NFL power rankings: Chiefs stay hot in Week 6, 49ers stay low
By Peter Panacy
If you like shootouts, Week 5’s matchup between the Detroit Lions and Carolina Panthers was for you.
Granted, Detroit lost this hard-fought contest at home, which justifies the drop in our NFL power rankings this week. But quarterback Matthew Stafford was good enough for the win, going 23-of-35 for 229 yards and two touchdowns in the loss.
Stafford’s numbers would have been much better if the Lions running game was going, but this attack mustered a mere 50 yards on the ground. No support there.
Detroit’s usually sound defense didn’t have too many answers for Panthers quarterback Cam Newton, as he was able to torch the Lions secondary for 355 yards and three touchdowns.
That defense won’t have an easy challenge this upcoming week either, facing off against the high-flying Saints offense coming off a bye week.