Lions most to blame for backbreaking Week 16 loss to Steelers

The Detroit Lions didn’t lose to the Pittsburgh Steelers because of one penalty at the end. That moment will live in infamy. However, it shouldn’t obscure the truth. The Lions put themselves in position to be undone long before the final lateral ever left Amon-Ra St. Brown’s hands. In a game that swung violently on momentum and missed assignments, Detroit repeatedly gave Pittsburgh openings. Of course, the Steelers took every one of them. By the time the clock expired at Ford Field, the Lions weren’t just lamenting a heartbreaking finish. They were staring at a loss that exposed some uncomfortable flaws at the worst possible time.

Week 16 recap

The Lions suffered a gut-wrenching 29–24 loss in a chaotic Week 16 matchup. The game ended in controversy when quarterback Jared Goff appeared to score the game-winning touchdown on a broken-play lateral from St. Brown. Unfortunately, the play was nullified by an offensive pass interference penalty on St. Brown. That crushing moment capped a furious Detroit comeback after trailing by 12 points late in the fourth quarter. The deficit arose largely from two explosive 45-yard touchdown runs from Steelers running back Jaylen Warren. He finished with a career-high 143 rushing yards. Despite Goff’s massive passing output of 364 yards and three touchdowns, the Lions’ offense was painfully one-dimensional. They produced just 15 total rushing yards. That imbalance proved decisive in Detroit’s second straight loss.

Here we’ll try to look at and discuss the Detroit Lions most to blame for their week 16 loss to the Steelers.

Offensive line

If there was a unit that consistently undermined Detroit all night, it was the offensive line. What should have been a stabilizing presence instead became a liability.

Christian Mahogany’s return from injured reserve was anything but smooth. Early in the game, he flat-out whiffed on an assignment during the opening drive. That led to a Goff sack that immediately stalled momentum and forced a punt. The mistakes didn’t stop there.

In the third quarter, Mahogany failed to pick up a Kyle Dugger stunt. That allowed a free rusher to get to Goff for a safety. In a game decided by five points, those two points loomed enormous.

Tate Ratledge also struggled alongside him. The right guard repeatedly failed to pass off defenders. He allowed pressure through the A-gap and killed any hope of establishing a run game. Late in the fourth quarter, Ratledge committed a false start that derailed a critical drive. Within minutes, the Lions were suddenly down 12. Detroit paltry rushing yards output tells the story of a line that lost the trenches quite badly.

CB Alex Anzalone

Alex Anzalone is usually one of the Lions’ emotional anchors. Against Pittsburgh, though, he was a focal point for all the wrong reasons.

The Steelers went after him relentlessly, both in coverage and in space. According to in-game PFF tracking, Anzalone allowed seven receptions for 103 yards. Nearly half of that damage came on a disastrous sequence in which he surrendered a long gain to Gainwell. It was compounded by committing defensive pass interference on the same play.

Anzalone often looked a step slow and a step late. Whether matched against running backs or tight ends, he struggled to stay in phase. His instincts, normally a strength, betrayed him as Pittsburgh manipulated matchups and spacing to isolate him.

In a game where Detroit needed discipline and communication at the second level, Anzalone had one of the most difficult outings of his Lions tenure.

RB Jahmyr Gibbs

For one of the league’s most dynamic playmakers, this was a night to forget.

Jahmyr Gibbs’ struggles began almost immediately with an unforced fumble on one of his first touches. Sure, Detroit managed to recover. However, it set the tone for a brutal evening on the ground. Gibbs was repeatedly met behind the line of scrimmage. He finished his first four carries at minus-four yards.

Some of the blame belongs to the offensive line, particularly on the goal line where Gibbs was blown up twice. However, the fumble and several indecisive runs fall squarely on Gibbs. When Detroit tried to lean on him late, he lost three yards. That effectively ended any remaining faith in the run game.

Gibbs salvaged his night somewhat as a receiver. He scored a second-half touchdown through the air. The Lions, though, completely abandoned rushing attempts out of necessity, not design. When your offense becomes that predictable, defenses feast.

CB Amik Robertson

It was a long afternoon for Amik Robertson, and the Steelers made sure of it.

Whoever Robertson covered quickly became Pittsburgh’s preferred option. Whether it was DK Metcalf, Scotty Miller, Darnell Washington, or Adam Thielen, the ball found its way to his side of the field. First downs piled up, and Detroit’s defense stayed on the field far too long.

Robertson wasn’t always out of position, but he was consistently outmatched. He struggled to finish plays at the catch point and failed to disrupt timing routes that Pittsburgh used to control tempo.

In a secondary that needed someone to win their one-on-ones, Robertson simply couldn’t.

Final thoughts

The ending will dominate the highlight reels. The flag will dominate the conversation. That said, the Lions didn’t lose this game on the final play. They lost it over four quarters.

They lost it when the offensive line collapsed, Anzalone was isolated and exploited, Gibbs couldn’t get going, and Robertson became a target. Jared Goff did enough to win. The defense and supporting cast did not. Detroit learned the hard way that when too many cracks appear at once, even a miracle finish isn’t enough to save you.

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