The Detroit Lions needed to come out strong in Week 2 in order to rebound from a terrible season-opener and head coach Dan Campbell’s squad did just that in a convincing win over the Chicago Bears on Sunday.
The Lions’ offense exploded en route to 52 points, while the defense was a problem for quarterback Caleb Williams and the Bears all afternoon long.
Quarterback Jared Goff completely annihilated the idea that he can’t have success without former Lions offensive coordinator and current Chicago head coach Ben Johnson after he completed 23-of-28 passes for 334 yards and five touchdowns.
In all, Detroit gained 511 yards of total offense, showing this unit is just as good as the one Johnson used to run, which is a huge boost for new offensive coordinator John Morton.
With the Lions building a head of steam coming off Sunday, let’s see where they landed in the NFL power rankings of experts going into Week 3.
Vinnie Iyer, The Sporting News: 8 (+2)
Iyer: “The Lions let all their offensive frustration out on Ben Johnson and the Bears, back in the friendly confines of Ford Field. The running game was working again as the two lead backs helped unlock Jared Goff and the downfield passing game. The league’s most symbiotic offense got back on track in Week 2 but have a tough draw against Baltimore in Week 3.
Jeremy Cluff, Arizona Republic: 10 (+2)
Cluff: “The Lions regrouped in a major way from their Week 1 loss to the Green Bay Packers. How about this stat line for Jared Goff? 23-for-28 passing, 334 yards, five touchdowns, no passes intercepted.”
Taylor Wirth, NBC Sports: 5 (+2)
Wirth: “Alright, so the concerns about Detroit’s offense might have been premature. They whooped up on a decent Bears defense and looked like their explosive selves.”
Sayre Bedinger, NFL Spin Zone: 7 (+8)
Bedinger: “Heck of a week for the Detroit Lions. As dejected and defeated as their fan base undoubtedly was after a Week 1 drubbing at the hands of the Green Bay Packers, they’ve got to feel equally cathartic about coming out in Week 2 and absolutely annihilating the Chicago Bears.”
MORE NFL NEWS