The Detroit Lions defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 24-9 on Monday night football. Detroit has a 5-2 record this season in the NFL.
USATSI 27379597 168400517 lowres 1
Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs (0) runs for a touchdown against Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the first half at Ford Field in Detroit on Monday, Oct. 20, 2025.
The Lions will be on a bye week in week eight. Detroit is in second in the NFC North and the Green Bay Packers lead the division with a 4-1-1 record. They are looking to win the division for the third straight season in the NFC North. Are the Lions the best team in the NFL this season?
The Athletic Ranks the Detroit Lions Number 1 In the Latest Power Rankings
USATSI 27378987 168400517 lowres
Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams (1) runs onto the field for first half against Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Ford Field in Detroit on Monday, Oct. 20, 2025.
Chad Graff and Josh Kendall released there NFL power rankings for the Athletic entering week eight of the NFL season. There are a lot of teams that have a 5-2 record this season. They both decided to rank the Lions as the number one team in the NFL entering week eight of the season. They said about Detroit,
“They can beat you multiple ways
The job Dan Campbell has done after losing both his offensive and defensive coordinators this offseason is awfully impressive. The defense dominated the Bucs on Monday night. Offensively, the Lions leaned on the running game as Jahmyr Gibbs took 17 carries for 136 yards and two touchdowns. Campbell’s Lions haven’t lost back-to-back games since October 2022.”
After the bye week, Detroit will be facing the Minnesota Vikings. The Lions have one of the best offenses in the NFL this season. They are also better on the defensive side of the football this season. A lot of it could have to do with Aidan Hutchinson being healthy. Another reason why is because maybe Kelvin Sheppard is a better defensive coordinator than Aaron Glenn is.
This Lions team is no doubt going to be an NFC contender once again. Detroit being ranked as the number one team in the NFL by the Athletic could be a stretch. The Indianapolis Colts might be the best team in the NFL at the moment.
For More Great Football Content
Follow me on Twitter at @glennkaplan13 more great content. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in college and professional football, click here!