The Detroit Lions Podcast

Defense flips the script in Chicago Jake Bates drilled the winner as time expired. The Detroit Lions closed the season by sweeping the division winners and silencing Soldier Field. The defense did the heavy lifting. With four of the top five defensive backs out, Kelvin Shepherd leaned into zone. The Lions played cover 4 and mix-and-match zone looks almost exclusively. Chicago expected man coverage. They did not get it. The results were obvious. The Bears were shut out for most of the game. Caleb Williams looked uncomfortable. Route timing frayed. Aidan Hutchison generated steady pressure. Ty Lake Williams delivered his best game of the season. The linebackers had shaky moments in coverage, and Colson Loveland stacked production, but the structure held. It took about three quarters before Chicago adjusted. By then, the tone was set. Goff, St. Brown, and a patched right side The Bears’ radio booth did not expect Jared Goff to move as much as he did. On the tape, the pocket work was efficient, not frantic. The bigger story was protection. Penei was ruled out on Friday. Chris Hubbard stepped in at right tackle and faced Montez Sweat. Hubbard had not played all season. He responded with a clean, composed performance that stabilized the edge. Inside, the much maligned interior offensive line delivered its best pass protection in a long time. It was not perfect. Goff had to flee a couple of snaps and had a few passes batted. But the plan matched the protection. Reads were on time. Matchups were targeted. Amon-Ra St. Brown roasted C.J. Gardner-Johnson throughout. Wherever that matchup appeared, the ball followed. North–south runs and the kick that ended it The run game stayed on schedule with quick hitters. No wasted lateral stretch calls. David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs got north and south with decisiveness. Cutback lanes opened and were used. That rhythm mattered late. It set up the final drive that put Bates on the field with the game on his foot. He delivered. The kick split the uprights as the clock hit zero. The Detroit Lions walked out of Chicago with a victory, a sweep of the division winners, and momentum from a plan that fit the personnel. In an NFL season defined by attrition, the Lions adapted, defended space, and found answers at critical positions. From the rival airwaves Pre-game on Chicago radio centered on the Bears, their playoff paths, and even some delight at the Packers getting blasted by the Vikings. Those same voices were stunned when Detroit never played man coverage. They noted the late Chicago adjustment and also flagged Goff’s pocket movement. Next week brings Bears vs. Packers. This week belongs to Detroit. #detroitlions #lions #detroitlionspodcast #jakebates #aidanhutchisonpressure #chrishubbardrighttackle #peneiruledoutfriday #montezsweatmatchup #zonecoveragecover4 #kelvinshepherddefensivecoordinator #calebwilliamsuncomfortable #amon-rast.brownvscjgardner-johnson #jaredgoffmovement #interioroffensivelinepassprotection #north-southrungame #montyandgibbscutbacklanes #nomancoveragesurprise #game-winningfieldgoalastimeexpired Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Detroit Lions vs Chicago Bears Post Game Show: Closing the 2025 Season at Soldier Field A Familiar Rivalry to End a Frustrating Year The Detroit Lions closed the 2025 NFL season on the road at Soldier Field against the Chicago Bears, a setting that has a way of sharpening emotions regardless of records or standings. This finale came with a different weight. Detroit entered the final week knowing the season had fallen short of expectations, and this game became less about playoff math and more about accountability, pride, and clarity heading into the offseason. On our post game show, we will focus on what this final performance says about the Lions as a whole. Was there urgency from the opening drive, or did the game reflect a team still searching for consistency? Division games against Chicago are never meaningless, and the Bears had plenty of motivation to play spoiler while evaluating their own future pieces. A major lens for this discussion will be Jared Goff. As the quarterback and the face of the offense, Goff’s play in this game will spark conversation regardless of the outcome. Did he command the offense cleanly? Was the passing game efficient and decisive? Did Detroit finish drives or settle for missed opportunities that defined much of the season? These questions frame the larger evaluation of where the Lions go next. What We Will Break Down on the Post Game Show Tonight’s Detroit Lions post game show will unpack the Detroit Lions vs Chicago Bears matchup through several key themes: Offensive execution: How well did Detroit move the ball and sustain drives? Were the Lions balanced, or did the offense struggle with familiar issues in protection and timing? Quarterback performance: Goff’s decision making, accuracy, and leadership will be a central topic. This game offers one last data point before offseason conversations begin. Defensive effort: Did the Lions play with physicality and discipline against a Bears offense that thrives on mistakes? How well did Detroit handle third downs and red zone situations? Coaching and game management: End of season games often reveal philosophy. We will discuss play calling tendencies, in game adjustments, and whether Detroit showed signs of cohesion or fatigue. Young players and evaluation: Late season games are about the future as much as the present. Which players used this opportunity to make a case for bigger roles next year? Listener Calls and Detroit Lions Reaction As always, the most important part of the post game show is hearing from the fans. We will open the phone lines and take listener calls to capture the full Detroit Lions reaction to this season finale. Was this game a positive step toward resetting expectations, or did it reinforce frustrations that have lingered all year? The tone of this show will reflect a fan base processing a season that promised more than it delivered. There will be honest discussion, measured analysis, and space for emotion. That is what the final week is for. Join us for the Detroit Lions vs Chicago Bears Post Game Show as we close out the 2025 season, break down the final performance, and start the conversation about what must change for Detroit to take the next step forward. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKiy24mVwPY Get yourself a Classic Detroit t-shirt here! Don't miss our great merch selection in the Detroit Lions Podcast store. Looking for the relief that CBD products can bring? Click here: https://bit.ly/2XzawlG Get your Lions Gear at: https://bit.ly/2Ooo5Px As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases made here: https://amzn.to/36e2ZfD Donate Direct at: https://bit.ly/2qnEtFj Join the Patreon Crew at: https://bit.ly/2bgQgyj #DetroitLions, #Lions, #DetroitLionsPodcast, #OnePride, #LionsBears, #NFLWeek18, #JaredGoff, #SoldierField, #LionsFootball, #DetroitVsEverybody Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Week 2 Rerun, January Jolt The Detroit Lions Podcast opened with a shot of adrenaline from September. The NFL Network replayed the Week 2 demolition of the Chicago Bears. Detroit 52, Chicago 21. Jared Goff threw for 334 yards and five touchdowns with zero interceptions. Jahmyr Gibbs ripped 94 yards on the ground. David Montgomery added 57. Jameson Williams cleared 100 receiving yards and turned short catches into three touchdowns under 15 yards. The defense took the ball away twice and rang up four sacks. Tyson Bagent mopped up in garbage time. Jack Campbell flashed. Aidan Hutchinson collected a pair. Brian Branch made plays. It felt like a statement. After a flat Week 1 in Green Bay, that win reset the temperature on the season. For a minute, Detroit sat atop NFL power polls and looked like the class of the NFC. That broadcast stung a little. It reminded everyone what this roster looked like at full strength and how quickly it turned. Promise met attrition. Confidence met slippage on both sides of the ball. The Week 2 tape is still proof of concept. It is also a measuring stick for what has been lost. From Firepower to Triage The current injury sheet is brutal. Alex Anzalone is out with a concussion after a failed midweek push. Penei Sewell is out. Alim