Thursday night’s win at Lambeau should’ve told you everything. The Detroit Lions, one year after just missing out on the playoffs, are a legit NFC power. They wouldn’t have completely outclassed the rival Green Bay Packers if they didn’t have a little extra punch to them.
The advanced stats bear out a similar story.
At the moment, Detroit is in the top five in both offensive and defensive DVOA. It has a borderline top-10 offense and defense in expected points added (EPA), too. And if we’re just going off the eye test, it’s obvious this Lions team plays with an extra edge like it genuinely believes in head coach Dan Campbell’s message. This is one of those squads that isn’t well and truly dead until the clock reads all zeroes.
That’s what makes Jared Goff’s snipes at any continued disrespect of the Lions resonate so much. The Lions can clearly compete with the NFL’s big boys. It’s high time everyone — especially the San Francisco 49ers and Philadelphia Eagles — understands they aren’t a bottom feeder anymore.
Here are For The Win’s Week 5 NFL Power Rankings, which (rightfully) feature these Lions near the top.
32
Chicago Bears
Last week’s rank: 32
Every week, the NFL’s worst marquee team is inventing new ways to dig its hole even deeper. Sunday’s epic collapse to the Broncos — where Chicago led 28-7 with just under 20 minutes to go — was a masterclass in incompetence and poor game management. It summarized a directionless franchise still going off the rails. The only reasonable excuse for head coach Matt Eberflus to have his job at this time is that the Bears are only 0-4, and it’s still, technically, early. A few more losses should assuredly change that. — Robert Zeglinski
31
Denver Broncos
Last week’s rank: 31
You don’t get credit for beating the Bears, and you especially don’t get credit when you make Justin Fields look like a Hall of Famer for two quarters. Denver got the first win of the Sean Payton era but impressed absolutely no one in the process. — Christian D’Andrea
30
Carolina Panthers
Last week’s rank: 30
Carolina should be counting its lucky stars for Sunday’s moral victory. I mean, hanging in with the Vikings — perhaps the NFL’s fourth-worst team — is nothing to write home about, really. But at least the Panthers hung in there until the end, I suppose. Hey, look, Adam Thielen finally got open a bunch! Woo? — RZ
29
Las Vegas Raiders
Last week’s rank: 27
Losing to Aidan O’Connell would have almost certainly gotten Brandon Staley fired. Thank you for your service in keeping the league’s most inscrutable head coach around for at least a few more weeks, Raiders. — CD
28
New England Patriots
Last week’s rank: 22
Mac Jones wasn’t officially benched for bad play, but … come on, yes, he was. His awareness with the ball has somehow gotten worse, and he now combines all the worst instincts of late-stage Brett Favre (on the field, he hasn’t defrauded any state welfare agencies that we know of) and none of the playmaking talent. Looks like it’s time for Bill Belichick to draft another quarterback. — CD
27
Arizona Cardinals
Last week’s rank: 24
Alright, that’s it. I’m in on Jonathan Gannon. I buy these plucky Cardinals giving NFC heavyweights a fight every week. Sure, the 49ers won 35-16, but Arizona had no business making them put in an actual effort, c’mon now. Lean years like this are how competitive organizations start successful rebuilds. Just take your time to return, Kyler Murray. The Cardinals are doing it the right way — competing BUT still losing for that glorious draft pick. — RZ
26
Pittsburgh Steelers
Last week’s rank: 21
Mike Tomlin promised “changes” after the Texans embarrassed the Steelers, but I’m not sure what that looks like. Mitchell Trubisky is probably a better quarterback than Kenny Pickett, but Pittsburgh’s offensive issues are also rooted in Matt Canada’s unimaginative offense. On defense, Pittsburgh can’t cover anyone but would have to start rookie Joey Porter Jr. to hope for an (unlikely) jumpstart. It almost makes me think that Tomlin, for once, doesn’t have real answers for the Steelers’ woes. Stay tuned. A nose dive feels imminent. — RZ
25
New York Giants
Last week’s rank: 23
New York had to run it back after Brian Daboll coached this team to a playoff win. But now Saquon Barkley is hurt, the offensive line’s spirit animal is a sea sponge and Daniel Jones has made sure his $160 million contract is good news for Daniel Jones and Daniel Jones alone. — CD
24
Indianapolis Colts
Last week’s rank: 20
Indianapolis is close to putting it all together, and in the disheveled AFC South, that means a division title isn’t a pipe dream. Anthony Richardson is still harnessing his abilities, but it’s clear he has the tools to be a franchise quarterback. Will he have the consistency to match? — CD
23
New York Jets
Last week’s rank: 25
