PFN (1. Detroit Lions - Record: 12-2, Offense+ Rank: 1, Defense+ Rank: 5, Special Teams+ Rank: 10, SOS Rank: 13. Entering Week 15, the Lions were on a franchise-record 11-game winning streak and PFN’s model was in love with Detroit. The Lions were ranked the No. 1 offense and No. 2 defense, and they had the best odds of earning the NFC’s No. 1 seed (55.6%) and winning the Super Bowl (38.2%). However, in Week 15, the Bills upset the Lions at Ford Field, 48-35. Jared Goff threw for 494 yards, five touchdowns, and zero interceptions, Amon-Ra St. Brown caught 14 passes for 193 yards and a touchdown, while Jahmyr Gibbs added 114 total yards and two scores (one rushing and one receiving), but it wasn’t enough to pull out the win. Detroit has already clinched a playoff spot, but this loss makes the battle for the NFC North and NFC’s No. 1 seed significantly more interesting. In fact, the outcome of this game might have an impact on both No. 1 seed races. Perhaps the biggest takeaway from this game is that Detroit’s banged-up defense lost even more key pieces, as head coach Dan Campbell told reporters that Carlton Davis and Alim McNeill suffered injuries that are likely season-ending. Following this loss, the Lions’ chance of winning the NFC North is now 60.5% (compared to 31.1% for the Vikings) and their odds of securing the No. 1 seed are 42.4% (compared to 33.0% for Philadelphia and 20.2% for Minnesota). Detroit still has an NFL-best 26.9% chance of winning the Super Bowl in our model.): https://www.profootballnetwork.com/nfl-power-rankings-week-16-insights-2024/
FTW (2. Detroit Lions: Last week’s rank: 1. The dam may have finally broken. Injuries to Alim McNeill and Carlton Davis mean Detroit could be heading to the postseason without seven of their 11 opening-night starters on defense. Dan Campbell and coordinator Aaron Glenn have been able to thrive despite these concerns, but the fact remains this team has given up 79 total points over the last two weeks. A trip to the franchise’s first Super Bowl rests on Jared Goff’s shoulder. — CD): https://ftw.usatoday.com/lists/nfl-power-rankings-week-16-bills-packers-broncos
Walter football (3. Detroit Lions (12-2) – Previously: 2. The Lions will be hoping that they can avoid the Eagles prior to the Super Bowl and the Bills and Ravens in the big game because they have been horrible against mobile quarterbacks for a long time.): https://walterfootball.com/nflpowerrankings.php
ESPN (3. Detroit Lions (12-2) - Week 15 result: Lost to the Bills 48-42. Week 15 ranking: 1. Biggest improvement: Red zone efficiency. Through the first three weeks, Detroit's offense averaged just 20.7 points and struggled, particularly in the red zone, where its efficiency ranked 26th in the NFL at 38.5%. Since Week 4, the offense has found its groove with a league-high 34.8 points per game and the NFL's top red zone efficiency (78.7%). The success is largely due to production from running backs David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs, though Montgomery is now out indefinitely because of a sprained MCL. -- Eric Woodyard): https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/43005773/nfl-power-rankings-week-16-poll-2024-plus-biggest-area-improvement-every-team
Yahoo (3. Lions: At some point we have to judge the Lions on what they are now, and that includes a list of injuries that will be tough to overcome. It’s getting harder to see them beating a team like the Eagles in the playoffs, especially after they gave up 559 yards to the Bills at home.): https://sports.yahoo.com/nfl-power-rankings-entering-week-16-bills-are-hot-but-theyre-not-the-nfls-best-team-yet-043727417.html
SI (3. Lions: It’s such a sad state of affairs that the Lions have simply been ravaged beyond repair in terms of injuries. This team was better coached, more prepared and more talented than any other in the NFL but has now lost a critical player at nearly every single position group. The David Montgomery/Alim McNiel tandem on Sunday against the Bills was a heartbreaker and, despite everything we love about the Lions and Dan Campbell, forces us to reconsider the Lions as a sure-fire Super Bowl team and even reconsider their ability to stay atop the NFC North.): https://www.si.com/nfl/nfl-power-rankings-lions-injuries-upend-super-bowl-expectations
USA Today (3. Detroit Lions (1): In a season full of body blows, the combo punch of losing DL Alim McNeill and RB David Montgomery is at least as cruel as DE Aidan Hutchinson's trip to injured reserve. Maybe this prideful but depleted pride can keep winning shootouts … and maybe it won't even get a home playoff game.): https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/columnist/nate-davis/2024/12/17/nfl-power-rankings-week-16-eagles-bills-chiefs-lions/77039770007/
