The Detroit Lions are well aware that Sunday’s matchup with the Pittsburgh Steelers will not be an easy task. Teams coached by Mike Tomlin are known for their toughness, attention to detail, and physical brand of football — traits Detroit must be prepared to match from the opening kickoff.
With little margin for error in a game expected to be tightly contested, the Lions will need more from several players who haven’t performed to their usual standards recently. If Detroit hopes to keep pace with Pittsburgh’s intensity and come away with a Week 16 victory, these three individuals will need to deliver improved performances.
K Jake Bates
In closely fought games, special teams often play a decisive role, and that reality puts extra pressure on Jake Bates heading into this weekend.
Bates’ overall numbers remain respectable. He has connected on 21 of 27 field-goal attempts this season and has been nearly flawless on extra points, converting 49 of 51. He also etched his name into the Lions’ record book earlier this year with a 59-yard field goal against the Giants.
However, missed kicks have become more frequent than they were during his rookie season, when he converted 26 of 29 attempts.
This year, Bates has already six misses, including a pivotal 43-yard attempt that sailed wide in last week’s loss to the Rams.
Detroit doesn’t need perfection from its kicker, but consistency is essential. One or two critical kicks could determine whether the Lions protect home field or let another close game slip away.
CB D.J. Reed
Detroit’s cornerback play has been under scrutiny, and Reed has been at the center of that conversation. Since Week 12, Reed and fellow starter Amik Robertson have surrendered more receiving yards than any other cornerback duo in the league. Robertson leads all corners with 382 yards allowed in coverage, while Reed isn’t far behind at 302.
Recent matchups have highlighted those struggles.
In Week 14, Cowboys wideout CeeDee Lamb caught every pass thrown in Reed’s direction. A week later, Rams star Puka Nacua hauled in three of four targets for 79 yards while primarily matched up against Reed.
These performances fall short of what’s expected from a cornerback brought in to serve as a defensive anchor.
That responsibility becomes even more demanding this week, as Reed is expected to line up against Steelers receiver D.K. Metcalf.
Metcalf has been Aaron Rodgers’ top option all season, pacing Pittsburgh with 808 receiving yards and six touchdowns. To slow down the Steelers’ passing attack, Detroit will need Reed to respond with a strong showing.
DL Alim McNeill
Since returning from the torn ACL he suffered late last season, Alim McNeill has struggled to regain his previous form. Over eight games, he has recorded 12 tackles, one sack, and a forced fumble, but the advanced metrics tell a less encouraging story.
McNeill currently holds a 51.8 overall grade from Pro Football Focus, placing him 90th among 129 qualifying interior defensive linemen. That’s a significant drop from last season’s 79.6 grade.
His effectiveness against the run has also declined sharply, as evidenced by a 45.0 run-defense grade after posting a 64.5 mark a year ago.
Even so, defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard remains confident in McNeill’s ability to make an impact.
“I have complete faith in Alim,” Sheppard said this week. “He’s done a lot of good things for us, but now it’s time for him to take that next step and become the disruptive presence we know he can be.”
Detroit will be counting on McNeill to show signs of that impact on Sunday, especially against a Steelers offense that thrives on physical play in the trenches.
