An old nemesis returns. The Detroit Lions host the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 16 as Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers faces off against his old divisional rival, possibly for the final time. In their last matchup, the Lions sent Rodgers packing out of Green Bay, ending their playoff hopes in 2022. Since then, Rodgers has switched teams twice and is now trying to lead the Steelers into the playoffs in 2025. With the Lions back up against the wall, they’re hoping to not only keep their playoff hopes intact but possibly send Rodgers into retirement with one more loss to Detroit.
”Steelers, man. Got a lot of respect for this team, got a lot of respect for Mike Tomlin, been doing it for a long time, heck of a coach,” said Lions head coach Dan Campbell. “Their brand of football, same style, always competitive. And once again, they’re in the race for this division over there. They do it the right way, they do it the hard way, and they make you try to earn it at the end of the game. So, we know this’ll be one of those physical battles. We’ve got to play smart, take care of the football, and be very efficient. But he’s always run a good program, and we know we’ve got our hands full.”
Here’s a look at our Pride of Detroit staff picks for the Lions in Week 16:
- Brandon Knapp (9-5): Lions 31-20 (Scouting report, Bold prediction)
- Ryan Mathews (9-5): Lions 27-20 (5 Questions)
- Alex Reno (9-5): Lions 31-17
- Ty Schalter (9-5): Lions 35-17
- Zac Snyder (9-5): Lions 40-16
- John Whiticar (9-5): Lions 35-30
- Morgan Cannon (8-6): Lions 34-23 (Before the Roar podcast)
- Erik Schlitt (8-6): Lions 34-24 (Scheme breakdown, Honolulu Blueprint)
- Meko Scott (8-6): Lions 31-24 (Before the Roar podcast)
- Hamza Baccouche (6-5): Lions 30-28
- Kellie Rowe (7-6): Lions 33-21
- Jeremy Reisman (7-7): Lions 24-20 (On Paper)
- Max Gerber (6-7): Lions 21-17 (Before the Roar podcast)
- Al Karsten (6-8): Lions 35-16 (Key stats)
For the rest of what the POD staff predicted for the NFL, look at our full Week 16 predictions: Moneyline, spread, and over/under.
Now, it’s your turn to have your voice heard. Share what you think the game score will be in the comment section at the bottom of the page and vote in the poll directly below. Will the Lions keep their playoff dreams alive, or will Aaron Rodgers get the last laugh over Detroit before retirement?
Use this link to vote: https://poll.fm/16264457/results
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