NEW YORK (AP) — Comments on the Detroit Lions by the AP Pro32 panel (ranking in parentheses):

___

DETROIT LIONS (18)

Chris Berman (ESPN, 19) — Just when you trust them oops.

Clifton Brown (Sporting News, 20) — Their winless record (0-3) in NFC North makes playoff hopes bleak.

Cris Collinsworth (NBC Sports, 21)

Rich Gannon (CBS Sports/SiriusXM NFL Radio, 19) — Vikings have now beaten Lions twice, which tells me they're the worst team in the NFC North.

Bob Glauber (Newsday, 18) — One step forward last year, one step back this year. There's always a team to fit that description. Looks like it's the 2012 Lions. Defense doesn't show up against Vikings, and another divisional loss to the Packers on Sunday puts their playoff hopes in further peril.

Rick Gosselin (Dallas Morning News, 18) — The Lions play two home games in a span of five days — the Packers on Sunday and Texans on Thanksgiving.

Clark Judge (CBSSports.com, 17) — Forget the auto industry. It's the Lions who might need the bailout now.

Ira Kaufman (Tampa Tribune, 19) — Facing Aaron Rodgers, this is a matchup begging for Ndamukong Suh to step up.

Pat Kirwan (SiriusXM NFL Radio/CBSSports.com, 17) — Whether it's injuries, or bad luck the Lions are simply not taking the big step forward to get in the playoff race. Their 2011 playmakers aren't making the big plays.

John Lynch (Fox Sports, 18) — A talented football team that is struggling to win consistently. They have underachieved and need to turn it on now to play in the second season. They are capable, but face a tough schedule moving forward.

Alex Marvez (Foxsports.com, 16) — Losing to a Vikings team that was on the ropes after two straight losses and missing wide receiver Percy Harvin was a major step backward for the Lions.

Dan Pompei (Chicago Tribune, 18) — After a loss to the Vikings, the Lions are looking at playing their next four games against teams with a combined winning percentage of .740.

___

Online:

http://pro32.ap.org/poll and
http://twitter.com/AP_NFL