McNeill is out with an abdominal injury. Kerby Joseph is out. Brian Branch is out. Sam LaPorta is out. S C.J. Moore’s replacement depth has thinned, and even “Harper” snaps matter now because the room is down three safeties. Avonte Maddox will play, but the secondary is patched together. Up front, the tackle plan is a guess. Giovanni Manu was not activated. Miles Frazier could be forced into a spot. Dan Skipper likely logs heavy work. Maybe “Yode” slides outside. Taylor Decker is fighting through it and has earned the benefit of the doubt. None of that stabilizes protection. It raises a real question about whether Goff should finish the season finale behind a compromised line. The idea of Kyle Allen getting meaningful snaps has merit. It is evaluation and preservation rolled into one. Season Finale Math The finale arrives tomorrow with little on the line for the Detroit Lions in the NFL standings. The Bears, the team Detroit roasted in September, have since won the division and are chasing the two seed. They get Green Bay next week. That development colors the mood. Detroit once ran away from Chicago. Now the roster is a shell of that September juggernaut. The calculus is simple. Health over hollow pride. Avoid new long-term injuries to Goff, Montgomery, Gibbs, Amon-Ra St. Brown, and anyone already managing pain. Every sprain and strain now steals offseason recovery time. There is value in a winning record. There is much more value in a healthy spring. Use the finale to protect core pieces, test depth, and get out clean. The Week 2 blowout still matters. It shows what the Detroit Lions can be when whole. The job now is to make sure the next chance to look like that arrives with the roster intact. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvnuoB40it8 #detroitlions #lions #detroitlionspodcast #offensiveline #injuries #schedule #draft #quarterback #jaredgoff #taylordecker #offensivelineinjuries #offensivelinedepth #quarterbackplay Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Week 18 Math and a New Year Edge Happy New Year from the Detroit Lions Podcast, and welcome to the clean slate of 2026. The Detroit Lions have one game left in the 2025 NFL season, a finale against the Bears. The tug here is real. Win the game, feel good, start 2026 with momentum. Or accept a loss that could lock in a last place schedule. The ideal lane is narrow but clear. Beat the Bears, then hope the Vikings beat the Packers. Minnesota holds the head-to-head tiebreaker on Detroit, so the Lions could still land fourth in the NFC North while finishing with a winning record. It is a strange picture. Eight or nine wins at the bottom of a division. Other divisions wobbling near that mark at the top. That is this year’s NFL. The message for fans is balance. Enjoy the stakes, do not let them own your sleep. You play to win. If the scenario breaks another way, accept the payoff in 2026 opponents. Either outcome has value. O-line Shuffle: Glasgow In, Eguakun Out The interior line is moving again. Graham Glasgow could start at center this week after the Browns poached Kingsley Eguakun off the Lions practice squad. Cleveland’s front is crushed by injuries, four of five starters on injured reserve, with Wyatt Teller shut down as well. They need a center look for Week 18, so Eguakun gets a shot. Detroit knows what it had. Eguakun showed some steadiness in pass protection against Pittsburgh, then scuffled against Minnesota. The bigger issue was body control and sustain in the run game. Too many reps ended before the whistle. In Detroit he profiled as depth, an interior reserve. The Lions wished him well. That is fair. The roster churn continues, and Glasgow stepping in at center fits the week’s needs. Health Updates: Sam LaPorta and the Tight End Plan Sam LaPorta’s timeline is clearer. The back surgery kept him out for any potential playoff run, which always felt likely. The target is training camp, and that matters. The Lions missed his hands and his leverage in space. The offense needs more of him, not less. Getting LaPorta right for 2026 is a priority that outpaces any short-term wish. Taylor Decker’s Decision and the Ragnow Example Taylor Decker opened the door to retirement. He has not gone there before, but he will consider it this offseason. That honesty resonates. The mileage is heavy, the hits add up, the age clock is loud. The old line is simple, once you are thinking about retirement, it can be hard to unthink it. Still, there is a counterpoint in the locker room storylines. Frank Ragnow was very retired, then felt the pull and tried to come back because he missed the game and felt the team needed him. That could weigh on Decker as he sorts through the choice. For now, it is Bears week. The Detroit Lions can win, feel good, and still find a softer 2026 draw if the Vikings handle the Packers. That is the edge of Week 18. That is the balance this team is walking into the new year. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tOxk_OCxSIE #detroitlions #lions #detroitlionspodcast #detroitlionsvsbearsfinale #week18tiebreakermath #lastplaceschedule #vikingsoverpackersscenario #nfcnorthfourthplace #grahamglasgowatcenter #kingsleyeguakuntobrowns #clevelandoffensivelineinjuries #wyatttellershutdown #passprotectionagainstpittsburgh Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Outside Eyes on Detroit The Detroit Lions Podcast hit the road to Cleveland, and the distance sharpened the view. From two bustling sports radio stations to family tables, the Cleveland market offered a mirror. Browns fans are arguing about quarterback lottery tickets. Detroit is not. The Lions have a coach with a clear identity, a front office with a plan, and a locker room that knows who belongs. The national noise about a collapse feels off. The season stung. It did not shatter the build. Culture and Core Pieces Dan Campbell’s program has a definition. You can point to a draft prospect and say, that is a Detroit Lion. That clarity matters. Amon-Ra St. Brown. Penei Sewell. Aidan Hutchinson. Brian Branch when he returns. The core is young and wired the right way. Even Alim McNeil, who battled injury and only flashed once, drew praise from people who study line play. The belief in him is real. Contrast that with Cleveland’s question of what a “Cleveland Brown” even is right now. The gap in identity is the story. Offensive Line Priorities The NFL season exposed needs, and right guard sits near the top. Cleveland talk shows are speaking about Joel Bitonio in the past tense. He has been a rock at left guard. He fits Detroit’s culture. Wyatt Teller holds down right guard in Cleveland, and that profile is exactly where the Lions could upgrade. The center plan came into focus too. Tate Ratledge projects as Detroit’s center in 2026 and beyond. That is about long-term fit, not 2025 limitations. Graham Glasgow handled center this year because he was more comfortable there, and because Jared Goff favored that stability. Michael Niese is in the mix for depth looks. The line is not a teardown. It is a targeted refinement. Week 18 in Chicago, Then the Long View It is Tuesday, the calendar’s final turn is in sight, and Week 18 awaits the Bears. Dan Campbell will not test Ratledge at center this week. That restraint tracks with the larger approach. Keep the standards. Protect the quarterback. Evaluate without panic. The Detroit Lions still have their quarterback in Jared Goff. They still have a top-end nucleus on offense and defense. The Browns are debating Shadur Sanders, trading up, or leaning on lottery tickets like Dante Moore or Fernando Mendoza. Detroit is not living in that chaos. The perspective from Cleveland underscored the point. The Lions are not falling off a cliff. They are figuring out their next set of edges. Identity. Interior line upgrades. Health for young stars. That is the work. That is how a contender stays a contender in the NFL. From Cleveland to Detroit, the message landed. Stay the course. Build the line. Trust the culture. