Analyst explains why Lions are third-best team in NFC

Winners of five of their last six games, the Detroit Lions are playing like one of the NFL’s elite teams.

On a recent episode of "Good Morning Football," NFL analyst Kyle Brandt said the Lions’ turnaround from a 1-6 bottom-dweller to a possible playoff contender at 6-7 is why he believes they’re a force to be reckoned with in the NFC.

“I think the Lions are a top-eight NFL team right now,” Brandt said. “I think they’re the third-best team in the NFC. I think they’re behind Philadelphia. I think they’re behind San Francisco. I think they would beat Dallas right now if they played. They’re one incredible Josh Allen-to-Stefon Diggs throw away from winning six in a row. They went up that day, on Thanksgiving, against the No. 1 seed in the AFC and were totally game.

“[Dan Campbell] is head coach of one of the hottest teams in the league. You know how hard that is? He stuck by his defensive coordinator, and it was the worst defense in history, you’d never see them stop anybody. … [Seven of their last eight games] the Detroit Lions have not allowed a 100-yard rusher.”

Brandt may be onto something. After all, Detroit moved up to 10th in this week’s NFL.com power rankings.

Although the Lions still have one of the worst defensive units in the league — they rank 31st in total defense and scoring — they’ve limited opponents to just 20 points and 122 yards rushing per game over their last six contests.

According to FiveThirtyEight, Detroit has a 20 percent chance to make the playoffs. Those odds go up to 43 percent with a 3-1 finish over the last four weeks of the regular season, and 91 percent if the Lions win their remaining four games.