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]

 

[Sports_Freak]

 

[Motown Bombers]

 

[Sports_Freak]

 

[MichiganCardinal]

Lots going in the Lions favor for this one. They're coming off a loss while the Steelers are coming off a short week. Lions also need to win out while the Steelers will likely be in a win-and-you're-in game against the Ravens in Week #18 no matter what.

Steelers are going to be missing their MVP TJ Watt and their second best edge rusher Nick Herbig. Those two combine for a third of the Steelers sacks this year. Goff should have time.

On the offensive side the Steelers will be starting a 3rd string journeyman at LT who is fresh out of concussion protocol. Next to him at LG will be a 2023 7th round pick who has been forced into starting duties often this year. They're protecting an immobile aging QB who has turned into a check down king, averaging just 2.4 air yards per pass attempt, the lowest in the NFL. (For context, the next lowest is Geno Smith at 2.9 and the league average is 3.7; Rodgers in this regard has decreased every year since 2020).

I think the Lions win this handily. If they don't it'll be as frustrating as the Giants game with the secondary getting torched and Goff throwing a pick or two. The Steelers are worse than their record indicates. They are well coached but lacking in talent and rely heavily on other teams missing tackles on those check downs and making mistakes of their own. Their +10 turnover differential is 5th best in the league.

Take care of the gah damn ball and we'll be on to the next one. Go Colts, Go Patriots.

Lions 41
Steelers 24

[Sports_Freak]

On 12/16/2025 at 2:09 PM, 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.

So the Lions need the Patriots to beat Baltimore tonight? Just so the Ravens have to beat Green Bay next week?

[Mr.TaterSalad]

We have a practice squad guy starting at Center . . . YIKES!

[Mr.TaterSalad]

Looks like we'll have backups starting at both interior Guard spots too. Have they announced that Mahogany is going to start today?

[Motown Bombers]

Mahogany is active so I would imagine he’s starting. 

[Mr.TaterSalad]

This offense and Jared Goff are so predicated on timing, rhythm, running the ball, and protection up front.  No Glasgow, no Colon, and who knows what with Mahogany could be trouble for this offense. The interior of this offensive line has been an on again/off again issue for the team. Hopefully it is not today.

[Hongbit]

I think not having Glasgow and Colon could lead to an improvement on the OL.

[number20]

Blueberries