Though the Detroit Lions (8-7) nearly pulled off a dramatic rally, the Pittsburgh Steelers (9-6) ultimately delivered a crippling blow to Detroit’s playoff hopes with a 29-24 victory over the Lions from Ford Field in Week 16.
The Lions trailed by 12 inside the game’s final five minutes, but Detroit mounted a charge that included a 4-yard touchdown pass to star running back Jahmyr Gibbs and a potential game-winning drive that navigated all the way to the Pittsburgh 1-yard-line.
In a crazy closing sequence, a pair of Lions go-ahead touchdowns were nullified via penalty, putting Detroit’s playoff hopes on life support.
Here’s a look back at the day’s highlights:
FINAL: Steelers hold off Lions rally, 29-24
The Lions drove down to the Steelers’ 1-yard-line, and it looked like Detroit had the game-winning touchdown into the hands of Amon-Ra St. Brown, but an offensive pass interference on Isaac TeSlaa nullified the score.
After three plays following the first touchdown being nullified, the game ended with a wild sequence that included a second touchdown getting nullified. St. Brown caught a Goff pass, lateraled it back to Goff, who made his way into the end zone.
But, the touchdown was nullified with another offensive pass interference call as time expired.
1:24, 4th Quarter: Lions’ drive stays alive after Steelers DPI
The Lions were down to a 4th-and-2 snap with essentially the season on the line. A Steelers defensive pass interference penalty keeps the drive alive.
2:05, 4th Quarter: Steelers 29, Lions 24. Chris Boswell is NO GOOD from 37 yards
Boswell misses from 37 yards out, pulling his try right and glancing off the right upright no good. The Lions have a chance to drive for the win and a path to keeping their playoff hopes alive.
4:11, 4th Quarter: Steelers 29, Lions 24
Goff directs a swift 10-play, 68-yard touchdown drive that came all via the air. Gibbs capped it with a 4-yard touchdown reception. Lions aren’t done yet. Detroit’s defense has to get the football back, though. The Lions have two timeouts and the two-minute warning remaining.
6:41, 4th Quarter: Steelers 29, Lions 17
Pittsburgh delivers a potentially back-breaking response with another 45-yard touchdown run from Jaylen Warren.
Steelers tight end Jonnu Smith committed an illegal block in the back penalty that backed Rodgers and Pittsburgh up into a 1st-and-20 situation. Rodgers promptly responded with a strike to DK Metcalf to immediately move the chains.
Warren followed with the touchdown run.
8:39, 4th Quarter: Steelers 22, Lions 17
On a must-have series and on a must-have snap, the Lions deliver. Detroit mounts a 10-play, 74-yard touchdown drive that’s capped by a 27-yard touchdown strike to Raymond on a 4th-and-2 snap. The Lions have life.
12:23, 4th Quarter: Steelers 22, Lions 10
Jaylen Warren gets loose for a 45-yard touchdown run and Detroit is now officially in serious, serious danger. The Steelers are outrushing the Lions, 145-18.
14:25, 4th Quarter: Lions’ offense heads backwards once more
It’s a disastrous second half thus far. Detroit’s offense goes three-and-out for the third time today and mixed in a false start to back the set of plays up, too. The Lions have run six offensive plays for -3 yards in the second half. Goff nearly threw an interception on the Lions’ final play of this last series.
14:58, 4th Quarter: Steelers 15, Lions 10
Boswell boots the 23-yard try through the uprights for his second field goal make on the day. The Steelers tack on, but the Lions do keep Pittsburgh out of the end zone.
After an excruciatingly long wait, the Lions’ offense will finally have the football back. It was a 17-play, 64-yard Steelers scoring drive that absorbed 9:44 off the game clock.
END 3rd Quarter: Steelers 12, Lions 10
The Steelers dominate the third quarter, running 25 plays for 128 yards as compared the Lions’ three plays and a safety for -3 yards.
Pittsburgh will attempt a 23-yard Boswell field goal to tack on to begin the fourth quarter. Gut-check time for the Lions’ season.
9:42, 3rd Quarter: Steelers 12, Lions 10
The Steelers regain the lead as Steelers safety Kyle Dugger sacks Goff in the end zone. The Lions inserted a new center in for that series, Michael Niese, and Niese’s snap on the 3rd-and-8 play from the Lions’ 5-yard-line made things difficult for Goff.
Detroit finds the game’s first takeaway
The Lions come up with a major turnover, as safety Thomas Harper stripped the football free from Steelers tight end Darnell Washington. Lions linebacker Jack Campbell recovers the fumble for Detroit and the Lions take over at their own 3-yard-line.
Initially ruled down by contact, the Lions challenged and the call was reversed.
HALFTIME: Lions 10, Steelers 10
After Gainwell’s explosive, shocking score just before halftime, the contest heads to the break knotted at 10 apiece. The Lions lead in total yardage, 167-158.
Goff has completed 15-of-20 passes for 162 yards with the 20-yard touchdown pass to TeSlaa. TeSlaa and Anthony Firkser lead the Lions in receiving with 34 receiving yards apiece. Jameson Williams caught three passes for 33 yards and Amon-Ra St. Brown reeled in three catches for 30 yards.
The Lions haven’t gotten much going on the ground yet. Detroit has run for 18 yards on 11 carries, with running back David Montgomery leading the way with four carries for 14 yards, including a long of 17 yards. Jahmyr Gibbs has six rushes for five yards.
Rodgers has completed 14-of-24 passes for 141 yards and one score. Aidan Hutchinson had a pair of first-half sacks.
The Steelers won the toss, deferred and will have the football to begin the second half.
Lions 10, Steelers 10: Kenneth Gainwell hauls in wacky 45-yard touchdown grab
Steelers running back Kenneth Gainwell hauled in an improbable 45-yard touchdown grab from Rodgers to tie the game up just before halftime.
