On December 29, 1957, the Detroit Lions were arguably the best team in the NFL. They won their last championship that day. It was also the end of Jim Brown’s rookie season, nine years before the first Super Bowl and just under 12 years before the man first walked on the moon.
Since that day, arguably the Lions have not spent a single week as the best team in the NFL. This is changing. Picking another team as the best in football roughly halfway through the season, when the Kansas City Chiefs haven’t lost yet, is a good way to feel stupid later. But the dominance of the Lions is undeniable.
The Lions have one loss, and it was a fluke loss when they outgained the Buccaneers 463 to 216 yards. Detroit has road victories against the Vikings and Packers, its two biggest division rivals and two of the best teams in the NFL. The Lions DVOA Rankings after Sunday night’s game are telling: first overall, third on offense, fourth on defense, first on special teams. They also pass the numbers test and the eyesight test. They look dominant, capable of winning matches in different ways. Sunday’s victory against the Packers was statement to the rest of the NFL. It took a while, but the Lions have a real chance to win a Super Bowl. They are currently the best team in the NFL.
Here are the rest of the power rankings heading into Week 10 of the NFL season:
