Clear edgeDET
Detroit Lions
86.6PFM Team Score#4 NFL
Detroit Lions vs. New England Patriots: PFM Team Comparison
The Detroit Lions hold a clear overall advantage over the New England Patriots in the current PFM ratings. Detroit separates itself through the more dependable offense and the deeper roster.
Current PFM Team Scores
NE
New England Patriots
82.2PFM Team Score#12 NFL
WEEK 10 MATCHUP
Sunday, Nov. 15 9:30 AM ET
View on NFL Schedule PFM JUDGMENT
Why PFM Rates the Detroit Lions Higher
The offensive edge favors the Detroit Lions because the unit has the better week-to-week floor. It can keep moving even when the first answer is taken away. New England's strongest counterargument is Defense. Defense is one of the clearest reasons the New England Patriots sit higher. The unit gives the offense more chances to recover from a bad drive.
Detroit also brings the deeper roster. The Detroit Lions still deserves the higher PFM rating.
TEAM DNA COMPARISON
Detroit vs. New England Across the Core Pillars
The farther a team reaches, the stronger the rating. Each category also calls out which team has the edge and the exact gap. Hover on desktop or tap on mobile to isolate one team.
DETDetroit Lions
NENew England Patriots
THE COUNTERARGUMENT
New England Patriots’ Best Argument
The New England Patriots have the more dependable defense. It does not need the offense to answer every possession to keep control of a game. That is why the overall gap is smaller than the score first suggests. Detroit still answers with the more dependable offense and the deeper roster, which keeps the overall judgment in place.
COMPLETE COMPARISON
Where Each Team Has the Edge
PFM Team Score
DET86.6
Detroit Lions 86.6NE82.2
New England Patriots 82.2Overall NFL Rank
DET#4
Detroit Lions #4NE#12
New England Patriots #12QB Stability
DET85.7
Detroit Lions 85.7NE82.0
New England Patriots 82.0Roster Strength
DET83.3
Detroit Lions 83.3NE76.9
New England Patriots 76.9Coaching Direction
DET86.2
Detroit Lions 86.2NE85.5
New England Patriots 85.5Recent Performance
DET83.1
Detroit Lions 83.1NE83.7
New England Patriots 83.7Offense
DET89.4
Detroit Lions 89.4NE80.2
New England Patriots 80.2Defense
DET75.8
Detroit Lions 75.8NE82.2
New England Patriots 82.2Franchise Direction
DET80.7
Detroit Lions 80.7NE76.3
New England Patriots 76.3Explosiveness
DET84.3
Detroit Lions 84.3NE86.3
New England Patriots 86.3Conference Rank
DET#3
Detroit Lions #3NE#6
New England Patriots #6Division Rank
DET#1
Detroit Lions #1NE#2
New England Patriots #2Outlook
DETSuper Bowl ContenderNEPlayoff Contender
Stronger outlook: Detroit LionsSCHEDULE CONTEXT
Which Team Has the Tougher Road?
Detroit Lions
Remaining schedule rank: #14
Toughest stretch: New England Patriots, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Chicago Bears
Strongest opponents: Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers, New England Patriots
Next five difficulty: 78.8
View Detroit Lions Road AheadNew England Patriots
Remaining schedule rank: #3
Toughest stretch: Buffalo Bills, Minnesota Vikings, Kansas City Chiefs
Strongest opponents: Kansas City Chiefs, Detroit Lions, Buffalo Bills
Next five difficulty: 83.8
View New England Patriots Road AheadNew England has the tougher Road Ahead at No. 3. The strongest opponents include Kansas City Chiefs, the Detroit Lions, and Buffalo Bills. Detroit also has the more favorable road, which adds to the more dependable offense and the deeper roster.
Explore Both Team Dashboards
Ratings and Schedule Freshness
PFM ratings updated November 3, 2026. Schedule data updated November 9, 2026.
How to Read This Comparison
PFM Team Score determines the overall order. The Team DNA comparison puts five core pillars on the same 0–100 scale, while the full rows show every current category.
PFM compares overall team strength rather than predicting one matchup. Road Ahead adds schedule context without changing PFM Team Score.
PFM ratings updated
How PFM grades NFL teams