NFL Week 5 power rankings: Lions make a case for best team in NFL

After a huge primetime win over the previously-undefeated Seahawks, the Detroit Lions made their case for #1 in NFL power rankings this week.

The Detroit Lions got their first real statement win of the season with their 42-29 victory over the previously-undefeated Seattle Seahawks. Last week, several analysts were talking about the Seahawks like they were in contention for best team in the NFL thanks to a suffocating defense. On Monday night, the Lions hung six touchdowns on them, catapulting Detroit back into the Super Bowl contender discussion.

That’s reflected in most of the NFL Week 5 power rankings, although you can also tell which analysts likely submitted their rankings prior to Monday night’s games.

Before we get into the usual suspects, let’s start with an outlet that actually had the Lions at the top of their list. Pro Football Network had the Lions literally No. 1 on their power rankings after their big win over the Seahawks. The was organized by writer Matthew Cannata.

MMQB: 2 (Last week: 4)

From Conor Orr:

The Lions are back to being the most fun team in the league. Thank goodness. Sometimes your coach doing a hilarious Applebee’s commercial can be the absolute kiss of death. Just ask Baker Mayfield, the star of some criminally underrated Progressive commercials in his day. Alas…QB receiving touchdowns! Step dancing after toe-tapping grabs! Leaps into the crowd! The Lions are going to the Super Bowl.

The Ringer: 3 (Last week: 3)

From Diante Lee:

With Seattle loading up the box to stop the run and playing man coverage across the perimeter, Jared Goff made the Seahawks pay. He turned in his best performance of the season, completing all 18 of his passes for 292 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Not only did Goff get back to the kind of accuracy and anticipation we saw the past two years but he did a solid job of staying upright when pressured, and he let his receivers create after the catch by dumping the ball off underneath. If Goff can play this kind of smart football instead of being unnecessarily aggressive, Detroit could be the NFC’s best team.

NFL.com: 3 (Last week: 4)

From Eric Edholm:

The Lions seemed to get a little of their mojo back Monday night in an explosive offensive performance that saw Jared Goff throw a perfect game — 18-for-18 passing — which he’d never done before. Goff had caught a pass before, but the quarterback told ESPN’s Lisa Salters he’d never logged a touchdown reception prior to snagging Amon-Ra St. Brown’s picture-perfect teardrop of a throw, making Detroit a perfect 19-for-19 through the air. The defense had its hands full with Geno Smith and the Seahawks’ weapons all night, but the forced fumble in the first quarter and the three fourth-quarter stops were strong moments. I didn’t love the late-game execution, with the Lions taking the safety and somehow keeping the Seahawks’ chances alive longer, but Detroit ultimately got it done. I was living in St. Louis during the “Greatest Show On Turf” heyday, and these Lions give me those same vibes: always dangerous, always interesting and often making life harder than it needs to be.

Sporting News: 3 (Last week: 6)

From Vinnie Iyer:

The Lions are maybe getting a little too aggressive with Jared Goff, as their winning identity is more tied to their dominant running game and improving defense. But that formula also allowed Detroit to make a huge winning statement at home vs. Seattle on Monday night before a Week 5 bye.

Yahoo Sports: 4 (Last week: 3)

From Frank Schwab:

Jared Goff and the Lions’ offense are just fine. The defense has been a little softer than Detroit was hoping and that’s an issue, but seeing Goff throw a nearly perfect game on Monday night was another sign of the Lions’ championship upside.

USA Today: 4 (Last week: 4)

From Nate Davis:

QB Jared Goff flexed his “Motor City Muscle” with a near-perfect performance against the previously unbeaten ‘Hawks – becoming the first quarterback in 46 years to start consecutive games with at least 10 straight completions – as the Lions finally won what’s become their now-annual shootout with Seattle.

The Athletic: 5 (Last week: 3)

From Josh Kendall:

The Lions decided to double their chances of getting some cornerback help by taking Terrion Arnold in the first round and Ennis Rakestraw in the second round. Arnold has been a hit, playing more than 90 percent of the team’s snaps. Rakestraw, meanwhile, has barely seen the field. The defense won’t matter all that much if the offense keeps playing like it did Monday night, when quarterback Jared Goff finished a perfect 18-for-18 for 292 yards and two touchdowns. He became the first quarterback in NFL history with more than 10 pass attempts and no incompletions.

The 33rd team: 5 (Last week: 5)

From Marcus Mosher:

The Detroit Lions needed a game like this. The offense has looked a bit off in the first three games of the season, but we know it is capable of exploding at any minute.

This was that game as Jared Goff looked fantastic, and all of the weapons made plays. The defense is still a bit of an issue, but this was the version of the Lions we were hoping to see right out of the gate.

CBS Sports: 5 (Last week: 10)

From Pete Prisco:

They looked amazing on offense in blowing out Seattle. But the defense continues to have problems. They need to tighten up on the back end.