Detroit Lions offensive line climb to No. 1 in PFF’s rankings

The national accolades continue for the Detroit Lions. With a 5-1 record to start the 2023 season, the Lions are tied for the best record in the NFL. They’ve won four straight games by a minimum two-touchdown winning margin and are ranked as high as No. 2 in this week’s power rankings.

While the team as a whole is thriving, their offensive line has recently been garnering some high-level praise as well. Last week, in an article highlighting the national attention the offensive line has received, we pointed out how the Lions’ unit rose to the No. 2 spot in PFF’s offensive line rankings.

This week, the Lions offensive line climbed another spot in PFF’s rankings to the prestigious No. 1 spot.

It seems like the Philadelphia Eagles had been perennially ranked at the top of this list, but the Lions' impressive success, depth, and ability to maintain their elite level of play despite dealing with injuries was enough for them to claim the top honor.

Here’s what PFF had to say about the Lions offensive line:

“Detroit was without left guard Jonah Jackson against Tampa Bay. Jackson’s replacement was Kayode Awosika, who earned a 61.8 PFF grade in his stead.

“Despite being healthy, guard Halapoulivaati Vaitai did not see the field in Week 6, as Graham Glasgow appears to have taken over at right guard. In a league where most teams are desperate for quality offensive linemen, Detroit has depth unlike any other.

“Best player: Frank Ragnow

“Ragnow had an off day in run blocking against the big Buccaneers’ interior defensive linemen, although he made up for it by allowing only one quarterback hurry on 48 pass-blocking snaps.”

The Lions are hoping to return Jonah Jackson to the field this week as they prepare to take on the Baltimore Ravens. The Ravens are currently tied with the Bills for the team sacks lead with 24 sacks through six games. This should be an impressive battle in Week 7, as the Lions have only allowed 10 sacks on the season.