Offense Leads the Way
Detroit wants Jahmyr Gibbs and the line to establish a physical run game before Jared Goff works play action from a clean pocket. Aidan Hutchinson is expected to create the defensive disruption before coverage stress builds.
PFM Team Dashboard
Detroit Lions 2026 Team Rankings and Ratings
PFM Archetype
Scoreboard Bully
PFM Team Alerts
Subscribe for Lions updates
Get an email when the Detroit Lions PFM Team Score changes, a new badge is earned or a PFM Reporter update is added.
86.8PFM Team Scorei
PFM Verdict
Why PFM Ranks the Lions Here
Detroit can still dictate games through Jahmyr Gibbs, Jared Goff and an offensive line built for play action. That identity keeps the Lions at No. 4, and Dan Campbell gives the team a strong weekly floor. The concern is depth: the defense still trails the offense, while line and backfield turnover remove some of the support that made Detroit so hard to wear down.
NFL Rank#4Current PFM ranking
NFC Rank#3Among NFC teams
QB Stability#7Jared Goff · Franchise Locked In
Season OutlookSuper Bowl ContenderDetroit remains an NFC title threat as long as the offensive line keeps the run game in control. Jahmyr Gibbs and Jared Goff can punish light boxes, while Aidan Hutchinson gives the defense a drive-ending answer. Interior pressure or a wave of injuries would lower the ceiling quickly because the Lions are far less comfortable when Goff has to create from a collapsing pocket.
Head coachDan Campbell
Offensive coordinatorDrew Petzing
Defensive coordinatorKelvin Sheppard
PFM Team DNA
View all NFL team rankingsDetroit Lions Team DNA
Defensive Consistency
The defense needs to keep improving. More consistent stops are needed if the Lions want to make a deep run.
Jared Goff Fits the Way Detroit Wants to Win
Goff’s timing from a clean pocket works with Detroit’s physical run game and supports the 9th-ranked quarterback grade. Interior pressure changes the equation because it takes away the play-action rhythm that makes this offense hard to defend.
Detroit's Defense Leaves Too Little Margin
The defense ranks 16th. An aggressive front still has to create more dependable stops. Without more stops, the offense will keep being asked to answer possession after possession.
PFM ROAD AHEAD
2026 Detroit Lions Strength of Schedule
Detroit has one of the league’s more favorable schedules at No. 28, with opponents averaging 78.1. New England Patriots, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Chicago Bears still give the schedule a real test, but 2 games against current top-10 teams keep the full road from looking as heavy as most.
Difficulty Rank#28No. 1 is toughest
Opponent PFM Avg.78.1Average across opponents
Next 3 Avg.76.5Upcoming opponents
Top-10 Matchups2Games vs. current top 10
Away games left8
Top-10 road opponents1
vs. New Orleans Saints70.3 PFM · #32
Sep 13 · 1:00 pmHomeBottom 10
at Buffalo Bills85.6 PFM · #8
Sep 17 · 8:15 pmAwayTop 10
vs. New York Jets73.5 PFM · #25
Sep 27 · 1:00 pmHomeBottom 10
Toughest remaining opponent: 
New England Patriots at 86.0 PFM.
PFM Reporter
Cade Mays Wrist Injury Hits Detroit's Interior Line
Cade Mays fractured a small bone in his wrist and is expected to miss roughly 8 to 10 weeks, pushing Detroit to pivot to Juice Scruggs and Seth McLaughlin at center.
That matters for an offense built around Jahmyr Gibbs, play action and keeping Jared Goff clean inside the pocket. Detroit already entered the season with some offensive-line transition, so losing its starting center into the regular season adds another layer to an already disruptive offseason.
Analysis updatedAugust 10, 2026
Around the League
League Context
Closest Team DNA Match
Built Like Chicago Bears
Chicago BearsMatch distance: 2.45 rating points
Shared profile: Defense and QB Stability.
Detroit uses coverage and the defensive front to make the quarterback hold the ball for the rush; Chicago gets coverage time for the rush from coverage and the defensive front. The closest football connection comes from two important parts of the roster, with each team reaching it through its own personnel. Detroit separates in Roster Strength through broader support across the full lineup rather than one isolated star.
Where they separate: Roster Strength. Lions hold the stronger current rating.
Division Pressure
NFC North
Detroit enters as the team to catch in the NFC North. Detroit can stay in the race by protecting Goff, creating explosive runs for Gibbs and forcing the opponent into a pass-heavy comeback. Green Bay is the most complete NFC North obstacle, with Chicago also closing the gap.
Supporting Team Information
More About the Team
Badge History2 active badges · Last verified change Jul 17, 2026
- Jul 17, 2026 · Badge tracking startedEarned Coaching Edge, Loaded Roster
Detroit Lions in the Super Bowl Era
Detroit is still chasing its first Super Bowl appearance.
- Super Bowl Titles
- 0
- Super Bowl Appearances
- 0
- Super Bowl Record
- No appearances
- Last Appearance
- Still chasing First appearance
PFM ratings updated
How PFM grades NFL teams