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Lions Power Rankings' Roundup Has Detroit Trailing Vikings Despite Week 8 Win
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- Lions Power Rankings' Roundup Has Detroit Trailing Vikings Despite Week 8 Win
The Detroit Lions spoiled the Minnesota Vikings' undefeated season on Sunday, as the team picked up a 19-15 victory over its division rivals to move to 5-2 on the year.
Detroit faced a ton of adversity against Minnesota, especially on offense and on the injury front. Multiple defensive starters went down mid-game and didn't end up returning, and the offense was stagnant for much of the afternoon. However, head coach Dan Campbell's group refused to quit and did just enough to come away with a key victory to kick off November.
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Despite defeating the Vikings and proving their status as an NFC contender, the Lions didn't see much movement in the latest NFL power rankings .
Pro Football Talk
Nov 1, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell during the first quarter against the Minnesota Vikings at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images
Week 9 ranking: No. 12
Week 8 ranking: No. 13
Mike Florio gave the Lions a one-spot jump in the rankings, and the main concern is injuries on defense . Rookie linebacker Jimmy Rolder is out for the season with a hamstring injury, cornerback D.J. Reed won't practice to start the week with a hip issue, edge rusher D.J. Wonnum and safety Brian Branch are in concussion protocol, and linebacker Jack Campbell's status is still uncertain with a neck injury that caused him to go to the hospital, though Dan Campbell said the All-Pro linebacker is improving.
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FOX Sports
Nov 1, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs (0) runs during the second quarter against the Minnesota Vikings at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images
Week 9 ranking: No. 9
Week 8 ranking: No. 10
Ralph Vacchiano also gave the Lions a one-spot increase and is impressed by Detroit's dynamic rushing attack, but he is still worried about the defense and believes the unit needs to answer a few questions in the coming weeks.
"It took a Herculean effort from RB Jahmyr Gibbs for the Lions to beat the Vikings, but they get points for running for 230 yards (153 from Gibbs) against the best defense in the league. The Lions' supposedly revived defense had a few too many lapses against awful Vikings QB Kyler Murray, and that bears watching going forward. They'll need to do much better against the Patriots in two weeks and even better than that two weeks later against the Bears, in a game that might determine who controls their destiny in the NFC North."
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CBS Sports
Detroit Lions edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson (97) celebrates a play against Minnesota Vikings during the second half at Ford Field in Detroit on Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026.
Week 9 ranking: No. 9
Week 8 ranking: No. 10
Prisco believes the Lions have a new formula to win games , and it's different from years past.
"They beat the Packers and the Vikings in consecutive weeks in low-scoring games. That's a new formula for this team to win games, but a good sign."
ESPN
Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard watches warmup ahead of the game between Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings at Ford Field in Detroit on Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026.
Week 9 ranking: No. 9
Week 8 ranking: No. 11
The Lions rose two spots in ESPN's rankings , but there is a common theme on all of these lists. Detroit is still below Minnesota, and though the Vikings' 6-1 record likely plays a role, it shows the Lions still have plenty to prove as the regular season enters its most pivotal weeks.
This story was originally published by Athlon on Nov 3, 2026, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add Athlon as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
