NFC North power rankings: Are the Packers still the team to beat?

SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 19: Aaron Jones #33 of the Green Bay Packers rushes with the ball against the San Francisco 49ers during the NFC Championship game at Levi's Stadium on January 19, 2020 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /

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OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA – NOVEMBER 03: Quarterback Matthew Stafford #9 of the Detroit Lions lines up behond center Frank Ragnow #77 in the second half of the game against the Oakland Raiders at RingCentral Coliseum on November 03, 2019 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images) /

3. Detroit Lions

This is an important year for head coach Matt Patricia, who brings a nine-game losing streak into this season. The Detroit Lions did get off to a promising 2-0-1 start this past year with early season wins over the Chargers and Eagles, the latter in Philadelphia. But the team found too many ways to lose games down the stretch and in the fourth quarter.

A defense that had made major strides in 2018 seemed fall apart. Part of the team’s woes was the fact that quarterback Matthew Stafford missed the final half of the season. The big difference this year for the club along with adding a slew of veterans, the club may have finally found a reliable running game – something that has eluded this franchise for the past six years.

Yes, it may sound like a broken record as two years ago, the Lions used a second-round pick on Auburn’s Kerryon Johnson, who has shown glimpses but has struggled to stay healthy. In April, general manager Bob Quinn used another second-round pick on the position, this time on University of Georgia prospect D’Andre Swift. If he can perform like some of his recent Bulldog predecessors (Sony Michel and Nick Chubb), Patricia’s team bears watching.