The Detroit Lions secured their ninth consecutive victory in Week 12, beating the Indianapolis Colts, 24-6, at Lucas Oil Stadium on Sunday to improve to 10-1.
With the victory, the Lions clinched their second straight 10-win season, marking the first time in franchise history Detroit has done that. Despite the Lions’ impressive record, the NFC North remains very close.
The Minnesota Vikings improved their record to 9-2 with a win over the Chicago Bears, who the Lions will face on Thanksgiving in Week 13. The Green Bay Packers secured their eighth win with a victory over the San Francisco 49ers.
Detroit has beaten both of those teams this season but has one matchup left with each. The Lions will host the Packers in Week 14 and Minnesota will visit Ford Field in Week 18.
The Lions leapfrogged the Kansas City Chiefs for the No. 1 spot in the NFL power rankings of experts last week after the reigning Super Bowl champions lost their first game. But did Detroit do enough to maintain the top spot? Let’s find out.
Vinnie Iyer, Sporting News: 1 (no change)
Iyer: “The Lions raced past the Colts, but more injury concerns popped up in Indy. Health seems to be the only thing that can derail the NFC title run now.”
Jeremy Cluff, Arizona Republic: 1 (no change)
Cluff: “The Lions aren’t just beating teams, they are destroying them. They have outscored their opponents 360-183 this season.”
Taylor Wirth, NBC Sports: 1 (no change)
Wirth: “Another week beating up on a bad team. Enjoy it while it lasts. They have a tough stretch of games coming up, including three NFC North division battles, but I’d be surprised if they don’t lock up the No. 1 seed sooner than later.”
Matt Johnson, Sportsnaut: 1 (no change)
Johnson: “The Detroit Lions walked out of Indianapolis with another decisive win, but it might’ve come at a cost. David Montgomery left the game with a shoulder injury and offensive tackle Taylor Decker also got banged up. These are injuries to monitor on a short week, with Detroit playing on Thanksgiving, but there are no real long-term concerns as of now. As long as that holds, the Lions are the best team in the NFL.”
