Lions, Steelers playoff chances go in opposite directions after wild Week 16 finish

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Lions, Steelers playoff chances go in opposite directions after wild Week 16 finish

Steve Silverman, ClutchPoints · ClutchPoints

Mon, Dec 22, 2025 ·

5 min read

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The Detroit Lions were one of the co-favorites to represent the NFC and play in their first Super Bowl at the start of the 2025 season. The Pittsburgh Steelers were looked at as a playoff hopeful after they signed 42-year-old Aaron Rodgers to play quarterback, but no better than a longshot to win the AFC North title. The Baltimore Ravens and Cincinnati Bengals looked like significantly better teams.

The reality of the situation is that the Lions (8-7) are struggling badly and will likely need to beat the Minnesota Vikings (7-8) to stay out of last place in the NFC North. There is still an outside chance that they could catch the Green Bay Packers for the final playoff spot, but Dan Campbell 's team has fallen hard and is not likely to get up.

The Steelers walked into Ford Field and outplayed the Lions for the large majority of the game and then held on in the late stages of the 4th quarter to register a 29-24 triumph. The Steelers improved their record to 9-6 with the win, while the second-place Ravens are now 7-8 after losing to the New England Patriots .

The only way Mike Tomlin and the Steelers lose the division title is if they lose to the Cleveland Browns in Week 17 while the Ravens win on the road against the Green Bay Packers and then beat the Steelers at Heinz Field in the final game of the season.

The Lions have fallen apart in the last month while the Steelers are surging with 3 victories in a row.

Lions troubles start with coaching decisions, defections and injuries

The window appears to be closing on the Lions . This team made a major statement in the 2023 season and their surge continued last year. However, they were unable to get past the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC title game when they were viewed as "up and coming" two years ago and injuries did them in against the upstart Washington Commanders in last year's playoffs.

Offensive coordinator Ben Johnson left to become head coach of the Chicago Bears and the team has missed his creativity quite a bit this season. The same holds with the loss of defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn to the New York Jets on the other side of the ball. He inspired his players to leave it all on the field on every play and that characteristic is missing this season.

Then there's head coach Dan Campbell. He turned the Lions into an aggressive, go-for-the-throat team in his first four years with the team, but going for it on every fourth-down play is not a winning formula. There are times when it is better to punt or kick field goals, and Campbell's bully tendencies have come back to bite him this season.

The Lions are fighting to stay out of last place. If the Vikings (7-8) can beat them on their homefield on Christmas Day, Minnesota will escape the cellar and change places with Detroit.

That would be one of the most shocking developments of the season. The Lions still have Jared Goff , Amon-Ra St. Brown , Jahmyr Gibbs and Aidan Hutchinson . There is no way this team should be in this position. However, the Lions have suffered a myriad of injuries and have failed in 4 of their last 6 games, including 2 losses in a row at the most crucial point of the season

Steelers overcome weaknesses and rise in AFC North

Mandatory Credit: Mitch Stringer-Imagn Images

After a sharp start to the season that saw the Steelers win 4 of their first 5 games, the Steelers struggled badly in the middle portion of the schedule. They would lose 5 of their next 7 games as the offense looked ordinary and the defense fell apart.

Defense has been the identity of this team for generations, but the Steelers were at or near the bottom of the rankings throughout the majority of the season. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers was trying to keep the team from drowning, but the struggles were real.

But just when it looked like the season was about to get flushed away, the Steelers have found their stride with consecutive victories over the Baltimore Ravens, Miami Dolphins and the Lions and have taken command of the AFC North.

If Tomlin can coax a win out of his team at Cleveland Sunday, the Steelers will clinch the division title a week before the regular-season finale at home against the Ravens.

Rodgers was decent throughout the first 3 quarters of the season, but he has picked it up dramatically during the winning streak. He has completed 275 of 412 passes for 2,860 yards with 23 TDs and 7 interceptions.

He has a go-to playmaker in running back Kenneth Gainwell who has rushed for 501 yards, 4 TDs and a 4.91 yards per carry average along with 62 receptions for 410 yards and 3 TDs. His TD reception at the end of the first half against the Lions is one of the plays of the year, as he caught the ball on the turf, picked himself up and ran into the end zone untouched.

T.J. Watt is the Steelers' best defensive player, but he been out the last two games as a result of a partially collapsed lung. If the Steelers are going to make any noise in the postseason, they will need Watt back in the lineup.

Tomlin's Steelers have come through when their backs were to the wall. They are about to overachieve and win the division.

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