Although the Detroit Lions have won all of their games this season, some people who put together NFL power rankings have been hesitant to jump on the bandwagon. After all, despite being undefeated, the Lions needed comebacks in the second half the last two weeks to keep their perfect record. In the eyes of some people, winning isn't all that matters; how they win is also important.
After the Lions beat the Chicago Bears on Monday night, it seems like more and more people are finally realizing that this team is legitimate. Some have thought they would fade as the schedule toughens up, but the Lions made a statement on Monday night with their 24-13 victory, and the new NFL power rankings reflect that.
On SB Nation, for example, the Lions have jumped from fifth to second in the Week 6 NFL power rankings. Once again the Green Bay Packers sit atop the rankings, and that will remain the case until they slip up and lose a game.
The Lions have a slimmer margin of error. If they lose, they will fall, as evidenced by the fact that ESPN actually has the New England Patriots and New Orleans Saints ranked ahead of the Lions despite each team having one loss. Granted, the Saints did only lose to the Packers, but it's still a bit of a surprise that this far into the season one-loss teams are getting favored over an undefeated team.
In any case, the Lions will have a good chance to cement their spot at No. 2 in the NFL power rankings if they can win on Sunday when they play the 4-1 San Francisco 49ers, which have moved into the top 10 in some of this week's rankings.