NE
New England Patriots
82.2PFM Team Score#12 NFL
VS
New England Patriots vs. Detroit Lions: PFM Team Comparison
PFM rates the Detroit Lions higher than the New England Patriots overall, with a clear advantage. The main reasons are the more dependable offense and the deeper roster.
Current PFM Team Scores
Clear edgeDET
Detroit Lions
86.6PFM Team Score#4 NFL
PFM JUDGMENT
Why PFM Rates the Detroit Lions Higher
The Detroit Lions bring the broader offense. The unit has more answers than New England when the opening approach stalls. New England's strongest counterargument is Defense. The Patriots can lean on their defense more than the Lions can. That creates a better floor when the offense stalls or field position turns against the team.
Detroit also brings the deeper roster. That is enough to keep the Detroit Lions ahead.
TEAM DNA COMPARISON
New England vs. Detroit 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.
NENew England Patriots
DETDetroit Lions
THE COUNTERARGUMENT
New England Patriots’ Best Argument
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. The defense advantage is a real point in New England's favor, but it does not outweigh the rest of the higher-rated team’s advantages. The problem for New England is that Detroit counters with the more dependable offense and the deeper roster.
COMPLETE COMPARISON
Where Each Team Has the Edge
PFM Team Score
NE82.2
New England Patriots 82.2DET86.6
Detroit Lions 86.6Overall NFL Rank
NE#12
New England Patriots #12DET#4
Detroit Lions #4QB Stability
NE82.0
New England Patriots 82.0DET85.7
Detroit Lions 85.7Roster Strength
NE76.9
New England Patriots 76.9DET83.3
Detroit Lions 83.3Coaching Direction
NE85.5
New England Patriots 85.5DET86.2
Detroit Lions 86.2Recent Performance
NE83.7
New England Patriots 83.7DET83.1
Detroit Lions 83.1Offense
NE80.2
New England Patriots 80.2DET89.4
Detroit Lions 89.4Defense
NE82.2
New England Patriots 82.2DET75.8
Detroit Lions 75.8Franchise Direction
NE76.3
New England Patriots 76.3DET80.7
Detroit Lions 80.7Explosiveness
NE86.3
New England Patriots 86.3DET84.3
Detroit Lions 84.3Conference Rank
NE#6
New England Patriots #6DET#3
Detroit Lions #3Division Rank
NE#2
New England Patriots #2DET#1
Detroit Lions #1Outlook
NEPlayoff ContenderDETSuper Bowl Contender
Stronger outlook: Detroit LionsSCHEDULE CONTEXT
Which Team Has the Tougher Road?
New 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 AheadDetroit 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 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