The Lions leave no doubt about their NFC North superiority after comfortably defeating the Packers

The entire performance on Sunday was one big statement, but a particularly special moment was the Detroit Lions making it clear to the rest of the NFL that they are doing nothing wrong this season.

On their first possession of the second half, the Lions took the lead on fourth-and-1. This isn't all that unusual; The Lions love playing on fourth down. But the sheer force of the game was astounding. The Lions ran right down the middle, and the Lions line opened up the kind of scoring area that Jahmyr Gibbs could have run through for a 15-yard touchdown. It was a dagger not just to the game but perhaps to the NFC North race as well. The Packers are a good team. And the Lions made them look overwhelmed and outclassed.

The Packers defense didn't shine with glory on that Gibbs touchdown, they failed to close gaps on a run blitz, and as a team they made several errors throughout the game. That doesn't change the defeat the Lions dealt.

The Packers scored late in the fourth quarter to make the score look better, but it was a 24-14 win that was much more dominant than the final score would have suggested to anyone. The Lions were the better team, and it wasn't close.

They did everything right with this strong start to the season. You'd think that a team with as good an offense as the Lions wouldn't do well in a heavy rainstorm. There's another point they proved on Sunday. You can win this season in almost any way.

Lions play well in the rain

Jared Goff doesn't miss, even in the rain. He completed his first 11 passes of the game before missing his last before halftime. Goff has played better indoors throughout his career; The divisions are undeniable. The fact that Goff goes out in wet conditions and rarely misses a throw is another step for the Lions this season.

Goff's biggest pass on Sunday came on a fourth down, where the Lions get a lot of practice. Dan Campbell went for it on Detroit's first possession, an offside penalty brought Detroit halfway closer to the goal line, and then Goff hit Amon-Ra St. Brown for an impressive touchdown catch that got him in with both feet. Then he did a headstand to celebrate.

On a day full of statements for the Lions, that set the tone.

The Lions defense also has some questions to answer as Aidan Hutchinson ended the season due to injury. The Lions are making moves ahead of the deadline, agreeing to a deal that would bring pass rusher Za'Darius Smith from Cleveland to Detroit, Pro Football Talk reported. Maybe there are further steps.

But the Lions' defense looked pretty good without reinforcements on Sunday. Late in the first half, they made the biggest play of the game when Jordan Love blindly threw to the middle of the field under coverage and safety Kerby Joseph was there to intercept the ball. Joseph scored on a 27-yard return just before halftime for a 17-3 lead, and considering how the Lions' defense played, that lead seemed pretty comfortable.

Then Gibbs scored just after halftime in the fourth, slamming the door on Green Bay.

Detroit has a big lead in the NFC North

The NFC North race isn't over yet. The Lions are 7-1, followed by the Minnesota Vikings, who were 5-2 before their game on Monday night, and then the Packers come into the game at 6-3. There is still a lot of season left. But the Lions have a big advantage with away wins in Minnesota and Green Bay. This makes it very difficult to catch them.

It's not just about potential tiebreakers either. The Lions don't appear to be a team that will lose many games.

With road wins over their two biggest threats in the division, the Lions can focus on becoming the No. 1 seed in the NFC. The thought of the Lions being two home games shy of a Super Bowl, playing in front of a loud crowd, and the offense being even better indoors has to be scary for the rest of the NFC. The Philadelphia Eagles have been playing better lately, the Washington Commanders have been surprisingly good, and the Atlanta Falcons have a soft schedule that allows them to pick up wins, but no other NFC team looks better than the Lions. There's no reason Detroit can't get the No. 1 seed.

The Lions continue to pass tests this season. They came into the game as Super Bowl contenders. There's still a long way to go, but they're starting to look like one of the few true Super Bowl favorites.