USA Today Shows Lions A Whole Lot Of Love
By: Will Burchfield
@burchie_kid
Are the Detroit Lions are a top-ten team in the NFL? Are they the best squad in the NFC North?
USA Today believes so - right now, at least.
They ranked the Lions No. 8 in their latest power rankings, which were released on Tuesday morning. No NFC North team was ranked higher.
Detroit is coming off a thrilling 22-16 overtime win over the Minnesota Vikings. Through nine weeks of the season, the Lions are 5-4 and sit in second place in the NFC North. According to USA Today, they're the cream of the crop in their division.
The Vikings (5-3) were ranked No. 13, the Green Bay Packers (4-4) were ranked No. 15 and the Chicago Bears (2-6) were ranked No. 29.
The Lions' detractors point to the fact that the team has been trailing in the fourth quarter in every game this season. And USA Today raises the some concern.
They wrote of the Lions, "With four wins in last five outings, are they smoking? Or is it smoke and mirrors since they've needed [a] fourth-quarter comeback in every victory?"
The only other team that has trailed in the fourth quarter of every game this season is the 0-9 Cleveland Browns, who, unsurprisingly, were ranked last in USA Today's poll.
Are the Lions lucky? Or are they legit? USA Today, at least, believes they're closer to the latter.