Zach Wilson outplayed expectations and should have had a chance to win Sunday night’s game late (I don’t want to harp on bad refereeing, but that was … bad refereeing). If he can just play at a replacement player level — Mike White or better — the Jets can linger in the playoff race. They have the skill players and defense to get there. — CD
22
Tennessee Titans
Last week’s rank: 29
Tennessee is a classic bad-good team, a real Jekyll and Hyde situation. One week, they’ll look like world beaters. The next, they’ll look like they don’t belong on the same field as their opponents. On Sunday against the Bengals, they were juggernauts. Derrick Henry still has some juice, but expect the opposite end of this see-saw this week. — RZ
21
Minnesota Vikings
Last week’s rank: 28
The Vikings are better than their record, but the team’s impeccable capability to shoot itself in the foot makes it difficult to take them seriously. Kirk Cousins has four interceptions in four games, and each came inside his opponent’s 25-yard line. That’s a problem when every game you’ve played this season has been decided by one possession! — CD
20
Houston Texans
Last week’s rank: 26
DeMeco Ryans has the Texans believing in one another. Will Anderson is playing like he’s the NFL’s next special pass rusher. Last but certainly not least, C.J. Stroud has “it” — however you want to quantify “it.” How else do you explain a guy cutting up the Steelers’ defense while playing behind a backup OL? These Texans are on the rise, and they look like they can already give anyone a scare. — RZ
19
Cleveland Browns
Last week’s rank: 16
The defense finally cracked, but it got little help from an offense that averaged 2.5 yards per play behind rookie backup quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson. Cleveland has still given up fewer yards than anyone and ranks first in expected points added (EPA) per play allowed by the smothering unit that could carry the Browns to the playoffs even without consistent quarterbacking. — CD
18
Atlanta Falcons
Last week’s rank: 12
Have a seat. We should talk about Desmond Ridder. In back-to-back weeks, the Falcons found themselves in winnable affairs. In back-to-back weeks, they scored points in the single digits with an anemic passing game that threatens no one. Atlanta was never considered a serious championship contender in the preseason, but the division seemed within reach, at least. Another woeful performance or two from Ridder, and it might be time to make a change. — RZ
17
Cincinnati Bengals
Last week’s rank: 11
It’s officially time to worry about Joe Burrow. His average target distance in Week 4 was fewer than five yards downfield. He can’t buy time in the pocket, and he can’t step into his deep throws. Unless his calf heals miraculously, the Bengals’ conference title game streak is over at two. — CD
16
New Orleans Saints
Last week’s rank: 13
Hmm, Derek Carr probably should have sat that one out, huh? One week after suffering a serious shoulder injury, Carr tried to tough it out against the Buccaneers. He threw for 127 yards on (checks notes) 37 attempts. Woof. If New Orleans starts Jameis Winston instead, it’s hard not to see this team sitting in sole possession of a weirdly competitive NFC South. Although, in Dennis Allen’s defense, a healthy Carr sometimes plays like he has an injured shoulder. It’s an unforced error, to be sure. — RZ
15
Washington Commanders
Last week’s rank: 19
Washington continues to outperform expectations despite a 2-2 record and a two-game losing streak. Sam Howell bounced back from his worst game as a pro to lead a game-tying two-minute drill. While his efforts fell short in overtime, it provided proof the Commanders might have something here — even if Howell isn’t a franchise QB. — CD
14
Jacksonville Jaguars
Last week’s rank: 18
Sunday’s London win was a must, but it assuaged precisely zero concerns about Jacksonville’s slumping start. In particular, Trevor Lawrence continues to struggle in a year that was supposed to be about his ascendance. Through four games, Lawrence is the NFL’s 23rd most efficient quarterback. His 89.0 passer rating is just 17th. Plus, he’s averaging just 6.6 yards per pass attempt, good for 22nd in the league and which would put Lawrence in the illustrious company of noted pumpkins Deshaun Watson and Kenny Pickett, as well as backup Josh Dobbs. There’s still time to correct course, but the signal caller’s early-season obstacles are moving past anomaly territory. — RZ
13
Green Bay Packers
Last week’s rank: 10
Thursday night was the first time I ever saw Lambeau Field besieged by an opposing group of fans. In this case, it was Lions fans. The more time goes on, it’s apparent this is a developmental year for Jordan Love and these young Packers. So, get used to seeing better teams and much hungrier fanbases like Detroit overrun Lambeau. It should be a familiar Green Bay sight in 2023. — RZ
