SCOUTING THE LIONS
Last meeting
A 16-16 tie on Nov. 14, 2021 in Pittsburgh
Key matchup
Steelers CB Joey Porter Jr vs. Lions WR Amon-Ra St. Brown
St. Brown is coming off an outing during which, among 80 career games, he had the second-most receiving yards (164) and tied for the second-most catches (13) and touchdowns (two). Porter, according to Pro Football Focus, has not allowed a touchdown in coverage over a span of 23 games dating to early last season.
Key injuries
The Steelers are without starters at outside linebacker (T.J. Watt, lung), left guard (Isaac Seumalo, triceps) and cornerback (James Pierre, calf). The top reserve at outside linebacker, Nick Herbig, is doubtful because of a hamstring ailment. Log snapper Christian Kuntz is questionable. Lions safety Kerby Joseph is missing an eighth consecutive game because of a knee injury, and Detroit cornerback Amik Robertson (hand) is questionable. A trio of Lions starters on the offensive line — tackle Taylor Decker (shoulder), center Graham Glasgow (knee) and guard Christian Mahogany (fibula) — are questionable.
Series record
Steelers lead 17-14-2
Series notes
The Steelers are 6-12 all-time at Detroit but have won both games they have played there since the turn of the century. The Lions have never beaten the Steelers at Ford Field. … The Steelers have lost only one of their past 12 meetings with the Lions, going 10-1-1 over the past 42 years since a 45-3 loss at the Pontiac Silverdome on Thanksgiving Day 1984. … The only defeat to the Lions since was also at the Silverdome and also on Thanksgiving. It is remembered for referee Phil Luckett flubbing Jerome Bettis’ coin toss call before overtime. … The Steelers won just four of the first 17 matchups between the teams, dating from 1934 until a Steelers win in September 1966. Since then, the Steelers are 13-2-1 against the Lions. … Detroit is looking for a sweep of the AFC North in 2025, having beaten the other three teams in consecutive weeks Sept. 22-Oct. 5. … The Steelers are 1-2 against the other NFC North teams this season. … The Steelers’ first game at Ford Field was Super Bowl XL — a 21-10 victory against the Seattle Seahawks on Feb. 5, 2006.
Notable
The Lions lead the NFL in points per game at 30.6. … They have averaged 34.0 over their past four games. … Only nine teams, though, have allowed more points per game (24.6). The Steelers average 24.0 points per game on offense (13th in the league) and allow 23.3, which ranks 18th. … Detroit quarterback Jared Goff is third in the NFL in passing yards (3,672), second in touchdown passes (29), tied for third in yards per attempt (8.1) and tied for second in interception rate (1.1%). … Since he was drafted No. 1 overall in 2016, Goff leads the league in passing yards with 38,730. … Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs is tied for second in the league in rushing yards per attempt (5.5) and rushing touchdowns (13). … Gibbs and David Montgomery have 39 and 33 rushing touchdowns over their three seasons together as a “Sonic and Knuckles” RB duo. They are the first pair of running back teammates to attain 30 or more rush TDs over a three-season span in the Super Bowl era. … Only five sets of teammates in NFL history — regardless of position — have had more games in which each scored a touchdown than Gibbs and Montgomery (20). … Over the past five seasons aggregate (2021-25), Detroit is first in the NFL in total yardage (30,937, or 377.3 per game), second in touchdowns scored (269) and third in points (2,231, or 27.2 per game). … In 26 career games against the Lions, Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers has 6,551 passing yards, 54 touchdown passes, 12 interceptions and a 105.1 passer rating.
Fantasy tip
Gibbs has three games with three touchdowns this season and five games with at least two touchdowns scored this season. St. Brown has four multi-TD games.