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.
Detroit Lions 2026 Team Rankings and Ratings
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86.7PFM 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 Contender
Head coachDan Campbell
Offensive coordinatorDrew Petzing
Defensive coordinatorKelvin Sheppard
Latest Ratings Update
Updated Aug 18, 2026PFM Trend
Latest directionDeclined
Detroit lost a little ground after starting center Cade Mays fractured his wrist and was ruled out for roughly 8-10 weeks, lowering the Lions' roster and offensive-line grades.
PFM Team Score86.7
Score movement-0.13
NFL RankNo. 4
Rank movementNo rank change
Roster StrengthDeclined85.0 → 84.5 · -0.42
Offense StrengthDeclined88.5 → 88.5 · -0.02
PFM Team DNA
View all NFL team rankingsDetroit Lions Team DNA
Detroit Needs Pressure Beyond Aidan Hutchinson
The defense needs to keep improving. More consistent stops are needed if the Lions want to make a deep run.
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 ReporterReported
Sam LaPorta Hip Injury Puts Week 1 in Question
Sam LaPorta is dealing with a hip injury and Dan Campbell would not guarantee that he will be ready for Detroit's September 13th opener.
The Lions still have enough offensive firepower to avoid an immediate downgrade but LaPorta is a pivotal piece in a PFM offense rated among the league's best. His absence would narrow Jared Goff's middle-of-the-field options. We are still 3 weeks out from the opener but this one needs to be monitored closely.
Around the League
League Context
Closest Team DNA Match
Built Like Chicago Bears
Chicago BearsMatch distance: 2.35 rating points
Shared profile: Defense and QB Stability.
Detroit gets coverage time for the rush through coverage and the defensive front, while Chicago gets coverage time for the rush from coverage and the defensive front. two important parts of the roster connect the teams because each side has a football answer beyond the first option. Chicago separates in Explosiveness through more threats around the offensive line.
Where they separate: Explosiveness. Bears 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
Current Injuries
PFM ratings updated
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