A dominating 47-9 win over the Dallas Cowboys showed the Lions are ready to be among the contenders this season once again. But the win was extremely bittersweet as star edge-rusher Aidan Hutchinson was lost for the season with a broken tibia. Does that affect the Lions in the various media power rankings? Let’s see where they land compared to last week.
USA Today
Current rank: 4
Last week’s rank: 4
What Nate Davis had to say: “The league’s highest-scoring team has posted its first set of consecutive 40-burgers in the Super Bowl era (since 1966). Sadly for the offense, it may not have the luxury of letting up at all given the defensive blow suffered Sunday, when Defensive Player of the Year frontrunner Aidan Hutchinson was lost to a broken tibia.”
Pro Football Talk
Current rank: 1
Last week’s rank: 2
What Mike Florio had to say: “Even with the Aidan Hutchinson injury (and despite a Week 2 loss), the Lions are the current cream of the crop.”
ESPN NFL Nation
Current rank: 3
Last week’s rank: 4
What Eric Woodyard had to say: “The Lions’ ground attack is elite. Running behind a strong offensive line, Detroit’s two-headed monster in David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs is arguably the best RB duo in the league. After a 47-9 win in Dallas, they became the first running back duo to each produce 70 or more scrimmage yards in each of the first five games of a season. Montgomery also broke Billy Sims’ (1980-81) franchise mark with eight consecutive games with a rushing touchdown. Detroit’s solid rushing attack also helps open the field for big targets by WRs Jameson Williams and Amon-Ra St. Brown and TE Sam LaPorta.”
NFL.com
Current rank: 5
Last week’s rank: 3
What Eric Edholm had to say: “Sunday’s game was shaping up to be one of the banner victories of the Dan Campbell era … before a devastating injury to Aidan Hutchinson abruptly put a huge damper on the day. If Hutchinson’s sack of Dak Prescott is the last we see of the Pro Bowl edge rusher this season, it will be a brutal loss for a Lions team that was firing on all cylinders in Dallas, ultimately destroying the Cowboys, 47-9. To the Lions’ credit, the defense played inspired ball after Hutchinson left the game, and it’s that Campbell-fueled spirit that should have even the most jaded observer believing in this team, despite such a wicked injury loss. If the offense has to carry the burden for the remainder of the season, Sunday was a pretty good reminder of what is possible. The Lions busted out all the tricks, and not all of them worked, but almost everything else did in a vicious, thorough and diverse beatdown of a broken Cowboys defense. How will the Lions respond this week against the unbeaten Vikings in Minnesota? Win or lose, I expect to see their trademark resolve in that massive divisional showdown..”
Yahoo Sports
Current rank: 4
Last week’s rank: 3
What Frank Schwab had to say: “Over Jared Goff’s past two games he’s 36-of-43 for 607 yards, five touchdowns and no interceptions. If he can solve the Vikings’ defense on Sunday then you’ll hear a lot more about how well he’s playing.”
CBS Sports
Current rank: 4
Last week’s rank: 4
What Pete Prisco had to say: “They came off their bye and blew out the Cowboys in impressive fashion. The injury to Aidan Hutchinson will be felt in a big way. The offense might need to do even more.”