The Pittsburgh Steelers head to Ford Field for a crucial Week 16 matchup against the Detroit Lions, both teams at 8-6. With key players sidelined by injuries, the Steelers are focusing on defensive strategies to contain Detroit's potent offense. Coach Mike Tomlin highlighted Lions linebacker Jack Campbell as a major threat.
Pittsburgh enters the game as AFC North leaders, while the Lions sit third in the NFC North, 1.5 games behind Green Bay and fighting for playoff positioning. The contest kicks off at 4:25 p.m. ET on Sunday, offering the Steelers a chance to build momentum after back-to-back wins over Baltimore and Miami.
Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin reserved special praise for Lions inside linebacker Jack Campbell, calling him "a monster" on The Mike Tomlin Show. "He’s got great football character, he’s smart, he’s tough. He’s a good blitzer. He’s a highly productive tackler. He’s the straw that stirs their defensive drink," Tomlin said. The Steelers scouted Campbell heavily pre-draft but selected offensive tackle Broderick Jones instead; Campbell was taken No. 18 overall by Detroit. This season, Campbell boasts an 89.2 Pro Football Focus grade, 56 run stops, and 15 blitz pressures across 913 snaps.
Injury woes plague both sides. For Pittsburgh, outside linebacker T.J. Watt remains out with a partially collapsed lung, Nick Herbig is sidelined by a hamstring issue—downgraded to out Saturday—and guard Isaac Seumalo misses time due to a triceps injury. Cornerback James Pierre (calf) is also inactive. The team elevated offensive lineman Jack Driscoll and cornerback Daryl Porter from the practice squad for depth, with rookie Derrick Harmon returning from a knee injury. Joey Porter Jr. emerges as an X-factor in the secondary, allowing just a 47.1% completion rate and 54.3 passer rating in coverage this year.
The Lions activated offensive lineman Christian Mahogany from injured reserve amid questions for Taylor Decker, Graham Glasgow, and Trystan Colon. Safety Kerby Joseph went to IR with a knee injury, joining Brian Branch (Achilles) and Terrion Arnold (shoulder) on the shelf. They elevated Kingsley Eguakun and Giovanni Ricci for added depth.
Analysts like Charles Robinson warn of Detroit's offensive firepower, suggesting they could score 40-50 points against a Steelers defense that has feasted on struggling foes lately. Pittsburgh's keys include capping Lions scoring under 24 points—Detroit averages 30.6 overall, 33.7 at home—limiting the run game of Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery (1,735 combined yards, 21 TDs) to below 100 yards, excelling in the red zone where both teams rank top-three offensively, mounting a ground attack despite being 28th in rushing, and generating big plays while containing Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams (2,076 yards, 18 TDs combined).
A win could solidify Pittsburgh's division lead and playoff path, though they could clinch later against Baltimore.