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cB5sjNV_8eY #detroitlions #lions #detroitlionspodcast #rightguardpriority #interiorlineupgrades #grahamglasgowatcenter #jaredgoffpreference #tateratledge2026center #michaelniesedepth #wyatttellerprofile #joelbitonioveteranguard #week18inchicago #protectthequarterback Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After the Minneapolis Meltdown The Detroit Lions walked out of Minneapolis with bruises and questions. The Minnesota Vikings exposed protection issues, timing issues, and game-management issues. It was hard to watch. On the latest episode of The Grey Area, the conversation turned fast from pain to purpose. This is the last week of the season. The Bears are next. The focus is whether anything learned in that loss will shape what happens now. Dan Campbell’s words mattered. Right after the game he said the Lions “gotta make changes.” No hedging. No deflection. His Monday tone was calmer, but the message stood. Change is coming, and he has to be the agent of it. That echoes his raw line after the NFC title loss two seasons ago about “that might have been our shot.” Seasons in the NFL are fragile. Windows swing fast. What happens next decides whether that old line is a footnote or a warning. There was no comfort in the tape. Execution sagged. Play calling sputtered. The Vikings dictated terms. That adds weight to Week 18. Not for stats. For choices. Campbell’s Crossroads: Play, Rest, or Recalibrate Grey wrestles with the final-week question. To play or not to play. The roster is banged up. The rhythm is off. The instinct to chase numbers gives way to a need to reset habits. The staff has to decide who benefits from snaps and who needs a seat. No simple answer, but clarity is required. Campbell already pushed past the usual coach-speak about “on to the next one.” He went straight to overhaul talk, with a game still left. That tells you where his head is. Numbers over narratives took a back seat. This week the lesson is bigger than the box score. The Lions need a cleaner plan and a cleaner identity before Chicago. That is the work. Fix the Offensive Line, Fix the Offense The priority is clear. The offensive line is job one. Find a center. Stack guard depth. Solve tackle. You can do that in one offseason. Other teams have done it with castoffs. If Brad Holmes and Campbell hit on those spots, a lot of what failed in Minnesota vanishes. Protection stabilizes the pass game. The run game breathes. Play calling opens up. Defense needs help too. All three levels. But without the line, you get what you just saw. The blueprint is attainable. The roster core can support quick repair. The front office has to execute. Temperature Check: Fans, Accountability, and the Bears Ahead Fans are angry. They should be. The team has traded on two years of success. Prices went up. Expectations followed. Then came the worst Lions performance in years, by execution and by design. That stings. The enemies list segment landed hard because accountability matters right now. Giving in to lesser angels is easy. The smarter move is to demand concrete fixes. The Detroit Lions still control their response. Beat the Bears with purpose. Then attack the line, the depth, and the defensive holes. Campbell opened the door to change. Now he has to walk through it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8WqWARwBd_E #detroitlions #lions #detroitlionspodcast #minneapolismeltdown #minnesotavikings #protectionissues #game-managementissues #dancampbell #week18 #chicagobears #playorrest #offensivelineoverhaul #findacenter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Week 18 Door Opened, Lions Stumbled The NFL weekend handed the Detroit Lions every break. Green Bay got drilled. Chicago lost to San Francisco. A win-and-in shot with the Chicago Bears in Week 18 sat on the table. Detroit did not hold up its end. The Christmas loss to the Minnesota Vikings turned opportunity into regret. The Vikings were a known entity. They crowd the middle. They blitz. They play downhill. Detroit still walked into the trap. The result felt like a coaching loss from prep to whistle. That sting was familiar. The opener against Green Bay carried the same scent. The Detroit Lions Podcast audience heard the frustration. A good team played small in a gotta-have-it moment. NFC Results That Framed It Everything else aligned. The Packers got blown away. Jordan Love was out. Baltimore rolled, and Derrick Henry ran wild. Malik Willis played well before leaving hurt again. Chicago then dropped a high-scoring thriller to the 49ers on Sunday night. The Bears sit high in the NFC mix, pending what the Rams do. Seattle sits at number one. All of it kept a Week 18 showdown in play. Detroit only needed to cash its Christmas ticket. It did not. The 12 Personnel Trap on Offense The offensive plan made it harder. Detroit leaned into 12 personnel and pounded inside. That shrank the field. Linebackers crept up. Safeties walked down. Put Shane Zylstra or Giovanni Ricci in the slot and defenses do not fear the seam. They crowd the box and choke the space where Detroit wanted to live. Spacing matters. You chase linebackers and safeties off with speed and threat. Kalif Raymond changes leverage. Isaac Teslaw does too. Use them to widen the second level and clear seams. Detroit instead condensed everything and invited contact. Inside runs met free hitters. Protection saw extra bodies and late blitzers. The Vikings love that fight. Detroit gave it to them snap after snap. Irrespective of line play, the structure was off. The Lions drew defenders into the very area they targeted. That is backwards. Against an aggressive front, widen, stress, and punish. Detroit did not. Coaching Heat: Campbell and Morton This one lands on the headsets. Dan Campbell as play caller. John Morton as offensive coordinator. Minnesota started Max Brosmer and had backups across the offensive line. Short week for both teams. The Vikings still looked more prepared for what Detroit would do than Detroit was for what Minnesota always does. That is the rub. The worry now is persistence. Keeping Morton in any capacity invites more of the same. Scheme must create its own luck. Preparation must steal downs. The Lions can manufacture it with smarter spacing, better personnel groupings, and quicker answers to pressure. Week 18 still offers meaning. The path narrowed because Detroit gave it away. The fix is not mystical. It is alignment, speed on the field, and a plan that refuses to play to an opponent’s strength. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gnAcmdsNjlw #detroitlions #lions #detroitlionspodcast #minnesotavikings #chicagobears #greenbaypackers #sanfrancisco49ers #jordanlove #derrickhenry #malikwillis #12personnel #lateblitzers #spacing Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Detroit Lions Stumble Into the Finale After a Christmas Collapse The Detroit Lions walked into U.S. Bank Stadium on Christmas with their season on the line and walked out with it basically over. The loss to the Minnesota Vikings did not feel like a one-off. It felt like every nightmare Detroit fans have been trying to forget, all crammed into one afternoon. Bad starts. Bad breaks. Bad decisions. A team that looked tight, reactive, and completely out of rhythm when it mattered most. If you are asking how an NFL roster that still flashes top-tier talent can end up eliminated before the final week, the answer starts with the way the game unfolded. Detroit never got control of the moment. It began with a penalty that set the tone and it never got better. The offense spiraled. The turnovers stacked. The Vikings did not have to be great for four quarters. They only had to be functional while Detroit handed them short fields and momentum. This was not just a Jared Goff game, but it was one where everything went sideways. He started clean, then got stuck forcing throws, locking in on Amon-Ra St. Brown, and trying to dig out of holes that never should have existed. When you are down multiple scores and your offensive line is held together with tape and optimism, the margin disappears. That is when the bad habits show up. That is when the same old Lions feeling creeps back in. Personnel Misfires, Coaching Blind Spots, and What the Finale Must Be The most frustrating part is that the problems were not mysterious. Detroit has been stretched thin by injuries all year, but the staff kept trying to plug-and-play replacements as if the skill sets were interchangeable. They are not. When you lose Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch, you cannot call defense like they are still on the field. When you lose Sam LaPorta, you cannot pretend the tight end room is the same. When the interior pass rush is missing juice, you cannot expect the back end to survive forever. The personnel usage told the story. Heavy tight end packages without credible tight end threats condense the field and invite defenders into the box. That makes the run game harder and shrinks the passing windows. Detroit played into exactly what Minnesota wanted, then spent the rest of the day trying to climb out. Now the Lions head into the season finale with the playoffs gone, which changes the stakes but not the responsibility. This is still Ford Field. This is still Dan Campbell. And this is still an organization that cannot afford to drift into a losing culture after a 15-win season. The finale has to be a hard reset. Play fast. Play clean. Stop asking backups to be stars. Put players in roles they can actually win. And just as important, take a serious look at why Detroit keeps drafting and acquiring talent that cannot stay on the field. That is not bad luck anymore. That is a pattern. The Lions may be eliminated, but the evaluation is not. Sunday is about pride, clarity, and making sure this stumble does not become a new standard. