Why NBC analysts say Lions are NFL’s best team after dominating Packers

Some players arrive on gameday dressed to the nines. Amon-Ra St. Brown and the Lions arrived at a rainy Lambeau Field dressed like they already knew they were the NFL’s best team. Then, they put their money where their sweatshirts were in a convincing 24-14 win over the Packers on Sunday.

So convincing that all three of NBC’s Football Night in America analysts believe Detroit (7-1) erased any doubts in its victory over Green Bay (6-3).

“What do you want them to do?” asked Chris Simms. “They can run the ball, they can throw the ball, the special teams are great, the defense makes plays.”

One of those plays on Sunday came from safety Kerby Joseph, who returned a Jordan Love interception 27 yards for a touchdown late in the first half, growing the Lions’ lead to 17-3. After listening all week to people talk about Packers safety Xavier McKinney, Joseph delivered a statement.

“Absolutely they’re the best team in the NFL, and they’re on fire,” said former coach and quarterback Jason Garrett. “I’ve never seen numbers like that, that Jared Goff’s put up here in the last several weeks. What I love about Detroit is that they’re built for that. Everyone’s saying, ‘Hey, they’re a dome team, they’re going on the road, it’s rainy, it’s Lambeau Field,’ all that kind of stuff.”

And it wasn’t just the way the Lions played in the rain. Detroit hadn’t played an outdoor game since the 2023 NFC Championship Game in San Francisco. Per John Breech of CBS, it was the longest this century an NFL team had gone into a season without playing outside.

But despite the elements, St. Brown wasted little time getting in the end zone. Goff hit him on a 3-yard touchdown after guiding Detroit on a 13-play, 70-yard drive that drained more than seven minutes off the first-half clock. From there, it was all Lions. Detroit reeled off 24 unanswered points, including a 15-yard burst from Jahmyr Gibbs, to put the game away by the end of the third quarter.

Goff finished 18 of 22 for 145 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions, padding one of the more impressive streaks in NFL history. Detroit over its six-game winning streak now has scored 28 touchdowns with only 24 incompletions.

The Lions face another difficult test next week, traveling to Houston (6-3) for a Sunday night matchup. The Packers, meanwhile, get their bye before another division showdown at Chicago on Nov. 17.