By Ray Porter, Jr. for Urban Media Today
DETROIT, MI–The Pittsburgh Steelers knew that their path to clinching their first AFC North Division title, would mean getting a win against the NFL’s #1 ranked offense in the Detroit Lions, who had been clinging to a spot in the Wild Card Playoffs with an 8-6 record. Like a 12-round boxing match, both teams fought to the finish with the Steelers left standing with the 29-24 victory at Ford Field.
“I’m just so appreciative of the men I work with and the fight that they displayed individually and collectively,” said Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin. “Certainly, wasn’t perfect. A lot of adversity, some of it created by us. But they didn’t blink. That’s what’s required this time of year.”
It wasn’t perfect, and it was certainly full of drama, including at the end in which the Lions were near the goal-line with 6 seconds left when QB Jerrod Goff found WR Amon-Ra St. Brown’s but was stopped short of the of the line and although he lateraled to Goff for an apparent game-winning TD, it was negated due to a pass-interference penalty on St. Brown as he pushed off on Steelers CB Jalen Ramsey, giving the Steelers their 9th win of the season assuring Tomlin of another non-losing season and passing Hall of Fame head coach Chuck Noll as the team’s all-time leader in victories with 200.
“The whole time really. When I heard it was OPI, and that was pretty evident, and we stopped them short of the goal line. I just figured it was going to sort itself out,” said Tomlin.
When PFWA Pool Reporter Nolan Bianchi Interviewed Referee Carl Cheffers about the final play, he gave this explanation: “It is a pretty complex play. We had the original player who had the ball lose possession of the ball. So, we had to decide if that was a fumble or a backwards pass because of course we have restrictions on the recovery of a fumble inside of two minutes. We ruled that it was a backward pass, so the recovering player was able to advance it and that recovering player advanced it for a touchdown. We had to rule on that and then because of the offensive pass interference, it negates the touchdown. Because it is an offensive foul, we do not extend the half. Therefore, there is no score and there is no replay of the down. That’s the way the rule is written.”
Despite the endgame drama, the Steelers stood toe-to-toe with the Lions, especially after tying the game 10-10 on an incredible 45-yard TD pass from QB Aaron Rodgers (27/41, 266 yards) to RB Kenneth Gainwell.
“It was huge,” said Tomlin. “We knew that was a matchup that we wanted. Regardless of circumstance, they kept those two linebackers on the field – they never go dime. Really, it’s a tip of the cap to the quality of players that those backers are. But we like Kenny versus those guys.”
The Steelers took over in the 3rd quarter, even though they only scored 2 points on a Safety by S Kyle Dugger who sacked Goff in their own end zone. They also controlled the ball for over 10 minutes. And then in the 4th quarter, they exploded for 17 points with a FG by Chris Boswell and 2 TD runs by RB Jaylen Warren (14 carries, 143 yards)
“Guys were winning the line of scrimmage and blocking. Just look at the blocks on those plays. I think on the second one, what a block by (Steelers WR) DK (Metcalf) on the perimeter to finish it. From my vantage point, it just looked like guys were blocked. That’s awesome,” said Tomlin.
At one point, the Steelers lead 29-17 with over 6 minutes left in the 4th quarter, but back came Goff and the Lions as they drove 10 plays for 68 yards, finishing with a 4-yard TD pass from Goff (34/54 for 364 yards, 3 TDs) to RB Jahmyr Gibbs, closing the Steelers lead to 29-24. With over 4 minutes left, the Steelers would then storm down the field and get deep into Lions territory, for Boswell to miss a potential game-sealing FG. Back came Goff and Lions which led to the dramatic finish with the Steelers leaving Detroit as the winners.
One of the other keys to the Steelers win was their ability to shut down the Lions run game, holding them to a season-low 15 yards. They also sacked Goff 3 times.
“Just the efforts of the guys. It’s that time of year, man. You’ve got to do that if you want to control ball games. We’ve been working hard at it,” said Tomlin.
With the win, the Steelers are now a win or a Baltimore Ravens (with the loss to New England) loss to clinch their first AFC North Title since 2020. If the Ravens do lose Saturday night, the Steelers will clinch before their game against the Browns Sunday in Cleveland. Regardless of how it happens, the Steelers will be ready.
“We’ll keep pushing because that’s what you got to do this time of year. Win or lose you got to keep pushing and we will. We’re coming in tomorrow to watch the tape. We ain’t got time for victory Mondays and that’s what I told the team,” said Tomlin.
Notes: The Steelers secured their 22nd non-losing season with Sunday’s win.
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