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AEQOVKTTuFI Get yourself a Classic Detroit t-shirt here! Don't miss our great merch selection in the Detroit Lions Podcast store. Looking for the relief that CBD products can bring? Click here: https://bit.ly/2XzawlG Get your Lions Gear at: https://bit.ly/2Ooo5Px As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases made here: https://amzn.to/36e2ZfD Donate Direct at: https://bit.ly/2qnEtFj Join the Patreon Crew at: https://bit.ly/2bgQgyj #DetroitLions, #Lions, #DetroitLionsPodcast, #OnePride, #ChristmasCollapse #LionsEliminated #SeasonOnTheLine #TurnoverTrouble #InjuryExposed #CoachingQuestions #GoffUnderFire #VikingsLoss #EndOfTheRun #FinaleWithPride Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A Christmas Collapse in Minnesota The Detroit Lions turned a dominant defensive effort into a bitter loss on Christmas. They fell to the Minnesota Vikings despite allowing only three net passing yards until the final snap. The NFL will not remember the style points. It will remember six Detroit giveaways and one back-breaking coverage bust. That was the difference in a game the Lions should have closed. The numbers sting. Minnesota finished with just 11 first downs and 161 total yards on 51 plays. Sixty-five came on Jordan Addison’s game-sealing touchdown. One play erased three quarters of work. It also punished the same structural stress the Lions have failed to solve all season when opponents dress up misdirection and eye candy. This Detroit Lions Podcast breakdown is about hard truths. The Lions invited disaster with turnovers, protection issues, and a run game that never tilted the field. Minnesota crowded the box and disguised pressure. Detroit never adjusted enough. Defense Dominates Until One Bust For most of the day, the defense smothered the Vikings. The front squeezed lanes. The safeties rallied downhill. Max Brosmer accomplished little until the shot that mattered. Then the Lions lost their landmarks. The pattern reappeared. Minnesota mirrored what the Rams, Steelers, Packers, and Cowboys have shown on film. Motion and window dressing pulled the second level inside. The safeties bit. The linebackers held too long. DJ Reed crashed outside leverage with no help behind him. Earlier weeks, it was Amik Robertson or Rak Yassin on the wrong end of similar concepts. On Christmas, Addison ran free. One lapse undone a superb afternoon. Even with that bust, the defense played well enough to win. It cannot be asked to survive six offensive turnovers. Offense Unravels: Line, Plan, and Quarterback Jared Goff started sharp. He drilled a third-down throw on the move to Jameson Williams. He dropped a red-zone strike to Isaac to slaw for the lone touchdown. Then the wheels came off. Minnesota dialed pressure. Detroit’s offensive line could not sort it out, and the giveaways piled up. Personnel reality bit hard. Kingsley Agwacun made only his second career start at center. Dan Skipper stepped in at left tackle with Taylor Decker out due to illness. Christian Mahogany gutted through his leg recovery but is not close to full strength. Asking this group to reach across two gaps or land difficult reach blocks was wishful. The run game vanished, and the pocket turned static. There were answers on tape. Shorter drops. Quicker triggers. Roll the launch point right and left. When Goff moved by design, throwing angles opened and timing improved. Detroit did not lean on that enough. Play calling invited the rush instead of using it against an aggressive front with screens, tempo, and rhythmic underneath throws. The equation is simple. Protect the ball. Protect the edges. Protect your defense’s work. The Lions did none of it in Minnesota. One explosive allowed and six giveaways define a loss no one in Detroit will soon forget. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5AOYbHi4BY #detroitlions #lions #detroitlionspodcast #minnesotavikings #sixgiveaways #coveragebust #jordanaddisongame-sealingtouchdown #misdirectionandeyecandy #motionandwindowdressing #crowdedthebox #disguisedpressure #protectionissues #kingsleyagwacun Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Christmas Eve Stakes and a Narrow Path The Detroit Lions fly to Minneapolis with a slim, real path. Win at the Vikings on Christmas. Win at the Bears in Chicago. Hope the Packers lose out. That is the math. It is not pretty, but it exists. The other motivator is pride. Going from the best record in the NFC last year to the basement in the NFC North will not sit well with Dan Campbell or his locker room. The Lions are favored. They should play like a team with playoff vitality. Context matters in December in the NFL. Detroit needs urgency and clean execution. The margin is small. The opponent is wounded, not harmless. Vikings Quarterback Shuffle: Max Brosmer Time Minnesota ruled out JJ McCarthy on Tuesday afternoon. A hairline fracture in his hand ends his season. In comes Max Brosmer. He is an undrafted rookie with one start and mop-up reps. He has an arm and workable accuracy. He lost to the Seahawks, which happens to many. He is not Aaron Rodgers or Matthew Stafford. He is not even a fully healthy Jordan Love. That is a reprieve for a Detroit defense that has seen a run of top quarterbacks. The Vikings are battered elsewhere. Christian Darrisaw, their left tackle, is out. They have shut players down after elimination, similar to how the Lions just shut down Kirby Joseph. The depth chart is thin, but the skill talent around Brosmer still gives structure. Detroit must turn those absences into pressure and turnovers. A Defense That Hasn’t Allowed a Passing TD in Six Games Here is the problem for the Lions offense. The Vikings have not allowed a passing touchdown in six straight games. That is the first time a team has done it since the 1989 Browns. This is a legit unit. They blitzed the Lions to great effect in the first meeting. They hammered the A gap. They made life hard for Jared Goff. Detroit’s passing game has been inconsistent. Goff has been pretty good, but the interior pass protection must be better. Answers versus the A-gap pressure are non-negotiable. Quick decisions. Firm guards and center. Defined hot routes. Detroit Lions Podcast coverage this week centers on interior protection, blitz answers, and a battered Vikings offense. If the Lions cannot block inside, points will be scarce again. What It Means in Minneapolis and Beyond This sets up a grind. Expect Detroit to lean on pass rush against a backup left tackle and an inexperienced quarterback. Expect Minnesota to heat up Goff and test Detroit’s A-gap integrity. Field position matters. So do red zone calls when passing touchdowns are hard to find. Win, and the Lions keep the playoff thread intact and roll into Chicago with purpose. Lose, and last place looms. The formula is simple. Protect the pocket inside. Tackle after the catch. Finish drives with touchdowns. It is Christmas in the NFL. Style points can wait. The Lions need a road win to keep the season alive. