Detroit silences doubters, dominating Tampa Bay to seize the NFL's top ranking after overcoming questionable calls and proving their mettle.
The Detroit Lions are back on top.
After a tough, controversial loss to Kansas City, many national media outlets dropped the Lions out of their top ten entirely — a clear overreaction to a game marred by questionable officiating and a little too much “home-field advantage” for the Chiefs. Despite playing nearly mistake-free football, Kansas City benefitted from zero penalties, even with several clear holds missed. And let’s not forget that bizarre review on Jared Goff’s first touchdown — something was definitely off between the refs and New York that night.
Fast forward to Monday night. The Lions returned home to a roaring Ford Field to face the NFC’s best team on paper: the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Bucs entered with the top record in the conference and had looked every bit the contender. But Detroit reminded everyone just how powerful their home-field advantage really is, dominating in a statement win, 24–9.
Meanwhile, the Eagles — the other supposed NFC powerhouse — had dropped two straight, struggling to run the ball and find rhythm offensively before a much-needed win last week.
Now, with six teams sitting at 5–2 and Green Bay at 4–1–1, the NFC picture looks crowded. But let’s be real — anyone who’s watched the games knows the Packers aren’t the top team in this conference. A tie, a bye, and some narrow escapes don’t make you elite.
Power rankings are, at their core, conversation starters — barbershop debates and water-cooler talk. They’re subjective, emotional, and often written by people who prove every week they don’t actually watch the games. Still, when the list finally puts your team where it deserves to be, it hits differently.
So, let’s take a look at the official NFL Power Rankings top five:
5. Green Bay Packers (4-1-1) The Packers reclaimed the top NFC record thanks to a fluky tie and a well-timed bye. But that’s where their luck ends. Once they face a legitimate playoff team, reality will catch up.
4. Seattle Seahawks (5-2) This one’s surprising — not because Seattle’s good, but because San Francisco isn’t here. Sam Darnold is proving maybe it wasn’t all Kevin O’Connell in Minnesota after all. Jaxon Smith-Njigba is stepping up big, and the defense looks solid. Still, I’m far more afraid of the 49ers than the Seahawks.
3. Kansas City Chiefs (4-3) Fair spot. When Xavier Worthy and Rashee Rice are healthy, Mahomes and company look revived. Expect them to be right back in the AFC Championship mix for a fourth straight year.
2. Indianapolis Colts (6-1) Daniel Jones and the Colts — yes, you read that right. Jonathan Taylor looks like his old self, and Jones has been efficient and steady. It’s a great story, but I’m not ready to crown them just yet.
1. Detroit Lions (5-2) Here we are. The Detroit Lions, sitting atop the NFL Power Rankings.
Forget that opening loss (Green Bay fans still call that their Super Bowl). Forget the Chiefs game — or, more accurately, the refs. The Lions are the best team in football right now.
Even with half the secondary hurt or suspended, the defense looks fierce. The offensive line — though banged up — continues to hold strong when it matters most. The skill players are faster, meaner, and more confident. The celebrations are louder, the swagger is real, and the coaching staff is proving everyone wrong — including the analysts who didn’t even have Detroit making the playoffs.
The Lions head into their bye week on top, knowing they’ll probably get bumped down next week due to “recency bias.” But for now, one truth stands:
For this week, the Detroit Lions are the number one team in football.