The Detroit Lions are barely holding onto their playoff hopes in the NFC heading into Week 16. Detroit is 8-6 after a devastating loss against LA on Sunday that significantly hurt their chances of making the postseason. Now the Lions are no longer in complete control of their own destiny. Not only do they need to win out the regular season to make the playoffs, but they also need some help along the way.
Detroit currently has only a 27% chance to make the playoffs according to The Athletic's playoff simulator. It is far too early for Lions fans to look at what help they need to get into the postseason. Detroit simply needs to win the next game in front of them, as Jared Goff has made clear this week.
Thankfully, there are a few reasons for optimism ahead of this big game.
The Lions do not lose back-to-back games during the Dan Campbell era. In fact, the last time Detroit lost consecutive games was in October of 2022 when they went on a five-game losing streak.
That stat is wild to me because it perfectly coincides with the Lions turning a corner. After that five-game losing streak, they won eight of their next 10 games and nearly made the playoffs.
Detroit is also playing at home, so weather won't have any impact on their high-powered offense.
So will the Lions get back in the win column on Sunday? Or will their impressive streak come to an end with a second consecutive loss?
Below we will explore three Lions bold predictions ahead of their Week 16 matchup against the Steelers.
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Jared Goff does his best Trevor Lawrence impression, passes for five touchdowns
The Lions have taken a step back in 2025, but Goff is still quietly having an excellent season.
The veteran quarterback has thrown for 3,672 passing yards with 29 touchdowns and just five interceptions on the season. Goff's game does not look flashy on tape, but the numbers don't lie. He is a productive franchise quarterback in the NFL.
If Detroit's offensive line has a good day at the office, Goff can pick almost any NFL defense apart. That should be on the table in Week 16.
The Steelers have one of the worst statistical defenses in the NFL, allowing an average of 363.3 yards per game. That ranks 28th in the NFL. That is surprising after Pittsburgh went all in on upgrading their defense this offseason.
I can see Goff doing his best Trevor Lawrence impression against a weak Steelers defense.
I'm predicting that Goff will throw for five touchdowns against the Steelers. Surely that would be enough offensive production to get a win for the Lions.
Fun fact: the last time Goff had that many passing touchdowns in one game was Week 2 against the Bears.
Jahmyr Gibbs rebounds with great performance, but can't find the end zone
It was surprising to see Gibbs play such a poor game in Week 15.
The Rams limited Gibbs to just 13 carries for 38 yards, plus four receptions for 20 receiving yards. It was Gibbs' worst performance in weeks and Detroit couldn't overcome it.
If the Lions want to dominate against the Steelers, then they'll need to get Gibbs back on track. But they'll need to do so in a way where Gibbs does not become the entire offense.
If Goff really does pass for five touchdowns, that could suggest that Gibbs has a bigger rushing game than receiving game. But as long as he gets his yards, Detroit's offense should be just fine.
I'm predicting that Gibbs has a good game against the Steelers, gaining at least 175 all-purpose yards. However, I believe that he won't score a touchdown despite all of his offensive production.
It would certainly be surprising if Gibbs played well and did not find the end zone.
Lions defense sacks Aaron Rodgers three times, Detroit wins blowout
Detroit's biggest weakness over the past few seasons has been their defense.
The Lions have struggled to slow down their opponents once again this season, which puts pressure on their offense to play a perfect game. But when Detroit plays a good defensive game, they almost always win.
Naturally, that makes me think that Detroit's defense will be the key to this game.
This could be the last time that the Lions play a game against QB Aaron Rodgers. That alone could be plenty of motivation to put together a special defensive game.
I'm predicting that Detroit's defense will sack Aaron Rodgers at least three times on Sunday. They will also force at least one turnover.
If Detroit's defense shows up on Sunday, then this game could be a blowout.