Fox sports (3. Lions: At some point, you start to worry that the Lions have more injuries than any team can hope to overcome. Fortunately, their offense gives them a chance to beat anyone. But with this many difference-makers missing on defense, there’s not much margin for error.): https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/2024-power-rankings
The Athletic (Lions Power ranking: 3rd - Previous ranking: 1st. It’s time to stop talking about Goff as an underdog story, or least exclusively an underdog story. This year, he’s one of the league’s best quarterbacks. Period. Goff is second in EPA per dropback at .26, which is easily the best mark of his career. Maybe more impressively, he’s second in completion percentage (71.4) and third in yards per attempt (8.5). Those numbers shouldn’t go together. He passed for 494 yards and five touchdowns Sunday.): https://www.si.com/nfl/lions/news/power-rankings-lions-drop-after-loss-to-bills
SN (4. Detroit Lions 12-2 (1): The Lions are not a team built to erase deficits because their explosive finishing firepower is limited with Jared Goff when they can't afford to stick with the run. The pileup of defensive injuries might be getting more difficult to overcome.): https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nfl/news/nfl-power-rankings-week-16-chiefs-eagles-lions-steelers/95e1183aecfb3f0ca346dd09
CBS (4. Lions: The defense just isn't good enough. That could be the undoing for this dynamic offensive-led team. The loss to the Bills exposed that defense, and now they have more injury losses with defensive tackle Alim McNeill and corner Carlton Davis. It's a shame.): https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/nfl-week-16-power-rankings-buccaneers-getting-hot-at-the-right-time-lions-fall-to-fourth-after-loss-to-bills/
NFL.com (4. Detroit Lions: Really, the one thing that Detroit couldn't afford was another round of defensive injuries -- and then the Lions came out of their loss to Buffalo with significant ones suffered by DT Alim McNeill (torn ACL), CB Carlton Davis (fractured jaw) and CB Khalil Dorsey (fractured leg). The attrition hit a breaking point against the nuclear Bills offense, which is why you saw Dan Campbell declare an onside kick down 10 points with 12 minutes left. It wasn't the wrong call. The Lions were not winning that game without stealing a possession somewhere down the stretch, and as it was, they ended up falling by failing to recover the final onside kick in the waning seconds while down six points. The hope now is that they can somehow get three or four defenders back to plug some holes on that side of the ball. Then again, the news that running back David Montgomery is done for the season with a torn MCL might loom just as large. This thing is falling apart at the seams, and it's sad to see.): https://www.nfl.com/news/nfl-power-rankings-week-16-2024-nfl-season
PFF (4. Lions: The Lions suffered their first loss since Week 2 in a high-scoring game against the Buffalo Bills, dropping to 12-2 and giving the Vikings a chance to challenge for the NFC North title after their Monday night win. The bad news got worse with David Montgomery being lost for the season due to an MCL tear. The Lions are already dealing with numerous injuries, and the question now is whether their depth can carry them the rest of the way. Amon-Ra St. Brown continues to shine, with his 86.7 PFF grade ranking fifth among receivers.): https://www.pff.com/news/nfl-week-16-power-rankings-the-chiefs-head-back-to-no-1-the-vikings-close-in-on-the-lions
On SI (4. Detroit Lions (-3): The Lions are counting on rookie cornerbacks to lead the secondary, as veteran Carlton Davis will be out for the foreseeable future. Ennis Rakestraw has dealt with injuries this season but could return just in time for a playoff push. He’ll join first-round pick Terrion Arnold on the starting unit. Grade: B. —John Maakaron, Detroit Lions On SI): https://www.si.com/fannation/week-16-on-si-nfl-power-rankings-new-no-1-and-rookie-report-card-01jfbw9y29kd
Fox News (4. Detroit Lions (12-2): Maybe it’s Josh Allen riding a crazy hot streak, but the Lions looked like it was the 2023 version of the team after allowing 48 points. That came after close calls against the Bears and Packers during a stretch of three-straight home games in which their point differential was zero, and now they go to Chicago, where it will be in the mid-20s on Sunday. The Lions need a solid performance to make everyone forget about this latest skid): https://www.foxnews.com/sports/fox-news-digital-sports-nfl-power-rankings-after-week-15-2024-season
PFT’s Week 16 2025 NFL power rankings (5. Lions (No. 1; 12-2): Next man up, meet Old Mother Hubbard.): https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/pfts-week-16-2025-nfl-power-rankings
Average Ranking (58/17): 3
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