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7n9Z9vYgPU #detroitlions #lions #detroitlionspodcast #a-gappressure #interiorpassprotection #jaredgoff #maxbrosmer #jjmccarthy #christiandarrisaw #backuplefttackle #undraftedrookie #sixstraightgames #passingtouchdown Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Back-to-Back Gut Punch Sets Up Christmas Stakes The Detroit Lions let a win slip in Week 16. Pittsburgh beat them 29-24. Detroit fell to 8-7 and took its first back-to-back loss since 2022. The Lions had first and goal at the 1 with seconds left and still walked off with a defeat. This was not a no-show. The Steelers looked like an AFC playoff team and strung together a suffocating, clock-chewing drive. Yet the chance was there. The miss stings. Now the NFL calendar points to Christmas Day. Vikings on Netflix. Detroit must win out. Green Bay must lose out. The Packers draw the Ravens next and finish with the Vikings. The Lions close with Minnesota and Chicago. The path exists, but it is narrow. The latest Detroit Lions Podcast lays out why the margin keeps shrinking. Third-Quarter Vanish, Red-Zone Regret The same issue keeps surfacing. The third quarter turns into a freezer. Negative yards. Empty possessions. Rhythm gone. Then a desperate rally follows and the game tightens late. That script played out again. The offense disappeared for long stretches, then reached the doorstep and failed to finish. First and goal at the 1. No points. That sequence defines the afternoon as much as any explosive play. Situational football hurt. Short-yardage execution hurt. The Lions have been one of the league’s best at bouncing back after losses. Fifteen straight wins after a defeat had been the NFL’s top mark. That streak and the margin for error evaporated in Pittsburgh. Run-Game Mechanics Under the Microscope The podcast dug into the run fits and assignments. Too often Detroit left the backside end unaccounted for after motion. An H-back would be aligned to help and then move away at the snap. The edge stayed naked and got knifed. Early on, Anthony Firkser aligned in the backfield to the left with Alex Highsmith outside. Motion pulled Firkser away, and Highsmith charged straight through. On other calls, guards were asked to pull across the formation and reach Highsmith. That is a tough ask against that burst and angle. There was a bright spot up front. Kingsley Accucon made his first career start and graded as the Lions’ top run blocker. He showed promise. The contrast with earlier rotations that leaned on Tristan Colon at left guard and center raises timing questions. The unit needs continuity and cleaner answers on the edge. Defense Bent, Then Broke; Christmas in Minneapolis Pittsburgh’s marathon march felt like ten minutes of scrimmage control. The defense gave up chunk runs late. Tackling and edge integrity sagged in the fourth quarter. Detroit never flipped the script in real time and paid for it. Next up is Minnesota on Christmas Day. Does it matter? It does if the Detroit Lions want the hunt to mean anything. Start fast. Fix the third-quarter lull. Secure the backside against the Vikings’ rush looks. In the red zone, pick a hat on a hat and punch. All of it is on tape, as the Detroit Lions Podcast laid out. The job now is to make it look different in Minneapolis. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujTq6e7WSVA #detroitlions #lions #detroitlionspodcast #third-quartervanish #red-zoneregret #firstandgoalatthe1 #clock-chewingdrive #runfitsandassignments #backsideendunaccounted #h-backmotion #alexhighsmith #anthonyfirkserinthebackfield #pullingguardreach Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Trenches Tell the Story Two Days Before Christmas The Detroit Lions walked out of Sunday with a scar. The loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers came from the line of scrimmage. Film study backed it up. So did the grades. In the NFL, you cannot live in the low 40s up front and expect to win. The Detroit Lions Podcast broke it down with clear eyes and a steady pulse. The last two weeks produced the worst graded run blocking of the season. The last two games also produced the worst run defense grades. Tackling fell off a cliff. The base scoring mark sits at 60. Detroit lived below 50. That is losing football. Detroit’s pass rush showed signs of life with stunts and loops, but the run fits and block shedding were not good enough. A veteran like Aaron Rodgers gets the ball out fast. One underthrown moonball turned into a fluke touchdown, and it stung more because no one finished the play. No whistle. No touch. Six points anyway. Center Spotlight and a Veteran Reality Kingsley Eguacan gave the Lions something to build on. Thrown into center against a well coached Pittsburgh front, he held up acceptably. Not perfect. Good enough to see again. He has guard experience from Florida. He has two years in the system. That matters. The evaluation window should stay open these last two weeks to see if he can be a low cost backup in 2026. Graham Glasgow is a pro’s pro. Tough. Smart. Trusted by Jared Goff and the staff. He also represents the present more than the future. That balance defines where this offensive line sits. Detroit needs answers now, but it must also cultivate depth that sticks. Eguacan earned another look. Front Seven Accountability Detroit’s defensive line investment is real. DJ Reader. Tylik Williams. Alim McNeill. The return has lagged in the run game. Blocks are sticking too easily. Aidan Hutchinson included. Shedding has to improve. The drills exist, but the mindset and urgency must rise. Think less. Strike more. Finish tackles. McNeill’s arc is a reminder of time lost. He looked great in his first game back. Since then he has not been very good. A couple of late run stops showed up, but consistency is missing after nine to ten months without football. He knows it. The unit feels it. The Lions need their middle to anchor again. The Steelers’ lucky strike exposed another cardinal rule. Play to the whistle. Alex Anzalone went head over heels. Others had to clean it up. No one did. That is fixable with focus. What Must Change Now The Detroit Lions must reclaim the line of scrimmage. Better run fits. Cleaner tackling. Faster block shedding. Keep the pass rush games that worked. Keep evaluating interior depth on offense. Trust your eyes before the grades, but let the numbers confirm the urgency. December demands clarity. Detroit has to find it in the trenches. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JiJwlH7f5YM #detroitlions #lions #detroitlionspodcast #offensiveline #runblocking #rundefensegrades #tackling #passrushstunts #runfits #blockshedding #kingsleyeguacan #grahamglasgow #djreader Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Detroit Lions got outclassed by a so-so Pittsburgh Steelers roster because the plan failed before the ball was kicked. In late December, that is a coaching loss. It exposed a defense without cohesion, a depth chart stretched past its limits, and a Dan Campbell team that needs answers now. This Detroit Lions Podcast recap stares hard at why. Coaching Exposed in Steelers Loss The NFL is unforgiving when preparation lags. Pittsburgh brought a clear script and executed it. Detroit arrived with a better cast and a worse idea. The coaches were not good enough. The defense had no identity. The game plan did not fit the personnel available. That mismatch showed up on every level, from alignments to adjustments. The Steelers dictated with modest talent because they were organized. The Lions were not. That’s the headline. It is also the trend. The final score felt earned, and not in a good way. Numbers over narratives point to the same truth. Too many explosive gains. Too many empty downs. Too many drives where Detroit never forced Pittsburgh off schedule. Depth, Scheme, and a Defense That Lost Its Shape Detroit’s backups are not winning games in December. Injuries gutted the defense and chipped away at the offensive line again. The “next man up” idea sounds brave. It does not stop crossing routes or protect a corner stranded in man coverage he cannot play. You cannot build a man-heavy scheme and then ask reserves to survive it. Detroit tried to mix in zone. That fell apart too. The front four must cover for the back end. It did not. The starters up front are healthy, as are the three linebackers behind them. Pressure still lagged. That left a shaky secondary to hold forever. Plans that