Wild Steelers-Lions finish was a ‘dream’ for Joey Porter Jr.

It was a nail-biter in Detroit, but the Pittsburgh Steelers came out on top, surviving a chaotic finish and defeating the Lions 29-24 in Week 16. After an extended officials’ conference on the final play, an offensive pass interference penalty against Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown ended the game and handed the Steelers their third straight win.

Detroit, behind by 12 points twice in the fourth quarter after Jaylen Warren’s twin 45-yard touchdown runs, made a strong run at the end. On fourth-and-goal from the nine-yard line, quarterback Jared Goff threw to St. Brown at the goal line. The 26-year-old caught the ball but was in the grasp of two Pittsburgh defenders before lateraling back to Goff, who ran into the end zone. Initially appearing to be a game-winning touchdown, officials ruled the touchdown valid but nullified it due to an offensive pass interference penalty against St. Brown for pushing off on Jalen Ramsey earlier in the route. Because the penalty occurred with no time left, the game ended immediately.

Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr. was directly involved in the game-altering moment, making the initial hit on St. Brown short of the goal line. Had the officials ruled St. Brown’s forward progress stopped instead of enforcing the penalty, Porter’s tackle at the goal line would have decided the game.

“When we heard ball game at the end. I knew he didn’t get in,” said Porter Jr. after the win. “You dream of those moments, the fact that I got to play that, that was dope. I will be thinking about that all night.”

Steelers CB Joey Porter Jr on the crazy ending of that win pic.twitter.com/uKv3aPZuWS

— Chris Adamski (@C_AdamskiTrib) December 22, 2025

The victory improved Pittsburgh to 9–6 and kept them atop the AFC North. Under head coach Mike Tomlin, the Steelers have now finished at least .500 in all 19 of his seasons, extending a franchise streak that dates back to 2003. Pittsburgh also remained unbeaten when leading by 12 or more points in the fourth quarter, moving that record to 104-0-1.

Defense ruled the day for Pittsburgh as they held the Lions to a mere 15 total yards. Jahmyr Gibbs carried seven times for two yards, while David Montgomery finished with 14 yards on four attempts. Detroit’s inefficiency on the ground contributed to a difficult afternoon for Goff through three quarters, though he ultimately finished 34-of-54 for 364 yards, three touchdowns, and a safety.

The Steelers offense produced 481 total yards, including 230 rushing yards. Jaylen Warren led all rushers with two 45-yard touchdown runs in the fourth quarter, finishing with 143 yards on 14 carries. Those scores helped Pittsburgh build separate 12-point leads at 22–10 and 29–17. Kenneth Gainwell contributed 50 rushing yards on nine carries and caught five passes for 78 yards, including a 45-yard touchdown with two seconds left in the first half on a tipped, off-balance reception.

Quarterback Aaron Rodgers completed 27 of 41 passes for 266 yards and one touchdown, posting a 92.1 passer rating without a turnover. The Steelers controlled the clock with a 34:06 to 25:54 advantage in time of possession and outgained the Lions 481–361 overall.

For the Lions, the loss dropped them to 8–7 and significantly reduced their playoff chances. Detroit will need wins over Minnesota on Christmas Day and Chicago in the regular-season finale, along with help elsewhere, to remain in contention.

Meanwhile, Pittsburgh is now on the brink of winning the AFC North. With the Baltimore Ravens losing to the New England Patriots, the Steelers need just one more win or a Baltimore loss to secure the division. A Ravens loss against the Green Bay Packers would crown the Pittsburgh division champs before their Week 17 matchup with the Cleveland Browns. If Baltimore wins and the Steelers lose to Cleveland, the division would come down to a winner-take-all showdown in Week 18 in Pittsburgh.

The post Wild Steelers-Lions finish was a ‘dream’ for Joey Porter Jr. appeared first on ClutchPoints.