8. Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions take the No. 8 spot in our final power rankings before the 2026 regular season. In 2023 and 2024, the Lions combined for 27 regular season wins and won the NFC North both years. In 2025, they got off to a very solid 7-4 start before a second-half collapse.
And while the defense, especially in the secondary, is still struggling to stay healthy, I just cannot quit this team. The Lions have proven themselves to be a top team in the league, as they have won no fewer than nine games in each of the last four years.
Detroit can easily say they have the best offense and QB in the division, and may also have the best head coach as well. While the defense does need to play better, this team still managed to reach a winning record last year.
You simply are asking for a marginally better unit on that side of the ball. If the unit can regress to the mean, the Lions will be right back where they should be.
7. Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati comes in at No. 7 in our power rankings, as the aggressive defensive improvements they made this offseason should finally yield a playoff team. The Bengals have not made the playoffs since 2022, so we have essentially seen three prime Joe Burrow years go to waste.
Of note, veterans like Boye Mafe, Dexter Lawrence, and Jonathan Allen join a revamped defensive line, and a stable, good starter in Bryan Cook takes over at safety. I have said for months that I've been getting 2021 vibes from this 2026 squad - in 2021, the Bengals shocked the NFL world and made a Super Bowl run, but that came after an offseason in which the front office added a ton of talent on defense...
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