counted on additions like Josh Paschal and Levi Onwuzurike never stabilized. The result has been a defense gashed by everyone, not just top NFC offenses but a middle-tier Steelers unit as well. Worse, the same problems surfaced in other spots. Remember the 42-year-old Aaron Rodgers performance in Detroit. The Lions handed him leverage with structure. He took it. That is a scheme problem. It is also a self-scout problem that has not yet been solved. Flags, Farewells, and the Stakes for Dan Campbell Officiating cannot be the story, but it keeps grabbing the mic. The calls at the end were brutal. They did not decide the outcome. They did shape the discourse. When pool reporters and penalty explanations dominate the postgame, the NFL has a quality control issue. Detroit cannot count on cleaner Sundays. It must become call-proof. Hard choices are next. Some of the Dan Campbell and Brad Holmes originals are nearing the exit. Alex Anzalone may have played his last game at Ford Field. Others with devoted followings could join him. Sentiment meets performance here. Depth must get better. So must the plan to deploy it. This is the inflection point. The Detroit Lions have the talent to compete. They need a defense that fits who is actually available, not who was penciled in back in June. Campbell’s next moves will define his tenure. Adapt now, or see December become a closed door again. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vsDHgopy-aQ #detroitlions #lions #detroitlionspodcast #pittsburghsteelers #coachingloss #defensewithoutcohesion #depthchart #dancampbell #explosivegains #man-heavyscheme #crossingroutes #mancoverage #frontfour Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Playoff hopes dim after chaotic ending The Detroit Lions saw their playoff hopes fade in a 29-24 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. The finish twisted the knife. Detroit appeared to score on the final snap. The celebration died when offensive pass interference wiped it away. The call, tied to Amon-Ra St. Brown, turned a stunning comeback into an empty box score. The moment fit the day. Frustration. Confusion. Missed chances. This loss stings because it was there to take. The Steelers were banged up. The Lions did not capitalize. Detroit’s offense sputtered on the ground. The defense broke late. In the NFL, that combination loses you games in December. Officiating confusion and accountability The officiating crew, led by Carl Cheffers, lost the plot in the final sequence. Communication failed on the field. Players and coaches were left guessing. Letter of the law, the offensive pass interference on St. Brown can be called. Process matters too. It did not look like the crew controlled the situation or explained it. That erodes trust. Earlier, an offensive pass interference flag on Isaac TeSlaa compounded the angst. TeSlaa was pushed by a defensive back into another defender, which triggered the foul. That nuance mattered. Detroit paid for the savvy by Pittsburgh. Calls like these underscore a bigger NFL problem. Transparency is lagging. The league needs an eye-in-the-sky voice. It needs clear, real-time explanations. With gambling tied into every broadcast, the room for opaque officiating is gone. Run game stalls, defense cracks late The Detroit Lions run game vanished. David Montgomery had four carries for 14 yards. His longest went for 17, which means the rest lost three yards. Jameer Gibbs had seven carries for two yards. His longest was six. The other six lost four yards. Jared Goff lost a yard on a designed run. That is a non-starter for a Detroit offense built on balance. It is more galling given Pittsburgh’s injuries. No T.J. Watt. No Nick Herbig. Cornerbacks rotating. The Lions offensive line was makeshift, but the execution fell short. Detroit could not move bodies or sustain tracks. The Steelers defensive front won too many snaps on first down. The sticks flipped, and the playbook shrank. Defensively, Detroit blinked in the biggest moments. Two long Jaylen Warren runs in the fourth quarter tilted the field and the clock. Those gap fits must be airtight. They were not. The Lions did not play well enough to overcome that, even without the officiating swirl. Short week to Christmas kickoff An abbreviated week now looms. The Detroit Lions play again on Christmas. The locker room has to flush this and find urgency. The margin is gone. The path is narrow. What remains is pride, correction, and sharper detail. The Detroit Lions Podcast daily notes it plainly. Detroit must own the self-inflicted wounds, demand clarity from the league, and run the ball when it matters. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04GqVJ-4R4s #detroitlions #lions #detroitlionspodcast #amon-rast.brown #offensivepassinterference #carlcheffers #isaacteslaa #davidmontgomery #jameergibbs #jaredgoff #jaylenwarren #t.j.watt #nickherbig Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Detroit Lions vs Pittsburgh Steelers Post Game Show: A December Fight at Ford Field Everything on the Line for the Lions in Week 16 The Detroit Lions entered Week 16 of the NFL season with no margin for error, hosting the Pittsburgh Steelers at Ford Field in a game that carried unmistakable playoff urgency. December football rarely offers subtlety, and this match-up fit the bill. The Lions needed a complete performance, while the Steelers arrived with their own postseason hopes hinging on discipline, defense, and physical execution. On our post game show, the focus turns to how Detroit handled the moment. Did the Lions play free and aggressive, or did the weight of the situation show early? Ford Field has been a fortress at times this season, and the atmosphere reflected what was at stake. We will break down how the Lions responded to that energy and whether it translated into clean execution on the field. One of the defining storylines heading into the game was how Detroit would deal with Pittsburgh’s identity. The Steelers are built around defense, pressure, and forcing mistakes. That puts immediate emphasis on Jared Goff’s decision making, the offensive line’s communication, and Detroit’s ability to stay ahead of the chains. Whether the Lions leaned on the run game or trusted the passing attack to move the ball will be a central part of the discussion. Key Talking Points from Lions vs Steelers Tonight’s Detroit Lions post game show will cover the most important themes from this late season clash: Quarterback composure: Goff has been at his best when playing within rhythm and avoiding turnovers. We will evaluate how he handled Pittsburgh’s pressure packages and disguised coverages. Defensive toughness: The Steelers rarely beat themselves. Did Detroit’s defense create negative plays, win on early downs, and force Pittsburgh into uncomfortable situations? Physicality and field position: Games like this often come down to hidden yards. We will examine special teams, punt coverage, and how both teams managed field position. Coaching decisions under pressure: Late season games test a staff’s nerve. We will discuss fourth down choices, clock management, and red zone strategy. Execution in critical moments: Third downs, short yardage, and turnovers tend to decide games with playoff implications. Detroit’s performance in these moments will be a major focus. Listener Calls and Detroit Lions Reaction The heart of the post game show is always the fans, and tonight will be no different. We will open the phone lines and take listener calls to capture the full Detroit Lions reaction to a game that could define the season. Were fans encouraged by the Lions’ resolve? Did this performance reflect a team ready for January football, or were there missed opportunities that loom large? December games against teams like Pittsburgh reveal who you are. They expose flaws, reward toughness, and leave no room for excuses. Regardless of the final score, this match-up provides a clear snapshot of where the Lions stand as the playoff picture tightens. Join us for the Detroit Lions vs Pittsburgh Steelers Post Game Show as we break down every critical moment, analyze what it means for the Lions’ postseason push, and hear directly from the fans who live every snap. