NFL power rankings: Detroit Lions climb with Sunday’s win; no lead is safe in today’s NFL

Detroit Free Press

Dave Birkett
 
| Detroit Free Press

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The Detroit Lions’ struggles protecting leads have been well documented, but three weeks into the NFL season, they’re not the only ones having trouble playing from ahead.

Three teams last week rallied from deficits of at least 10 points to win games, the Pittsburgh Steelers (11 points), Tennessee Titans (12) and Chicago Bears (16), and 10 teams have overcome such holes already this season.

For subscribers: The Lions’ ‘Patriot Way’ finally saved a game — and maybe a season

The Lions, of course, were a party to the madness twice already this year, blowing double-digit leads against the Bears and Green Bay Packers to start the season. Their propensity to cough up leads trails only the Atlanta Falcons, who blew a 19-point third quarter lead in a stunning Week 2 collapse against the Dallas Cowboys, then doubled down against Mitchell Trubisky’s replacement, Nick Foles, and the Bears over the weekend.

It’s no surprise that Falcons coach Dan Quinn, author of football’s most epic meltdown in the Super Bowl three seasons ago, has joined Lions coach Matt Patricia in the coaching sauna, their respective seats trailing only the New York Jets’ Adam Gase for the amount of warmth they’re generating so far this season (though the Lions’ upset win against the Arizona Cardinals last week means Patricia is going nowhere for now).

[ Matt Patricia refuses to ride the roller coaster of NFL emotions ]

On the flip side, Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy’s stock as the next must-have coach continues to grow. 

Watching Monday night’s Chiefs-Baltimore Ravens game, it was impossible not to notice how creative and good Kansas City is on offense. Even allowing for the fact that Andy Reid is a mastermind play caller and Patrick Mahomes is the best quarterback of this generation, Bieniemy should have his pick of jobs come January — as long as teams are patient enough to wait out what should be another long playoff run.

The Chiefs have been No. 1 in my power rankings since the preseason version came out last month, and the gap between them and my new No. 2 team, the Seattle Seahawks, is wide enough that even the Lions and Falcons would have a hard time letting it slip away.

[ Jeff Okudah, Lions bounce back: ‘I was tired of being disrespected by everyone’ ]

That doesn’t mean Kansas City is guaranteed to win another Super Bowl, but with games against AFC playoff contenders the New England Patriots, Las Vegas Raiders and Buffalo Bills the next three weeks, there’s no team playing on its level right now, 

The Ravens didn’t fall far in this week’s rankings, because Kansas City is just that good.

The Lions did move up five spots to No. 20, ahead of eight winless teams and a handful of their perplexing 1-2 peers. As mediocre as the Lions have been, there are a lot of NFL teams in the same boat and their lone win against the Arizona Cardinals, as bad as Kyler Murray was, should not be diminished.

My full NFL power rankings this week

1. Chiefs (3-0)

2. Seahawks (3-0)

3. Ravens (2-1)

4. Titans (3-0)

5. Packers (3-0)

6. Bills (3-0)

7. Patriots (2-1)

8. Buccaneers (2-1)

9. Steelers (3-0)

10. Rams (2-1)

11. Saints (1-2)

12. Cardinals (2-1)

13. 49ers (2-1)

14. Raiders (2-1)

15. Bears (2-1)

16. Colts (2-1)

17. Cowboys (1-2)

18. Browns (2-1)

19. Dolphins (1-2)

20. Lions (1-2)

21. Chargers (1-2)

22. Washington (1-2)

23. Texans (0-3)

24. Eagles (0-2-1)

25. Vikings (0-3)

26. Falcons (0-3)

27. Jaguars (1-2)

28. Panthers (1-2)

29. Bengals (0-2-1)

30. Broncos (0-3)

31. Giants (0-3)

32. Jets (0-3)

Contact Dave Birkett at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett. The Free Press has started a new digital subscription model. Here’s how you can gain access to our most exclusive Lions content. 

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