Photo: Jeff Nguyen, Detroit Lions
Photo by Jeff Nguyen
The Detroit Lions, who used three different offensive centers Sunday and looked like anything but a playoff team lost a thriller in the final seconds to the Pittsburgh Steelers, 29–24, in what many described as a must-win game.
It was the first time since October 2022 that the Lions—whose running game was almost nonexistent—lost two games in a row.
Though still not mathematically eliminated, it would take a miracle for the 8–7 Lions to make the playoffs. Green Bay only needs to win one of two remaining games to eliminate Detroit.
Simply put, the Lions haven’t been great this season. Even if they had beaten Pittsburgh and made the playoffs, they wouldn't have gone very far. Their trajectory has been going south for a while now.
Blame the season on key injuries. Blame it on a bad offensive line or a defensive line or a depleted backfield. Whatever the case, don’t expect to see the Lions in the playoffs this year. And even if by some miracle they make it, they won't go far.
On Sunday at Ford Field, the offensive line failed to open holes for the running backs. In the third quarter, the Lions ran only three plays, one of which resulted in a safety. The defense, which is missing key starters, also gave up too many big plays.
In the end, it looked as if the Lions might pull it off. But a series of last-minute penalties in the final drive, and ultimately an offensive interference call in the final seconds, negated a touchdown that would have given the Lions a miracle victory.
The truth is, the loss shouldn’t come as a shock to many Lions fans, who began tempering their expectations as the Lions chalked up far too many losses this season.
Bottom line: The Lions need to make big improvements next season, particularly on the offensive line. Without that, they can’t win. Period. (Hello Frank Ragnow).
And they have to figure out a way to avoid losing so many defensive starters, as they have over the past two seasons.
Fickle fans might start cannibalizing Coach Dan Campbell or GM Brad Holmes or quarterback Jared Goff for what ulimately looks like a failed season. Some fans have a way of turning on players and coaches when the team starts losing. The fan-love is pretty transactional: Win or else we won't love you anymore.
Truth is, it's premature to harbor such sentiments against the team which still has a star-studded cast. It needs fixes, but it's not totally broken.
The Lions could be a contender next year with the right moves in the off season and during the draft.
Here's what other sports writers had to say:
Carlos Monarrez,, Detroit Free Press:
After the Lions lost by a touchdown last week to the Rams, I was willing to give them the benefit of the doubt. It’s tough to beat a really good team on the road. But getting punched in the mouth by a mediocre Steelers team at home is inexcusable. They couldn’t run the ball, didn't get in an offensive rhythm until late in the fourth quarter and couldn’t stop the Steelers on two big touchdown runs.
Rainer Sabin, Detroit Free Press:
Gibbs has been among the Lions’ most explosive playmakers this season. An argument can be made that he was responsible for at least two of the Lions eight victories – a 24-9 triumph over Tampa Bay and a 34-27 overtime conquest of the New York Giants. But through the first three quarters, he was his way to one of the the worst performances of his career. As it turned out, it wasn’t terrible. Still, it was underwhelming. He produced just 68 yards of total offense – 48 in the fourth quarter, when the Lions were in desperation mode.
The Lions' offense was an unmitigated disaster in the biggest game of the season, and the Lions' defense couldn't get a stop when the team needed it most. Detroit was gashed on the ground for 8.5 yards per carry and gave up three touchdowns of exactly 45 yards, including two 45-yard runs by Steelers running back Jaylen Warren.
Jared Goff was clearly uncomfortable behind some shoddy protection, being pressured on a little more than 40% of his dropbacks. Goff didn't throw an interception, but four times he put the ball in harm's way — to be fair, the worst instance of a turnover-worthy play came on third-and-long as Detroit's offense was spiraling, and there may have been some miscommunication between Goff and receivers Jameson Williams and Isaac TeSlaa. Goff finished with 34 completions on 54 pass attempts for 364 yards and three touchdowns. He wasn't a difference-maker, nor was he the chief problem in a loss that neutralizes almost any remaining hope for a playoff spot. Grade: C+
A chaotic finish near the end of a chaotic season, that’s how it had to unfold, of course. It culminated with the Lions looking bewildered, wondering what happened to the touchdown they thought they’d just scored, what happened to their stirring rally, what happened to their stirring season?
Bewildering and befitting.
The Lions never got a grasp on Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers Sunday, their defense again never got a grasp on anyone, and now everything is slipping away. The final play will be frozen and framed in the Lions’ Museum of Misery, after they thought they’d pulled out a miraculous victory, only to learn it was a mirage.
Mitch Albom, Detroit Free Press:
Look, sooner or later, a house of sticks is going to crumble. For weeks, the Lions have been trying to fortify their playoff hopes with second-stringers, third-stringers and new arrivals. They’ve altered the offense to cover holes for countless injured linemen and tight ends. . They’ve altered the defense to cover weak spots left by the injured Kerby Joseph, Brian Branch, and Terrion Arnold. Every time they lost to a top team, the Lions tinkered, tweaked, and rallied to beat the next opponent.
But you can only move pieces around so much before talent diminishes and confusion reigns. On Sunday, Dec. 21, in a game they absolutely had to win, the Lions were laying their biggest egg of the season, including a third quarter that saw them run a total of three offensive plays, the last of which was a sack of Goff in the end zone for a safety. Then, finally, well into the fourth quarter, they scrambled back as only they can do.
