Heading into Week 9 against the Green Bay Packers, the Detroit Lions were widely regarded as one of the NFL's top two teams, with some rankings even placing them at No. 1. After securing their second divisional road victory on Sunday at Lambeau Field, not much has changed.
Despite concerns about quarterback Jared Goff's performance in rainy conditions, the Lions defeated the Packers 24-14. This win not only keeps the Lions atop the NFC but also leaves them undefeated in the NFC North, improving to 2-0 in divisional play.
One outlet described the victory at Lambeau as a "statement win," while another suggested it could help ensure the Lions play indoors come postseason.
This week, numerous rankings retained the Lions' previous position while elaborating on why this team should be considered a serious contender.
Here's a roundup of power rankings from NFL writers across the country as we enter Week 10:
"Lions All-Pro offensive tackle Penei Sewell said he rewatched last year's NFC Championship Game loss to the 49ers at least 10 times in the offseason. After blowing a 17-point halftime lead, the Lions want revenge against San Francisco. That game still stings. Yes, the Week 15 game against the Bills is perhaps the toughest remaining matchup, but facing the 49ers again for a "Monday Night Football" showdown will be the perfect shot at redemption."
"OK, so Amon-Ra St. Brown's sweatshirt wasn't nice, but it's hard to dislike these Lions, who have mixed an Us Against the World attitude with Dan Campbell's Mensa Meathead schtick with a frightening offense to make magic. The Lions lead the league in scoring (32.25) and are fifth in scoring defense (18.5). In the last six games, Detroit has more touchdowns (28) than incompletions (24)."
"A convincing outdoor win helps make the case for not having to play outdoors in the postseason."
"They have recovered from a Goff-ian dip in the middle of a game; they have recovered from season-altering injury; they have recovered from the crippling weight of hype and now they have recovered from their second-best defensive player getting tossed out of a game because the NFL likes to look like a good babysitter when the parents are watching. They have won in myriad ways. They know who they are from a deeply personal place and aren't afraid to be those people. It's quite fun to see it all happening."
"This is the best team in the NFC as Jared Goff continues to play flawless football. Does the ball ever hit the ground when he's throwing it these days?"
"Indoors or outdoors, doesn't matter. Playing in weather for the first time this season, Kerby Joseph returned an interception 27 yards for a touchdown, and the Lions converted two fourth downs into touchdowns in a 24-14 win against the Packers. The Lions scored 24 straight points at one point and have won three straight at Lambeau Field."
"There's no replacing injured DE Aidan Hutchinson. But the NFC's leaders did about as well as could be expected in seeking a temporary fill-in, executing a long-anticipated swap with Cleveland for Za'Darius Smith on Tuesday morning. Nice boost for a unit that's only managed 12½ sacks aside from Hutchinson's production. Yet maybe it won't even matter much given how well this multi-faceted offense is clicking. QB Jared Goff and WR Amon-Ra St. Brown haven't had a missed connection since Week 3, hooking up on 30 consecutive targets - tied for the longest streak for any wideout since 2016."
"The Lions have one loss, but that's ancient history. They've won six straight contests. They're also the league's most dominant team to this point, as evidenced by their plus-110 point differential.
During their winning streak, the Lions are beating their opponents by three scores per contest on average. Goff is dealing. His rapport with wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown is astounding. Running back Jahmyr Gibbs is a big play waiting to happen. The offensive line is the league's best. The defense has playmakers. Detroit truly is a complete squad."
"The Lions made an NFC North statement and then some by going into Lambeau Field and coming up with an all-around pounding of the Packers. They remain the team to beat in the conference."