Pride of Detroit
The Detroit Lions (8-6) have their backs against the wall following their Week 15 loss to the Los Angeles Rams, and now likely will have to win their final three games in order to have a chance at the NFL playoffs. The Lions had a chance to pull off the win over the top-ranked Rams, but a few mistakes at the wrong times cost them in the end.
Will the Lions be punished for their errors in LA? Let’s take a look at how things shook out in this week’s power rankings.
Detroit is running out of time to salvage this season.
Detroit’s fallen far short of its recent standard of regular-season domination, and there’s a decent shot that the Lions won’t make the playoffs. Yet it’s clear that they are still one of the league’s best teams. They built a two-score lead over the Rams on Sunday and bounced back after a rough third quarter to make the end of the game compelling, even if they ultimately came up short. If Detroit were to sneak into the postseason field, I think that it could pull off an upset over any team in the NFC.
Had the Lions handled their business against the Vikings six weeks ago, they’d probably be cruising into the playoffs as a wild card. That kind of loss betrayed the expectations we had for this team, and it likely cost the Lions a chance to make a run.
From ESPN Staff, excerpt from Eric Woodyard:
Extension candidate: Running back Jahmyr Gibbs
Gibbs is off to a record-breaking start to his young career with 47 total touchdowns, which is tied with Barry Sanders for the most touchdowns by a player in his first three seasons. Detroit has a track record of rewarding its top players, with nearly $1 billion worth of contracts signed to nine players since spring 2024. Gibbs is still on his rookie deal and has a fifth-year option in 2027, but he is eligible for an extension this offseason.
While the Lions aren’t capable of scoring with the Rams sans an elite run game, I thought this was one of Jared Goff’s better games in a situation where he was clearly playing with a hand tied behind his back. If Campbell’s ethos is toughness, let’s see what the Lions have left over the next few weeks.
From Josh Kendall and Chad Graff:
MVP: Jahmyr Gibbs
Defensive end Aidan Hutchinson is having a great year (third in splash plays), but it’s hard to laud anybody on this defense. Offensively, there are plenty of candidates, but Gibbs edges out Amon-Ra St. Brown because Gibbs is second in the league in touchdowns with 16 and fifth in scrimmage yards with 1,594. It’s...
