injuries versus the Seahawks in Week 2. As someone who bet the Lions to win the Super Bowl, I’ll take a 5-2 start. The loss to the Ravens doesn’t concern me, as Detroit had nothing to play for with a huge lead in the division.):  https://walterfootball.com/nflpowerrankings.php

Athletic (Rank: 6.  “After being the league’s feel-good story through the first third of the season, Detroit got pummeled Sunday. Baltimore had 503 yards and averaged 9.1 yards per play, the most by any team not named the Dolphins in a game this season. Jared Goff had a quarterback rating of 68.4. The Lions were third in the league in yards (383.7) and fourth in points (28) through six weeks but fell behind 35-0 Sunday. Coach Dan Campbell said he thinks the game will “re-center” his team, but they don’t have a lot of institutional confidence to fall back on.”):  https://www.mlive.com/lions/2023/10/nfl-week-8-power-rankings-lions-fall-as-low-as-no-10-after-loss-to-ravens.html

SN (7. Detroit Lions 5-2 (5):  The Lions' defense crashed in Baltimore as they couldn't handle the dual threat of Lamar Jackson and their coverage breakdowns caught up to them, big-time. Their offense was put in an impossible one-dimensional position with Jared Goff. They need to prove the next step as a good young team by shaking it off, fast.):  https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nfl/news/nfl-power-rankings-eagles-ravens-steelers-dolphins-bills/c2aed81c022c73377655918b

Fox sports (7. Detroit Lions - Record: 5-2; Last Week: 5.  After taking a tail-kicking at the hands of an AFC bully, the Lions must regroup and refocus before a primetime game (Monday Night Football against the Las Vegas Raiders) ahead of their bye week. While the one-game stinker will kill some of the buzz surrounding Dan Campbell's squad, the Lions are built to last with a top-10 unit on each side of the ball.):  https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/nfl-top-10-rankings-chiefs-hold-top-spot-eagles-ravens-rise-dolphins-lions-fall

SI (7. Detroit Lions (5–2):  As I wrote on Sunday, I am not taking a real big-picture view of this Lions loss. Sometimes in the NFL, you’re going to get clubbed because you’re still figuring stuff out. I think this is where I want to explain why I previously had the team No. 7, which sent some of Lions Twitter into a tailspin. The Power Rankings are living, breathing thing. The Buccaneers did a good job of taking away some of their core running concepts, and, like a lot of run-dominant teams, I was curious to see how they would reinvent themselves. I wanted to see the Lions’ counterpunch. I have no doubt it’s there, but what is the harm in putting them as the SEVENTH BEST (read: still very good) until we figure out what that looks like?):  https://www.si.com/nfl/2023/10/24/week-7-power-rankings-eagles-fly-raiders-nadir-josh-mcdaniels-era

Fox sports (7. Detroit Lions (5-2) -2 .  All the good things we’ve seen from the Lions still matter, but this was a moment they just weren’t ready for. Baltimore blew them off the field in less than a half. They’re still on top of the division, so there’s no need to panic. But definitely a time to take stock of how that got so out of hand, so quickly.):  https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/2023-nfl-power-rankings

NFL.com (7.  Detroit Lions:  No two ways about it: This one was ugly -- to the point that Detroit's credentials must be questioned. The Lions allowed four TDs in their first four defensive series. On offense, they went three-and-out three straight times to open the game, then turned it over on downs. Everything after that was more or less immaterial. As tough to swallow as the Week 2 Seattle loss was, especially defensively, it was a close, hard-fought game, and Detroit came back to rip off four straight wins. How will the Lions respond to this defeat? The good news is that the Raiders are up next, followed by a Week 9 bye. There's time to bury this one. The season feels too special for anyone to get off the bandwagon now. We're not necessarily buying stock after Sunday, but we're certainly not dumping it, either.):  https://www.nfl.com/news/nfl-power-rankings-week-8-2023-nfl-season

Athlonsports (7. Detroit Lions (5-2) - Lions' Dan Campbell.  Last week: No. 2.  Admittedly, No. 2 was probably a little high for the Lions on last week's power rankings. With that said, though, we don't think anyone expected to see the beatdown Detroit received at the hands of the Ravens on Sunday. The Lions are still a good team, however, they might not be true Super Bowl contenders just yet.):  https://athlonsports.com/nfl/power-rankings-week-8-nfl-ravens-eagles-cowboys-chiefs

Fox sports (7. Detroit Lions (4) - Overall record: 5-2 | Last week: Lions lost @ Baltimore Ravens, 38-6.  Cowherd's thoughts: "Don't sell your Lions stock. They're going to win 12 games. They've got the second-easiest remaining schedule. [They have] the No. 4 total offense, No. 2 rush defense. As I said, Lamar Jackson is 16-1 against the NFC. If you haven't faced Lamar Jackson, it's an absolute avalanche of speed, and you don't know what the hell to do with it.   "Detroit's fine. I like a lot about them. Don't sell your stock. They're going to host a playoff game. They're going to win a playoff game."):  https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/herd-hierarchy-ravens-eagles-soar-after-huge-wins-steelers-return

PFN Miller (8. Detroit Lions (3):  After looking like one of the most consistent teams in the NFL to begin the season, the Lions ran into the Ravens’ buzzsaw. Both teams, at their best, are among the best in the league. However, the Lions clearly did not show up against Baltimore, who got up early and never let off the gas.):  https://www.profootballnetwork.com/nfl-power-rankings-dalton-miller-week-8-2023/

Touchdown wire (8. Detroit Lions - Last Week: 5.  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.):  https://touchdownwire.usatoday.com/lists/nfl-power-rankings-week-8-ravens-climb-bills-slide-out-of-top-5/

CBS (8. Lions:  That was a tough game at Baltimore, but it was the way they played that's a bad look. They got dominated in every facet of the game.):  https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/nfl-week-8-power-rankings-ravens-catapult-into-top-3-after-demolishing-lions-steelers-also-make-huge-leap/

PFT (8. Lions (5-2, No. 3): The good news for the Lions is they have A BUNCH of winnable games left.):  https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/pfts-week-8-2023-nfl-power-rankings

PFN (8.  Detroit Lions - Week 6 Ranking: 5.  Even the league’s best clubs suffer embarrassing defeats from time to time, and that’s precisely what happened to the Lions on Sunday. They simply ran into a buzzsaw in the Baltimore Ravens. Fortunately, few teams have a quarterback like Lamar Jackson under center.  Still, Detroit should be active at the trade deadline. The club has a talented roster, but a modest addition at WR, EDGE, or CB wouldn’t hurt as they gear up for a postseason run.):  https://www.profootballnetwork.com/week-8-pfn-nfl-power-rankings-2023/

ESPN (9. Detroit Lions (5-2) - Week 7 ranking: 5.  Young riser: TE Sam LaPorta.  The 22-year-old rookie has been a steady target for Lions quarterback Jared Goff so far this season. The second-round pick is the first tight end in NFL history to log at least three receptions and 35 receiving yards in each of the first seven games of his career. LaPorta said the learning curve for him and his rookie teammates was "much quicker" than for other rookies around the league because the Lions needed them to contribute immediately. "Which we liked," LaPorta told ESPN. "We want to play at the highest level. We want to contribute to the success of this team. We didn't want to feel like we were so-called rookies. We wanted to contribute in a positive way." -- Eric Woodyard):  https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/38727212/nfl-week-8-power-rankings-poll-2023-plus-every-team-young-riser


Average Power Ranking (142/20):  7
Posted by LionsFan at 6:20 PM

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