With Lions linebacker Alex Anzalone already flagged for defensive pass interference, Gainwell somehow came up with the catch as he was rolling along the Ford Field surface. Gainwell wasn’t touched by Anzalone, so he leapt up and raced in the rest of the way to make it a tie game at halftime.
Isaac TeSlaa puts the Lions on top with sensational touchdown grab
Lions rookie wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa hauled in a sensational 20-yard touchdown grab from Goff to give Detroit its first lead of the day.
TeSlaa’s grab capped a 6-play, 62-yard touchdown drive.
Aidan Hutchinson bull rushes to his second sack of the day
Aidan Hutchinson is enjoying a disruptive start to the day, finding his second sack as he bull rushed through the Steelers to drop Rodgers on a 3rd-and-4 snap from the Pittsburgh 27-yard-line.
A 13-yard punt return by Raymond has Detroit setting up shop at its own 38-yard-line.
6:18, 2nd Quarter: Lions go 3-and-out for second time today
For the second time today, the Lions go three-and-out. Detroit’s possession was doomed by a quick 5-yard sack of Goff by Steelers defensive tackle Cameron Heyward. On its second-down snap, Goff couldn’t properly grip the football and he one-hopped the pass to Gibbs.
Lions force a Steelers 3-and-out
After tying the contest up, the Lions promptly respond with a quick defensive three-and-out. The Steelers went with a trio of screens and Detroit sniffed them out and will start this ensuing drive at its own 15-yard-line with an opportunity to once again drive and take the lead.
10:10, 2nd Quarter: Lions 3, Steelers 3
The Lions pull level with the Steelers on an 8-play, 44-yard drive. Jake Bates boots through the 36-yard field goal to put Detroit on the board.
Goff had chunk completions of 21 and 20 yards to Jameson Williams and St. Brown, respectively, to key the scoring drive.
13:30, 2nd Quarter: Lions force Steelers to punt
After Steelers running back Kenneth Gainwell ripped off an 18-yard carry, the Lions’ defense stiffens with Pittsburgh at its own 34-yard-line, forcing the Steelers punt. The Lions get the football back and an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on Pittsburgh on Detroit’s punt return has the Lions in position to start their third possession at their own 38-yard-line.
End 1st Quarter: Steelers 3, Lions 0
After its lengthy second possession, the Lions are outgaining the Steelers at the end of one quarter of play, with 62 yards as compared to Pittsburgh’s 43.
Goff has completed 7-of-9 passes for 57 yards. But, it’s Pittsburgh with the early edge.
2:07, 1st Quarter: Steelers 3, Lions 0. Pittsburgh comes up with goal line stand
Spurred on by a key third-down conversion from receiver Kalif Raymond, the Lions drive from their own 34-yard-line. Detroit comes up empty, though, as Pittsburgh authors a fourth-and-goal stop from the Steelers’ 3-yard-line with Dan Campbell rolling the dice early.
Goff tried to fire in a pass to Amon-Ra St. Brown, but it was broken up and the Lions are still scoreless. David Montgomery had a 17-yard carry to take the Lions down into the red zone and tight end Anthony Firkser had a trio of catches on the drive, including grabs of 18 and 14 yards.
9:21 1st Quarter: Steelers 3, Lions 0
On its first offensive possession, the Steelers drive to the Lions’ 32-yard-line, but an Aidan Hutchinson sack of Aaron Rodgers and then Alex Anzalone getting a hand on Rodgers’ third-down pass puts a halt on Pittsburgh’s opening drive.
Chris Boswell does boot through a 59-yard field goal for the game’s opening points, but the Lions hold Pittsburgh to three and now will embark upon their second drive.
Lions go 3-and-out to start
After a 7-yard completion to Amon-Ra St. Brown, Lions quarterback Jared Goff is dumped on an 8-yard sack by Steelers nose tackle Keeanu Benton. Detroit proceeds to go three-and-out after Jahmyr Gibbs hauls in a pass for no gain on third down.
Steelers win the toss, defer to the second half
Pittsburgh won the toss and deferred to the second half, meaning the Lions’ explosive offense and quarterback Jared Goff have the football first.
Lions’ inactives vs. Steelers
The Lions released their inactives vs. the Steelers, and it’s highlighted by starting center Graham Glasgow getting ruled out with a knee injury. Glasgow’s backup, Trystan Colon, was also ruled out with a wrist injury. Who will Detroit turn to at center with that duo out?
In a series of Saturday moves, Detroit elevated Kingsley Eguakun from its practice squad.
Eguakun, a second-year pro out of Florida, spent the entire 2024 campaign on the Lions’ practice squad, but the 6-foot-3, 305-pound lineman began this season as Detroit’s top reserve at center. Michael Niese, who served as the Lions’ backup center last season, is another name to watch.
Detroit was “hopeful” that starting left guard Christian Mahogany could return to the fold against Pittsburgh. Mahogany was a limited participant on Friday and his game status designation was “questionable,” but Mahogany was activated from the injured reserve on Saturday, paving the way for his return.
Where to watch Lions vs. Steelers
Watch Lions vs. Steelers
TV: CBS
Kickoff Time: 4:25 p.m. ET
Fans can watch the Detroit Lions host the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 16 of the NFL season from Ford Field in Detroit, Mich. The Lions-Steelers game is the nation’s featured game in CBS’ late window. Play-by-play broadcaster Jim Nantz, color analyst Tony Romo and sideline reporter Tracy Wolfson will broadcast the action on CBS from the booth in Detroit.
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This article originally appeared on Lions Wire: Lions’ playoff hopes dealt crippling blow in heartbreaker vs. Steelers
Reporting by Josh Helmer, Lions Wire / Lions Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
