Think the national pundits were high on the Lions this offseason? Listen to them now.
Who's the best team in the NFC? "The Detroit Lions," Stephen A. Smith said Monday after the Lions beat the first-place Bucs, on the road, to move to 5-1.
"Jared Goff, you seen the way he’s been ballin'? You got Jameson Williams back, he can ball. We know they got a defense this year. I can't ignore what I'm watching. I can’t ignore the culture change Dan Campbell has instituted, the roughriders he’s got."
Dan Orlovsky said Monday that the Lions "are a legit NFC championship contender," adding that Aidan Hutchinson will be a Defensive Player of the Year candidate, Jared Goff will be an MVP candidate and coordinators Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn will likely be head coaches next season. He called Johnson "our next Kyle Shanahan, our next Andy Reid" in terms of offensive creativity.
"This is a team that can play with anyone," said Orlovsky.
The Lions are tied with the 49ers, Eagles, Chiefs and Dolphins for the best record in the NFL. They'd be the No. 3 seed in the NFC if the playoffs started today. Orlovsky, who spent seven seasons playing in Detroit, has a warning for the rest of the conference: "You better not let them get the one seed, because that place will go upside down. It will be burned to the ground."
"The thing that is so shocking about Detroit when it comes to how good San Fran and Philly are, is you can bank on them being, one, just as good at the line of scrimmage, and two, just as well-coached," said Orlovsky.
Former Pro Bowl linebacker Tedy Bruschi said the Lions are "frustrating to go up against for a defense, because Goff is so good at play-action and then we throw in these gadget plays that they’re becoming good at and it’s an offense that can hit you in a lot of different ways. And they have that physical aspect because of the offensive line."
Rex Ryan, whose son Seth Ryan is an assistant wide receivers coach for the Lions, pointed out that Detroit beat Tampa "playing without three starters in the backend (C.J. Gardner-Johnson, Brian Branch, Emmanuel Moseley) and two starting guards (Jonah Jackson, Halapoulivaati Vaitai). They don’t care."
Mike Greenberg echoed Stephen A. and picked the Lions as the best team in the NFC.
"I am sold," he said. "I am all in. I’m all-in on the coach, I’m all-in on the quarterback. They played (Sunday) without their running backs. Jahmyr Gibbs hasn't even done anything this year, he’s going to be spectacular when he gets going, Jameson Williams made an unbelievable catch yesterday. We are selling short the Lions."
Not for much longer.