Week Sixteen: Pittsburgh Steelers (8-6) @ Detroit Lions (8-6)

[MichiganCardinal]

          vs.          

Setting: 12/21/2025 4:25pm on CBS

Site: Ford Field in Detroit, MI

Weather: Climate Controlled

Opening Spread: Lions -7

All-Time Series Record: Steelers lead, 17-14-2

Last Meeting: 11/14/2021, Tied 16-16

 

Pittsburgh Steelers (8-6)

Head Coach: Mike Tomlin (19th Season: 191-113-2)

Projected Starting QB: Aaron Rodgers (21st Season: 161-92-1)

Last Week: 28-15 W vs. Miami Dolphins (6-8)

Looking Ahead to Week #17: Sunday @ Cleveland Browns (3-11)

 

Your Detroit Lions (8-6)

Head Coach: Dan Campbell (5th Season: 47-34-1)

Projected Starting QB: Jared Goff (10th Season: 89-58-1)

Last Game: 41-34 L @ Los Angeles Rams (11-3)

Looking Ahead to Week #17: Christmas Day (Thursday) @ Minnesota Vikings (6-8)

 

Elsewhere in the NFL

Primetime: Rams @ Seahawks (TNF), Patriots @ Ravens (SNF), 49ers @ Colts (MNF)

Saturday: Eagles @ Commanders (5:00pm), Packers @ Bears (8:20pm)

1:00pm: Bills @ Browns, Chargers @ Cowboys, Chiefs @ Titans, Bengals @ Dolphins, Jets @ Saints, Vikings @ Giants, Buccaneers @ Panthers

4:05/4:25pm: Jaguars @ Broncos, Falcons @ Cardinals, Raiders @ Texans

[lordstanley]

I’ll be cheering for the Bears to have beaten Green Bay the day before. The Lions aren’t trying to break a making the playoffs drought, they’re trying to break a making the Super Bowl drought. Easier to do that as a #3 seed with at least home game than as a #7 seed needing to face 3 top opponents on the road. A Packers loss keeps Lions’ division title hopes alive. If that means the Lions could go 11-6 and still miss the playoffs all together,so be it. 

[MichiganCardinal]

2 hours ago, lordstanley said:

I’ll be cheering for the Bears to have beaten Green Bay the day before. The Lions aren’t trying to break a making the playoffs drought, they’re trying to break a making the Super Bowl drought. Easier to do that as a #3 seed with at least home game than as a #7 seed needing to face 3 top opponents on the road. A Packers loss keeps Lions’ division title hopes alive. If that means the Lions could go 11-6 and still miss the playoffs all together,so be it. 

An interesting wrinkle: if the Lions beat the Steelers and the Ravens beat the Patriots, the Week #17 game between the Ravens and Packers will mean nothing for the Ravens. Both the Ravens and Steelers would be 8-7 and no matter what, it would come down to Week #18 when they play each other.

[lordstanley]

24 minutes ago, MichiganCardinal said:

An interesting wrinkle: if the Lions beat the Steelers and the Ravens beat the Patriots, the Week #17 game between the Ravens and Packers will mean nothing for the Ravens. Both the Ravens and Steelers would be 8-7 and no matter what, it would come down to Week #18 when they play each other.

Hmm, that is interesting. Well then, I'll cheer for the Patriots to beat the Ravens because the Ravens beating the Packers is a key part of my hope. 

[Mr.TaterSalad]

1 hour ago, MichiganCardinal said:

An interesting wrinkle: if the Lions beat the Steelers and the Ravens beat the Patriots, the Week #17 game between the Ravens and Packers will mean nothing for the Ravens. Both the Ravens and Steelers would be 8-7 and no matter what, it would come down to Week #18 when they play each other.

But what if they tie in week 18?

[lordstanley]

Erick Hallett won't be playing safety for the Lions this weekend. Tennessee Titans took him away.

[GalagaGuy]

Browsing reddit, I saw a great idea for the next Lions TD celebration.  Whoever scores runs over and takes a knee at the 1 yard line while the other players all signal TD.   🤣

[Motown Bombers]

 

[MichiganCardinal]

Kerby Joseph needs to come out on the field on a pair of crutches and intercept Rodgers one more time.

[lordstanley]

37 minutes ago, GalagaGuy said:

Browsing reddit, I saw a great idea for the next Lions TD celebration.  Whoever scores runs over and takes a knee at the 1 yard line while the other players all signal TD.   🤣

There's probably an obscure NFL rule just for the Lions that if you exit the end zone on your own accord and re-enter the field of play you are continuing the process of the play so if you then take a knee at the 1 the points will be taken away and you'll be marked down.

[Tigeraholic1]

Bogger flip celly will be treated to a penalty going forward per NFL.....

[Sports_Freak]

On 12/17/2025 at 10:03 AM, GalagaGuy said:

Browsing reddit, I saw a great idea for the next Lions TD celebration.  Whoever scores runs over and takes a knee at the 1 yard line while the other players all signal TD.   🤣

I hope the Lions see that, it would be great. Probably fined but fans would love it.

[Sports_Freak]

On 12/17/2025 at 11:26 AM, Tigeraholic1 said:

Bogger flip celly will be treated to a penalty going forward per NFL.....

Good. Next they should put an end to players leaping over other players. The NFL has to protect these players from themselves.

[MichiganCardinal]