The Detroit Lions faced a critical matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, December 21, going head-to-head with an old rival quarterback, Aaron Rodgers. This game was a must-win for the Lions, as their playoff hopes were hanging by a thread.
Following the Chicago Bears’ victory over the Green Bay Packers on Saturday, December 20, the NFC North standings saw the Bears at the top with the Packers close behind. This made the Steelers game an essential opportunity for the Lions to keep their postseason dreams alive.
### Lions Fight Hard but Fall Short in Controversial Finish
The Lions played their hearts out at Ford Field, displaying grit and determination, but it wasn’t enough. The game ended with a controversial call: a Lions touchdown was ruled no good due to an offensive pass interference penalty involving Amon-Ra St. Brown pushing Jalen Ramsey during his route. This call nullified what would have been a crucial score, leading to the final score of 29-24 in favor of the Steelers.
With the loss, Detroit’s season record dropped to 8-7, dealing a significant blow to head coach Dan Campbell and the team. What makes this even more frustrating is that the Lions possess some of the league’s top talent based on statistics and performance metrics, yet they have struggled to find consistent chemistry throughout the 2025-26 season.
Adding to the sting is the fact that this pivotal game came against their longtime rival Aaron Rodgers, who played a key role in dashing their playoff hopes.
### Detroit Lions Playoff Chances After the Steelers Game
Before facing the Steelers, the Lions had about a 20% chance of making the playoffs, according to the NFL’s statistics and research. A win would have bumped that probability up to 40%, but the loss caused their playoff chances to plummet to a mere 5%.
Technically, the Lions are not out of contention yet, but it would take nothing short of a miracle for them to make the postseason at this point.
### The Controversial Ending Leaves Fans Confused
The ending of the game sparked confusion and debate among fans and analysts alike. The final offensive pass interference call on Amon-Ra St. Brown pushed Jalen Ramsey during his route, which nullified the game-tying touchdown.
One fan took to X (formerly Twitter) to express their bafflement:
“I was all kinds of confused on the final play of the Steelers-Lions game.”
Another user replied, “Everyone was. And still is.”
### Dan Campbell Knew the Steelers Game Was Crucial
Lions head coach Dan Campbell acknowledged the importance of the Steelers matchup well before kickoff. Speaking to the press after a previous loss to the Rams, Campbell stressed the need to improve before facing Pittsburgh.
> “We got to get better with Pittsburgh coming into town. We got to play better,” Campbell said.
> “And now we know, you now have firsthand knowledge of what probably the top of the NFC looks like right now. That’s them. So now you know what it looks like.”
Campbell was frank about the team’s current standing:
> “You know what it is. And we’re not there right now. Doesn’t mean we can’t be. But now we know what it looks like. And you got to get better. We got to get better. We got to move on. Can’t sulk about it, can’t feel sorry for ourselves. We make the corrections and we move on.”
He also emphasized the team’s mindset heading into the Steelers game:
> “I don’t believe for one second anybody’s lost confidence. We just know we’re doing a good job of taking care of the ball. We’re getting some takeaways. We need to get a couple more. And then, we got to play for three quarters, man.”
Realizing the need to maintain consistency, Campbell added:
> “We got to play high level. Excuse me, four quarters. Instead of that third quarter, that was a stinker. We got to do it for four. So, we got three to go here. We don’t control our own destiny, but we need to win these three. And it starts with Pittsburgh at home.”
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The Lions find themselves at a critical crossroads. With only a handful of games remaining in the regular season, they must overcome challenges on and off the field if they hope to keep their playoff aspirations alive. Fans and players alike will be watching closely to see if Detroit can turn things around and finish the season strong.
https://heavy.com/sports/nfl/detroit-lions/bad-news-after-loss-steelers/
