ClutchPoints
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.
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...