12
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Last week’s rank: 17
Baker Mayfield has revived his career thanks to the return of his preternatural pocket sense. In Week 4, he avoided the Saints’ pass rush, scrambled efficiently, and hit his targets downfield to the tune of a +18.4 completion percentage over expected (CPOE). Now he’s the pilot guiding the NFC South’s top team. — CD
11
Los Angeles Rams
Last week’s rank: 15
Matthew Stafford is still very much Matthew Stafford; mostly accurate, occasionally explosive and playing hurt. Los Angeles left too much room for a Colts’ comeback on the road but shut the door and now expects to bring Cooper Kupp back to the offense in hopes of proving this 3-1 start was no fluke. — CD
10
Los Angeles Chargers
Last week’s rank: 14
What do these Chargers do well? It’s the offense, right? You know, that offense that has yet to score less than 24 points in a game? It is classic Chargers to have that kind of prolific offensive production, see a defensive player (Khalil Mack) record six sacks in one game (!), and still sweat out a win over the bumbling Raiders. The NFL’s funniest team never disappoints. — RZ
9
Baltimore Ravens
Last week’s rank: 9
Beating the crap out of the Browns’ backup quarterback and running back won’t win many style points. Putting up 28 points on the Browns’ defense behind three different 70-plus yard drives despite a slate of injuries will. — CD
8
Seattle Seahawks
Last week’s rank: 8
Geno Smith had us worried Monday night. Fortunately, he’s OK — or at least OK enough to handle the light lift of dusting the Giants. He remains a top-10 quarterback in arguably the least likely quarterback comeback story since Doug Flutie came back to the States (but before he started pitching testosterone pills with his too-jacked arms). — CD
7
Miami Dolphins
Last week’s rank: 2
Miami learned a tough lesson in Western New York. All those fancy pre-snap motions mean nothing if you lose the line of scrimmage. It’s an evergreen football tale as old as time. The Dolphins certainly remain a top-tier AFC contender, but they are clearly chasing the superior Bills until further notice. Because Buffalo can bully them and take their lunch money. — RZ
6
Detroit Lions
Last week’s rank: 7
Dan Campbell has crushing the Packers’ hopes at Lambeau Field down pat, a trait for which Lions fans had been searching for decades. He’s also got Jared Goff playing like a Pro Bowl-caliber quarterback and will add Jameson Williams to the lineup two weeks early after his gambling suspension was reduced from six to four games. — CD
5
Dallas Cowboys
Last week’s rank: 5
The Cowboys told us exactly what kind of day they were gonna have when they called a fake extra point, then threw for a two-point conversion from 15 yards out to take an 18-3 lead on a Patriots team who were never a threat to get to 17 points. Dallas dismantled New England, giving Mike McCarthy three blowout wins on the season, plus whatever the hell happened in Arizona in Week 3. — CD
4
Philadelphia Eagles
Last week’s rank: 3
Philadelphia is 4-0, but this doesn’t feel like a dominant follow-up to last year’s 14-3 season thanks, in large part, to letting inferior teams like the Patriots and Commanders linger too long. Ah, well, the talent is there, and undefeated is undefeated. — CD
3
Kansas City Chiefs
Last week’s rank: 4
Similarly to their main AFC counterpart, the Chiefs not-so-quietly have an elite defense. It’s a unit that has yet to allow more than 21 points in a game in a month of play. Even on the off chance Patrick Mahomes plays poorly like he did Sunday night, the other side of the ball for Kansas City looks like it can hold its own weight. That’s terrible, and I mean terrible news for the AFC. — RZ
2
Buffalo Bills
Last week’s rank: 6
The Bills also not-so-quietly have a special defense. A defense that just shut down the “revolutionary” Dolphins by beating them up to a pulp. Buffalo’s Super Bowl aspirations start and begin with Josh Allen. But having a suffocating defense like this that can support him will go a long way. Oh yeah, by the way, Von Miller returns soon. — RZ
1
San Francisco 49ers
Last week’s rank: 1
The 49ers were finally able to cover the spread against the Cardinals, which doesn’t sound that impressive, but given the glorious weirdness of this Arizona team and its ability to punch above its weight class, it *does* count for something. Christian McCaffrey continues to be well worth the cost of a trade acquisition. The question now is whether Brandon Aiyuk, thriving with deeper throws in 2023 (17 catches, 17 first downs), will get a massive contract extension to stay in San Francisco or if he’s priced himself out of a star-laded roster after 2024. — CD
