Saturday, November 14, 2020

Detroit Lions Week 10 NFL Power Rankings Roundup

Throughout the 2020 NFL season, we will compile a consensus NFL Power Rankings that averages the rankings of all 32 NFL teams.

Here is where the Detroit Lions rank in terms of average, best and worst:

  • Average ranking: 24.4 (26th)
  • Best ranking: 21st (USA Today)
  • Worst ranking: 27th (Multiple)

Below you will find a Week 10 roundup for the Lions in our consensus 2020 NFL Power Rankings.

The Athletic -- Rank: 27

As The Athletic's Chris Burke explained, it's not really fair to judge Matthew Stafford on his performance against Minnesota. But what about the defense? It currently ranks 29th -- the same spot as a year ago. The Lions are 12-27-1 under Matt Patricia.

CBS Sports -- Rank: 22

So much for the idea they could push for playoff spot. Losing like they did against the Vikings is not a good thing for Matt Patricia's future.

USA Today -- Rank: 21

They haven't won a division title since 1993, the longest drought in the NFC ... and it now seems sure to extend until at least 2021.

ESPN -- Rank: 25

Recalibrated expectation: Getting to .500

This feels like a best-case scenario for Detroit after a 3-5 start to the season where the Lions have often struggled against the run. With Matt Patricia firmly on the hot seat and his boss, Bob Quinn, potentially there as well, the Lions need to show massive improvement from the first half of the year, where Detroit has continued to make mistakes the way they did in Patricia's first two seasons. Patricia still hasn't won more than two games in a row as a head coach, so a complete turnaround feels like a difficult ask. -- Michael Rothstein

NFL.com -- Rank: 27

The Lions are simply not making progress under Matt Patricia. Detroit's defense surrendered 275 yards on the ground -- including 206 to Dalvin Cook on just 22 carries -- and Kirk Cousins used play-action to torch the Lions' secondary for three touchdown passes without a turnover in a 34-20 Vikings win. Cook iced the game in the fourth quarter with a 70-yard scoring run -- and if it seemed far too easy for the star rusher, that's probably because Detroit only had 10 players on the field on the play. The Lions don't have an NFC North win since 2018 and have followed a two-game winning streak with a pair of disappointing losses. Stuck in neutral in the Motor City.

Previous update: Detroit Lions Week 9 NFL Power Rankings Roundup

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