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With the Lions off to a 3-1 start, people are starting to notice that maybe this team could be something special.

Detroit is starting to earn the respect that comes with winning.

The Lions are ranked No. 2 in power rating released today by the NFL.com and USAToday.com. Not everybody is buying in, but they’re at least top 10 in most rankings.

(Photo courtesy of Detroit Lions)

Here’s a look at the ratings and comments from several sites:

— No. 2 from NFL.com. Comments: “These aren’t the same old Lions. They are 3-1 (with a bit of an asterisk on the 1). They made the playoffs last year. And since owner Martha Firestone Ford addressed the media midway through the 2015 season — announcing the firings of team president Tom Lewand and general manager Martin Mayhew while sternly advising that the circumstances around her football team would change — Detroit is 18-10. Also keep in mind that two of those losses came on an Aaron Rodgers Hail Mary and the dreaded rulebook monster. If running back Ameer Abdullah can keep this going (109 total yards on Sunday), the Lions will win the NFC North.”

— No. 2 from USAToday.com. Comments: “All steak, no sizzle. Detroit leads league with 11 takeaways, plus-9 turnover differential and can suddenly run ball. Probably deserve to be 4-0.”

— No. 5 from BleacherReport.com. Comments: “It’s refreshing that Stafford doesn’t have to pull three magical rabbits out of his butt to win every week. This defense is tough and physical, Stafford is being careful with the football, and we’re finally seeing a running game. It’s safe to say Detroit is a complete team.”

— No. 6 from CBSsports.com. Comments: “They found a way to win a physical game at Minnesota, which keeps them tied for the division lead with the Packers. They could easily be 4-0.”

— No. 6 from SportingNews.com. Comments: “It was nice to win a road game without the fourth-quarter heroics of Matthew Stafford and on the strength of stingy defense and much-improved power running from Ameer Abdullah. The Lions are becoming a very complete and dangerous team.”

— No. 8 from ProFootballTalk.com. Comments: “Put Jim Bob Cooter at the top of the list of 2018 coaching candidates (if he decides on a first name).”

— No. 9 from ESPN.com. Comments: “The best offense is sometimes a good defense. The Lions are tied for the league lead with 11 takeaways, which has led to 47 points off turnovers. Last season, Detroit had 14 takeaways, leading to only 28 points off turnovers.”

ALLEN PARK >> Tight end Eric Ebron had his lowest percentage of offensive snaps this season in Sunday’s win at the Vikings, while Darren Fells had his most.

Probably smart to not read too much into that. It could change on Sunday against the Carolina Panthers (3-1).

“We’re wrapped in different personnel groupings, they mix and match here and there,’’ coach Jim Caldwell said on Monday. “Next game you may see a few more or the other way around.”

(Photo courtesy of Detroit Lions)

Fells, who is 6-foot-7, was in on 73 percent of the offensive snaps, helping out left tackle Greg Robinson on blocking on most of them. He also tied a career single-game high with four catches. All four resulted in first-down conversions.

Fells, a former professional basketball player, was signed as a free agent after spending time with the Arizona Cardinals.

“Once we had him here we had a chance to look at his skill level on the line of scrimmage, and also receiving,’’ Caldwell said. “He’s got talent. You can see he’s a big body, he’s got nice hands and he knows what to do with the ball when he gets it. Those four first downs he was able to get were key, battling for them, driving forward and making a huge difference in the game. You haven’t seen the best of him yet, he’s getting there.’’

Ebron played in just 44 percent of the offensive snaps, finishing with a pair of catches for 27 yards.

“Eric’s doing good, he’s doing well. He made a couple nice catches for us that were huge catches, and a nice catch and run,’’ Caldwell said. “It doesn’t mean he’ll get 10 balls very game or five balls every game. When he gets an opportunity, he’s got to take advantage of it.’’

The previous week — in the loss to the Atlanta Falcons — Ebron was targeted seven times and made only two catches, with at least two drops.

His best game in the first quarter was in the win at the New York Giants in Week 2 when he had five receptions for 42 yards and a touchdown.

Rookie tight end Mike Roberts was in for 31 percent of the offensive snaps. He had one catch for 15 yards, his first NFL catch.

About that Lions’ defensive line …

You know, the position group that most everyone thought would be the ruination of these 2017 Lions?

Uhhh, you can rest easy.

The Lions are not perfect but they have bust out of the gate with a 3-1 record.

The coaching staff, who had confidence in the line all along, obviously was right.

The defense has played well in all four games, but in the 14-7 win at the Vikings on Sunday they were something special. They won the game on a day that the offense struggled.

It might be the best Lions’ defense we’re seen in a few years.

And, of course it all starts with the defensive line.

Remember this is a defensive line missing three key players.

Kerry Hyder, the sack leader in 2016, is out for the season with a torn Achilles.

Defensive end Armonty Bryant and defensive tackle Khyri Thornton are both serving NFL suspensions. Thornton will be able to return after six games.

After serving a four-game suspension, Bryant is eligible to return to practice today (Monday).  Bryant had three sacks in five games in 2016.

In his absence, second-year defensive end Anthony Zettel has been huge.

Zettel finished on Sunday with his first career two-sack game. That brings his total to four sacks in four games to lead the defense. He also had three tackles, four quarterback hits and a fumble recovery.

“He’s been outstanding to this point. He’s a high-motor guy that just never stops, he battles through sometimes single and double blocks if he has to. He’s always coming, I love the way he plays,’’ coach Jim Caldwell said after Sunday’s game. “Because of that kind of effort he gives play after play after play, he’s always around the ball.’’

While Ziggy Ansah didn’t own any flashy stats on Sunday, he was a force on the opposite side from Zettel as he routinely was double-covered

It wasn’t just those two guys.

A’Shawn Robinson played well inside, Haloti Ngata too.

It’s early in the season, things could go wrong and probably will.

But the defensive line play is not an issue.

BONUS: In the post-game locker room, Haloti Ngata presented a game ball to linebacker Steve Longa who lost his dad on Thursday in a pedestrian accident in Pennsylvania. Longa had the option to go home and miss the game. Instead he played and was to fly back to Pennsylvania after the game. In his presentation, Ngata said he had lost his parents at a young age.