By Moses Joshua 
With Detroit’s postseason hopes hanging by a thread, Sunday’s matchup at Ford Field demands urgency, precision, and accountability from the Lions’ most scrutinized contributors.
The Detroit Lions know exactly what kind of test awaits them in Week 16. A Mike Tomlin–coached Steelers team rarely beats itself, and in a game with playoff consequences for both sides, Detroit cannot afford passengers.
This is the type of matchup where details matter — field position, coverage discipline, and trench play. For the Lions to keep their season alive, three players in particular must rise to the moment.
Special Teams Under the Microscope
Jake Bates Must Be Automatic
In tight, physical games, kickers often decide outcomes. That reality places a bright spotlight on Jake Bates.
Bates has been dependable for most of the season, converting 21 of 27 field-goal attempts and 49 of 51 extra points. He even etched his name into team history earlier this year with a 59-yard field goal against the Giants.
But the misses have started to mount. Six missed field goals this season — including a costly 43-yarder in last week’s loss to the Rams — have shifted the conversation.
Against Pittsburgh, perfection isn’t required. Reliability is. If Detroit stalls in the red zone, Bates must make sure those drives still produce points.
The Secondary Can’t Leak Anymore
D.J. Reed Needs a Bounce-Back Game
The Lions’ pass defense has been stretched thin in recent weeks, and D.J. Reed has been right in the middle of it.
Since Week 12, Reed and Amik Robertson have allowed more receiving yards than any other cornerback duo in the league. Reed alone has surrendered 302 yards in coverage during that span, including difficult outings against CeeDee Lamb and Puka Nacua.
Now comes another daunting assignment: Steelers wideout D.K. Metcalf, Aaron Rodgers’ most trusted target. Metcalf leads Pittsburgh with 808 receiving yards and six touchdowns, and he thrives on physical matchups.
Detroit didn’t sign Reed to merely survive these moments. They signed him to win them. Sunday is a chance to reset the narrative.
The Interior Must Hold the Line
Alim McNeill Has to Reassert Himself
Alim McNeill’s return from a torn ACL was always going to take time, but the Lions now need impact — not patience.
Since coming back, McNeill has logged modest production and currently carries a 51.8 overall Pro Football Focus grade, well below his 2024 mark. His run defense, in particular, has slipped, an issue that looms large against a Steelers offense that thrives on physicality.
Still, Detroit’s coaching staff hasn’t wavered in its belief.
“Listen, I have all the faith in the world in Alim,” defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard said this week. “He’s done good things for us, but it is time for him to kind of kick in as far as being that impactful three technique that we all know he can be.”
If McNeill can collapse the pocket and disrupt Pittsburgh’s interior, it could change the complexion of the game.
The Bottom Line
This isn’t about potential anymore. It’s about performance.
Detroit doesn’t need heroics from everyone — just dependability from the players counted on most. If Jake Bates steadies the special teams, D.J. Reed tightens coverage, and Alim McNeill regains his disruptive presence, the Lions can match Pittsburgh’s toughness and keep their playoff hopes alive.
If not, another opportunity may slip quietly out the door at Ford Field.