The Detroit Lions may have the best record in the NFL, but that doesn’t translate to having the best players at every single position. Though the Lions do come pretty close in that regard.

Nonetheless, in the NFL it’s understandable to concede that someone else on a lesser team just might be better than your guys in one particular category or another. But we can all agree that oftentimes, stats lie.

ESPN recently put together a ranking of the top quarterback-wide receiver duos in the NFL and some of the results are a bit perplexing, namely where Jared Goff and Amon-Ra St. Brown land on the list.

As I alluded to, it’s fair to concede that Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase of the Cincinnati Bengals have a strong argument as the best duo despite the Bengals’ putrid win-loss record. Both players are playing at an elite level as expected, they just so happen to be accompanied by one of the worst defenses in the NFL.

But after that, Goff and St. Brown should be up next, right? Through the first 13 games, the two have combined for 81 completions (most in the league), 892 yards and 10 touchdowns (second only to Burrow and Chase). The yardage is a bit low as teams have been able to key in on St. Brown this season a touch more than expected. But first in receptions and second in touchdowns, that should be good for second place easily.

Except, no. ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky, a former Lions quarterback who decided the rankings, listed Goff and St. Brown at fourth behind Philadelphia’s Jalen Hurts and AJ Brown and Minnesota’s Sam Darnold and Justin Jefferson.

On the front page of ESPN today is an article detailing the Eagles’ struggles in the passing game, particularly between Hurts and Brown. Not to mention, the Lions duo has nearly twice the receptions and more than double the touchdowns. That doesn’t sound like second-best at the current moment.

For Darnold and Jefferson, their argument is a bit more split. Jefferson is the best receiver in the league,and Darnold has had a Herculean comeback this season – and the stats between the duo are impressive: 75 completions, 1,170 yards (most in the NFL) and seven touchdowns.

Detroit’s duo has a strong argument for second-best behind either Minnesota’s duo or Cincinnati’s duo – but not both.

At the end of the day, Detroit’s duo wins games – strike one against both, and more importantly against Burrow and Chase. Number two, Orlovsky pointed it out in his analysis – no duo in the league has more first downs (53) while also having zero drops. Strikes two and three.

Take your pick. Goff and St. Brown can be the 1A or 1B to Minnesota or Cincinnati, but certainly not fourth, with all due respect to Orlovsky. Respect ya Dan and love your work, but you missed the mark here.