Power Rankings: Lions Shoot Up Polls After Defeating Chiefs

A review of NFL power rankings after Week 1

The Detroit Lions earned a significant amount of praise from fans and pundits alike after securing a close victory in their season opener. 

In the majority of power rankings released this week, the Lions are firmly in the top 10, with several outlets ranking Dan Campbell's squad in the top five. 

Let’s explore now where the Lions are ranked in the latest power rankings, after defeating the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium in Week 1. 

Sports Illustrated

Power ranking: 6th

"Signature win for Dan Campbell and the Lions, who still managed to keep a lot of their cards close to the vest. That might be the scariest thing about their narrow victory over the defending Super Bowl champions: Jahmyr Gibbs was a few steps away from multiple grand slams and then he’d get taken out of the game. The toughness of the secondary stood out to me as well. While it’s a Kelce-less Mahomes, it’s still a game against Mahomes nonetheless. And Detroit had him spinning."

Sporting News 

Power ranking: 4th

"The Lions' defensive additions, rookie and otherwise, have paid off, and Dan Campbell's run-oriented offense is dangerous and deep to support Jared Goff behind a great line. They are for real, and might be the only chance to stop either the 49ers or Eagles in the NFC." 

Pro Football Network

Power ranking: 7th amongst 1-0 teams

"The NFL fan darlings of Detroit made one of the PFN game pickers look like a genius. It took many a missed opportunity from Chiefs receivers to get to 1-0. The Lions offense didn’t necessarily move the ball the way one might have expected against a Chris Jones-less Chiefs defense.

A few aggressive coaching decisions also played a part in the Lions’ close win against Kansas City. But the Lions are also clearly ready to try their hand at competing for an NFC North title in 2023, which would be their first since joining the division."

Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown :: © Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK

ESPN

Power ranking: 7th

"Branch recognized that NFL game speed was faster than college football, but the former Alabama star looked comfortable against the Chiefs. He returned an interception for a 50-yard touchdown against one of the best offenses in the league. "It definitely gives me a boost for my confidence," Branch said during Monday's practice. "But each week is going to be a challenging week, and we've just got to keep on preparing how we did against Kansas City and just for every week moving forward, we've got to do the same thing."

Yahoo!

Power ranking: 7th

"The Lions are going to be at their best if they let their offensive line push around the opponent in the run game. That's what happened on a key fourth-quarter drive that led to their huge win at the Chiefs in the opener. It also covers up the Lions' biggest issue, which is quality receiver depth after Amon-Ra St. Brown. The Lions should feel great after Week 1, but still with some things to work on."

USA Today

Power ranking: 5th

"Yes, they caught K.C. a bit short-handed. But credit Detroit for surrendering just 316 yards – a level 2022's league-worst defense kept opponents under just three times. DE Aidan Hutchinson is headed for stardom and propelling this group along the way."

The Athletic 

Power ranking: 7th

"Detroit fans are going to be nuts at the Super Bowl parade. That’s how this works, right? You beat the champs, you own the belt. I mean, Jared Goff outplayed Patrick Mahomes. But seriously, the Lions, who haven’t won a playoff game since 1991, are 9-2 in their last 11 games."

CBS Sports

Power ranking: 10th

"Winning at Kansas City is a big-boy moment for this young team. That sends a message to the league that the hype might be real."