Consensus NFL Power Rankings: Where Are Packers After Week 13?

Packers On SI’s Consensus NFL Power Rankings take eight sets of national power rankings and turn them into one combined ranking. Here’s the consensus thought on the Packers ahead of Thursday’s showdown at the Lions.

Bill Huber | 16 Hours Ago

Green Bay Packers wide receiver Jayden Reed (11) celebrates his touchdown reception with wide receiver Christian Watson (9) against the Miami Dolphins. / Mark Hoffman -Imagn Images

In this story:

Green Bay Packers

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Showdown in Motown.

After losing to the Detroit Lions last month at Lambeau Field, the Green Bay Packers have climbed to No. 6 in Packers On SI’s Consensus NFL Power Rankings. The rematch is set for Thursday night at Ford Field.

The Lions have won 10 consecutive games and are No. 1 in the Consensus Power Rankings, which take eight sets of national power rankings and turn them into one superior power ranking.

Green Bay is up one spot after it beat the Miami Dolphins and the Baltimore Ravens lost to the Philadelphia Eagles.

Here’s what the national experts are saying about the Packers, with links to their full rankings.

The Athletic: 4th

The Packers are up one spot in Josh Kendall’s rankings. His weekly theme is worst-case scenario.

For Green Bay, that’s making the NFC West mad.

“The Packers, who got 117 scrimmage yards from Josh Jacobs against Miami on Thursday, have handled the NFC West easily this season, beating the Rams, Cardinals and 49ers by an average score of 32-14. Green Bay would be playing NFC West leader Seattle (its Week 15 opponent) if the playoffs were to start now. Could that division be due to get some playoff revenge? An early loss would be a disappointment as well as the Packers are playing right now.”

NFL.com: 6th

In a familiar theme, the Packers are sixth and up one spot in Eric Edholm’s rankings. Edholm noted the defense has allowed less than 20 points in four consecutive games. He was impressed by the tackling against the Dolphins.

“Forcing short passes is one thing; stopping receivers in their tracks is another. The Packers' biggest test so far will be this week's rematch against the Lions, who didn't do much offensively in the teams' first meeting of the season, a 24-14 win for Detroit. That game was closer than the score appeared, and Green Bay has to like its chances of pulling off the upset after the Lions struggled with the Bears last week.”

Fox Sports: 6th

David Helman moved the Packers up one spot after a predictable win over the Dolphins.

“Apologies to the Dolphins, but zero part of me believed these Packers could lose a cold weather game at Lambeau Field to a Florida team. Now comes a much better test of their ability: a trip to Detroit.”

Not part of the rankings, Bucky Brooks also has the Packers at No. 6 in his Fox rankings.

“As a rare team that can win featuring a punishing running game, potent aerial attack, takeaway-obsessed defense or opportunistic special teams unit, the Packers can overwhelm opponents in any phase.”

CBS: 6th

Pete Prisco moved Green Bay up one spot.

“They have a chance to tighten up the division this week when they face the Lions on the road. That will be a big proving game for them.”

Pro Football Talk: 6th

Mike Florio also moved Green Bay from No. 7 to No. 6.

“Opportunity awaits on Thursday night in Detroit.”

Yahoo: 6th

Frank Schwab kept the Packers at No. 6.

“A win on Thursday at Detroit would change the scope of the season. The Packers won at Detroit last season, on Thanksgiving. If Green Bay wins, it has hope at stealing the NFC North.”

Sports Illustrated: 7th

The Packers are down a notch in Conor Orr’s rankings, not that he loves the team any less.

“Teams are undoubtedly shaped by their experiences, and I have to imagine that Matt LaFleur having the hardest to tackle team in the NFL right now and a gutting run game is, in part, due to some of the especially painful playoff losses the team suffered at the hands of San Francisco. This is the modern version of those 49ers teams; a unit that can fly when the quarterback is hot or simply generate chunk plays when he is best suited for shorter throws at the line of scrimmage.”

ESPN: 7th

The Packers dropped one spot in ESPN’s beat writer rankings.

This week’s theme is first-time Pro Bowler, with Rob Demovsky selecting safety Xavier McKinney, who is tied for the NFL lead with seven interceptions.

“McKinney's toughest competition for a Pro Bowl spot at safety is the Lions’ (Kerby) Joseph. They share the league lead in interceptions with seven, and they'll be on the same field Thursday night in Detroit. McKinney never made a Pro Bowl in his four seasons with the Giants. Now, he's in line for a Pro Bowl spot – and All-Pro honors, too.”

This Week’s Opponent: Detroit Lions

The Lions are the unanimous No. 1 team. Wrote SI.com’s Orr:

“I feel like Dan Campbell is both the absolute best and worst coach to have when you accidentally post your team’s offensive code words on social media. On one hand, he’s saying that it doesn’t matter which is cool and it takes the heat off your back. On the other hand, you have one of the league’s most mysteriously scary coaches in the NFL. Center Frank Ragnow once told me that what’s weird about Campbell is that he’s always at the facility, he’s always jacked and no one has ever seen him work out. You don’t want that guy mad at you.”

Packers on SI’s Consensus Top 10

1. Detroit Lions (8 points; all eight first place votes); 2, Buffalo Bills (19); 3, Philadelphia Eagles (23); 4, Kansas City Chiefs (33); 5, Minnesota Vikings (39); 6, Green Bay Packers (48); 7, Pittsburgh Steelers (53); 8, Baltimore Ravens (65); 9, Los Angeles Chargers (75); 10, Washington Commanders (84). (The Denver Broncos are 11th with 85).

Latest Green Bay Packers News

On Thanksgiving, two of Robert Rochell's childhood friends were shot in his hometown of Shreveport.

That night, Rochell recovered a fumble and won the game ball in the #Packers' victory over the Dolphins.

"I felt like they were out there with me." ⬇️
https://t.co/LqPiEIsdPO
— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) December 3, 2024

Published 16 Hours Ago

BILL HUBER

Bill Huber, who has covered the Green Bay Packers since 2008, is the publisher of Packers On SI, a Sports Illustrated channel. E-mail: packwriter2002@yahoo.com History: Huber took over Packer Central in August 2019. Twitter: https://twitter.com/BillHuberNFL Background: Huber graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, where he played on the football team, in 1995. He worked in newspapers in Reedsburg, Wisconsin Dells and Shawano before working at The Green Bay News-Chronicle and Green Bay Press-Gazette from 1998 through 2008. With The News-Chronicle, he won several awards for his commentaries and page design. In 2008, he took over as editor of Packer Report Magazine, which was founded by Hall of Fame linebacker Ray Nitschke, and PackerReport.com. In 2019, he took over the new Sports Illustrated site Packer Central, which he has grown into one of the largest sites in the Sports Illustrated Media Group.