NFL Power Rankings: October Edition finds LA Rams rising

27. Detroit Lions

The Detroit Lions have struggled this season but did manage to put a solid game together to defeat the Arizona Cardinals on the road for their lone win. This was the team that traded outstanding cornerback Darious Slay to the Philadelphia Eagles before the season started.

2020 Summary

After four games, the Lions are nearly in shambles.  They are not very good defensively, with just five quarterback sacks in four games. The young secondary has managed to pick off four passes, while Stafford has thrown eight touchdowns to just three interceptions.  The Detroit Lions can stop opposing offenses from moving the ball. They can’t stop opponents from scoring.

2020 Outlook

The Detroit Lions have lost to three very good teams but have beaten a good team on the road.  After a three-win 2019, the Lions are trending better than a year ago. Where their season will be defined is the games against similarly strong opponents like the Atlanta Falcons, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Minnesota Vikings.

Detroit has a quarterback that the team is confident in. The team has a diverse and productive receiving group. And the team has found a sound running back in the ageless Adrian Peterson.  The team needs to improve on defense and add some offensive weapons.