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Detroit Lions top PFF's offensive line rankings entering Week 8

Detroit made a statement in Week 7, with several players earning impressive grades from Pro Football Focus. There were standout performances on both sides of the ball and those Lions earned striking evaluations after the team's 20-17 victory over the Packers.

The Lions own the league's No. 1 offensive line in PFF's latest rankings, ahead of San Francisco, Pittsburgh, Buffalo, and Denver. All-Pro tackle Penei Sewell has surrendered just one sack and seven pressures across 246 pass-blocking snaps. Sewell notched the highest grade among offensive tackles through six games. Guard Tate Ratledge is establishing himself as a reliable presence along Detroit's offensive line. Entering Week 4, Ratledge held the NFL's longest active sack-free streak among right guards at 626 consecutive snaps.

Lions left guard Christian Mahogany has the highest pass blocking grade among guards this season at 83.8, and Ratledge ranks fifth (80.4).

On defense, Aidan Hutchinson leads the league with 42 quarterback pressures, while defensive tackle Alim McNeil ranks third among interior defensive linemen with an 80.4 overall defensive grade.

In the secondary, Brian Branch was a game-changer in his return, earning a 91.1 grade against Green Bay. Hutchinson led the Lions with a 91.5 overall defensive grade against Green Bay, while Khalil Dorsey (87.7), Rock Ya-Sin (85.7), and D.J. Reed (84.0) were the next-highest graded Lions.

Amon-Ra St. Brown hauled in nine receptions on 11 targets for 153 yards with an average of 17 yards per catch. St. Brown led the Lions on offense with an 88.6 grade, followed by Jameson Williams (72.6) and Ratledge (68.2). Sam LaPorta adds another difficult element for opposing defenses to account for. Entering Week 7, the tight end owned the NFL's longest active drop-free streak among tight ends at 98 straight receptions.

The collective rankings demonstrate how Detroit's individual talent and depth could fuel a run at the NFC North title. Elite pass protection combined with an effective pass rush and formidable coverage on the back end should make the Lions a legitimate playoff contender. If Kerby Joseph, who recently returned to practice, can regain form, this team could emerge as a realistic Super Bowl contender.

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