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JBL6E5p4akI Get yourself a Classic Detroit t-shirt here! Don't miss our great merch selection in the Detroit Lions Podcast store. Looking for the relief that CBD products can bring? Click here: https://bit.ly/2XzawlG Get your Lions Gear at: https://bit.ly/2Ooo5Px As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases made here: https://amzn.to/36e2ZfD Donate Direct at: https://bit.ly/2qnEtFj Join the Patreon Crew at: https://bit.ly/2bgQgyj #DetroitLions, #Lions, #DetroitLionsPodcast, #OnePride, #LionsSteelers, #FordField, #NFLWeek16, #JaredGoff, #AidanHutchinson, #DetroitVsEverybody Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Detroit Lions head into Steelers week with a sharper injury picture and a clearer offensive to-do list. Thursday brought both concern and relief. It also underscored where this NFL team must win situationally, and how the Detroit Lions Podcast sees the fixes lining up. Injury Ledger and Depth Moves Graham Glasgow did not practice with a knee after being listed as a full participant in Wednesday’s walkthrough. That is a setback. He has stabilized the interior and played better since the 10-day break. Taylor Decker returned on his standard rest plan. Thomas Harper stacked a second full practice and should clear concussion protocol, putting him on track to start at safety. Sione Vaki moved to full. That helps special teams and sub packages. Giovanni Manu was officially activated. The knee injury was a hyperextension, not surgical. Practice reps are the priority. He needs every snap he can get, even as a scout team tackle or emergency sixth lineman. The planet theory applies here. Athletes that big who move like that are rare. The realistic goal is tackle three next year. Getting him back in the building now accelerates that plan. Morton’s Offense After Rams Coordinator John Morton loosened up in front of the mics and still drilled the core point. Detroit must get off the ball better in the run game. The Rams teed off when the Lions showed two backs. Safeties crashed the A gap and squeezed the edges. Tight end blocking did not hold up. That shrank lanes for Jahmyr Gibbs and wasted early downs. The Detroit Lions still scored 34, but the tape says there is meat left on the bone. The fix is personnel. Stop leaning on 12 when you do not have two NFL-caliber tight ends available. Lean into the wideouts. Jameson Williams, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Isaac TeSlaa and Kalif Raymond give Detroit burst, leverage, and spacing. More 11 and spread looks stress rules without telegraphing the run fit. It also creates cleaner access throws that let Gibbs and Amon-Ra work after the catch. Morton even joked about foot speed with Williams and Gibbs. The speed is real. Use it. Special Teams and Steelers Prep Dave Fipp backed Jake Bates after a rough outing. The kicker had a bad day. It happens. Confidence from the coordinator matters in December. Hidden yards and calm operations matter even more. The Steelers are up. That front punishes hesitation. Detroit’s path is simple to say and hard to do. Win first contact in the run game. Keep protection firm if Glasgow cannot go. Feature tempo and spacing. Rotate receivers and challenge leverage. Trust Bates when points are on offer. The Detroit Lions Podcast view is consistent. Health is trending up, the offensive identity is clear, and the details now decide games. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=afM4bK-Jj3s #detroitlions #lions #detroitlionspodcast #dailydlp #grahamglasgow #thomasharper #concussionprotocol #taylordecker #sionevaki #giovannimanu #johnmorton #tightendblocking #jahmyrgibbs #jamesonwilliams Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Week 16 Home Finale: Steelers Visit Ford Field Week 16 lands in Detroit with the Pittsburgh Steelers coming to town for the Detroit Lions’ last home game of the season. The Lions enter off a loss to the Rams, and the Detroit Lions Podcast zeroed in on health and depth as the NFL stretch run tightens. The matchup features an Aaron Rodgers led Steelers offense that does not push the ball deep often, paired with what has been one of the slowest wide receiver groups in the league. That combination makes timing, tackling, and nickel execution pivotal for Detroit’s defense. Thomas Harper’s return from a concussion changes the look on the back end. He went through a full practice and profiles as the replacement for Brian Branch in the nickel. Against a quarterback who prefers intermediate windows, Harper’s quick trigger and slot discipline are timely. The Lions do not have a clean replacement for Kirby Joseph, and that is the core worry in this game. Secondary in Flux: Hallett Out, Garber In, Joseph Trending Out Roster churn hit the safety room. Eric Hallett is no longer a Detroit Lion, signed off the practice squad by the Tennessee Titans after he logged notable snaps against the Rams. He flashed position flexibility, and his exit trims depth right where the Lions could use it most. To backfill, Detroit added Keenan Garber, an undrafted rookie from Kansas State who began his college career at wide receiver before moving to the secondary. He has bounced through the Vikings and Colts practice squads. This is a developmental add, an evaluation play for future contracts, not an immediate fix. Kirby Joseph did not practice Wednesday and Dan Campbell’s tone suggests he is unlikely to go this week. That leaves Avonte Maddox as a hybrid answer and increases the burden on communication. Taylor Decker received veteran rest. The walkthrough produced estimated listings with Tristan Colon limited by a wrist, Giovanni Manu limited with a knee, and Sione Vaki limited with a thumb. The Lions will need special teams reliability from Vaki after a rough outing last week. Guard Play Under the Microscope The interior line became a talking point after the Rams loss. Colon opened well at left guard, especially in pass protection, but his play tailed off as the game wore on. Christian Mahogany logged a full practice, and while the staff remains cautiously optimistic, his return would stabilize the spot if he is cleared to dress. If not, clarity on the rotation is needed. Fans keep asking why Miles Frazier, who looked solid in his debut versus the Cowboys, did not see work against the Rams. That remains an open question as Week 16 approaches. The path is straightforward. Clean up guard play, leverage Harper in the slot, and survive at safety without Joseph. Do that, and the Detroit Lions can close their home slate with control against a methodical Steelers offense. The margin is thin, but the plan fits the opponent. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1M-kUqDDo5A #detroitlions #lions #detroitlionspodcast #week16homefinale #pittsburghsteelers #fordfield #aaronrodgersledsteelersoffense #slowestwidereceivergroup #nickelexecution #thomasharper #brianbranch #kirbyjoseph #avontemaddox Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Halftime Hope, Second-Half Slide The Detroit Lions lost control of Week 15 and lost the game, 41-34 to the Rams. They led at halftime. They looked ready for a shootout. Then the offense stalled, the defense bent, and the window shut. Two punts in the third quarter, another to open the fourth, and the game was effectively gone. It felt winnable. It also felt like a hard reality check about where this team stands in the NFL. The Detroit Lions Podcast framed it simply. The Rams were better across the board. That is not fatalism. It is the tape. The Rams’ offense moved with rhythm. Their line created space. Their run game dictated terms. Detroit had no sustained answer after the break. At 8-6, the Lions remain talented and dangerous, but hot-and-cold. The inconsistency showed up again when the margin tightened. Where the Match-ups Tilted Los Angeles hit Detroit with heavy football and smart formation choices. The Rams leaned into 13 personnel and forced the Lions out of their comfort plan. Detroit’s counter is often to go heavy with an extra linebacker and win with size. The Rams removed that edge. Puka Nacua sat at times, and the tradeoff still favored the visitors because the fronts and fits worked. The Lions saw fewer light boxes and more bodies clogging space. On the other side, the Rams’ defensive line was ferocious. Their linebackers flowed clean. Their safeties tackled in space. Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery were hemmed in, snap after snap. Detroit needed explosives to keep pace, and they tried. After a three-and-out to start the third quarter, Jared Goff took the shot everyone has been asking for, a vertical to Jameson Williams. The ball nearly hit. The process was right. The result set up another bad down-and-distance, another punt, and more clock for Matthew Stafford to grind down the defense. Flags, Contact, and Thin Margins The frustration bubbled because contact shaped those swing plays. Goff took a helmet-to-helmet shot on the deep ball. Williams was tripped as he stretched for it and later took contact in the back of the end zone. No flags. Around the league, it often cuts the other way for quarterbacks and vertical routes. On this day, it did not. That is not a conspiracy. It is a reminder that Detroit’s margin shrinks when officiating gray areas go against them and the opponent keeps stacking efficient snaps. Strip away the noise and the picture is clear. The Rams executed at a higher level and dictated personnel. Detroit’s offense blinked at the wrong time. The defense could not tilt the field. The Lions still have the traits to beat good teams, but Week 15 underscored the gap between “can” and “do.” If they want a different ending, the next three weeks must be cleaner, faster, and more forceful at the line of scrimmage. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xjWN45pnJv0 #detroitlions #lions #detroitlionspodcast #week15loss #41-34 #ramsheavyfootball #13personnel #extralinebacker #lightboxes #linecreatedspace #rungamedictatedterms #thirdquarterpunts #jaredgoffdeepball Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Detroit Lions Have No Room For Error The Detroit Lions arrive at this point of the season with zero margin left. Sunday’s match-up at Ford Field against the Pittsburgh Steelers is not just another game on the NFL calendar. It is a referendum on where this team is headed and whether the lessons of the last two months have actually been absorbed. In the latest episode titled Detroit Lions Have No Room For Error, the conversation is honest, uneasy, and rooted in the reality that Detroit must start stacking convincing wins immediately or watch the playoff door close. Officiating Noise, Rams Fallout, and a Team Searching for Its Edge The episode opens by revisiting the Rams loss, not to re-litigate the result, but to confront the lingering frustration around officiating. The hosts make it clear this was not why Detroit lost, yet the blown calls and New York involvement remain impossible to ignore. Across the league, trust in the officiating process is eroding, and the Lions have found themselves on the wrong end of too many moments that change momentum if not outcomes. That frustration feeds into a larger issue. The Lions have not been the same team since early October. Injuries in the secondary, rotating offensive line combinations, and a defense that sometimes looks outmatched have stripped away the identity that fueled last season’s run. Against the Rams, Detroit looked like the less talented roster for the first time in years. That realization hit hard. The episode frames it as a wake-up call, not just for players, but for the entire organization. Steelers Preview and the Playoff Math Nobody Wants The reality is brutal. Detroit needs wins now, not moral victories. The Pittsburgh Steelers come in fighting for their own playoff lives, and that matters. This is not a team Detroit can sleepwalk past. The Steelers offensive line is physical and stable, their tight ends stress the middle of the field, and they are comfortable turning games into grind-it-out affairs. That is exactly where Detroit has struggled when execution slips. Defensively, the Lions need pressure packages similar to what worked against Baltimore earlier in the season. The Steelers can be beaten if their quarterback cannot sit and survey. That means coordinated rush lanes, disguised looks, and better tackling in space than Detroit has shown recently. This is where pride has to take over. The playoff math is uncomfortable but unavoidable. Detroit can still get in, but it requires winning games like this one and doing it decisively. The episode emphasizes that belief inside the locker room matters as much as standings. This is a team that has to prove to itself it can dominate again, not just survive. Sunday is not about style points. It is about control. The Detroit Lions still have the talent to make noise in January, but only if they treat this Steelers game as the beginning of a three-week sprint where nothing is taken for granted. The room knows it. The fans feel it. There is no room for error now. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2bp19_fngA0 Get yourself a Classic Detroit t-shirt here! Don't miss our great merch selection in the Detroit Lions Podcast store. Looking for the relief that CBD products can bring? Click here: https://bit.ly/2XzawlG Get your Lions Gear at: https://bit.ly/2Ooo5Px As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases made here: https://amzn.to/36e2ZfD Donate Direct at: https://bit.ly/2qnEtFj Join the Patreon Crew at: https://bit.ly/2bgQgyj #DetroitLions, #Lions, #DetroitLionsPodcast, #OnePride, #NoRoomForError #MustWinDetroit #LionsPlayoffMath #ProtectGoff #FixTheExecution #FordFieldPressure #NFLRefWatch #SteelersTest #DecemberFootball #LionsAtTheCrossroads Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Trenches Decide It: Rams Exposed, Steelers Loom Tuesday morning brings cold air and sharper truths for the Detroit Lions. After getting pushed around by the Rams, the next opponent is the Pittsburgh Steelers, who just handled the Dolphins on Monday Night Football. Pittsburgh led 28-3 before late window dressing. They did it up front. That mirrors how Los Angeles beat the Lions. On the Detroit Lions Podcast, the focus is clear: fix the line play or watch the same script repeat. Pittsburgh’s offensive line is built to run. A good young center. Functional guards. Not as talented as the Rams, but plenty capable of moving bodies. Jalen Warren and Kenneth Gainwell can churn out the same six to eight yards on first down that burned Detroit. The Steelers lean into 12 and 22 personnel about half the time, so extra tight ends will be on the field. That naturally slows Aidan Hutchinson with chips and doubles. It puts the onus on the other edge. Al-Quadin Muhammad and Marcus Davenport must win and finish. Run Fits and Interior Muscle Must Tighten The Rams loss turned on run fits and interior control. Linebackers got stuck inside. The Blake Corum touchdown was a clinic in what not to do, with all three backers diving into the same gap. Jack Campbell’s 14 tackles were real, but too many came after gains. That’s a defensive line problem. This is where the fix begins. Alim McNeill needs to put stats on the sheet. Tylik Williams has to dent the line and shift a gap. DJ Reader must anchor and refuse displacement. Hold ground. Create stalemates on first down. When the Steelers get behind the sticks, their structure frays. The Lions had chances against the Rams with two errant snaps. They failed to cash those in. That margin disappears against a run-first team that stays on schedule. Rush Plan, Personnel Groupings, and a Quiet Worry on Offense The pass rush approach needs urgency. “Crush the can” works when the quarterback stays inside the tackles. It did last night against Aaron Rodgers, who manipulates within the pocket. But it has to arrive faster. On second watch, Hutchinson’s down-to-down work held up better than it seemed live, interception aside. He still needs help. Rams 13 personnel buried edges with three tight ends. Pittsburgh doesn’t major in 13, but their 12 and 22 looks will still stress contain and set edges. The Lions must convert pressures into negative plays, not just squeeze the pocket. The quiet concern is Detroit’s offense versus the Steelers front. Pittsburgh bullied Miami even without T.J. Watt, whose status bears watching after a reported collapsed lung. Regardless, that front won with power and timing. If Detroit’s protection and run game resemble the Rams outing, drives will stall. The remedy is familiar: win first down, keep the playbook open, and make Pittsburgh defend width and speed. Do that, and the NFL week ahead shifts back to Detroit’s terms. Fail at the line of scrimmage again, and the result will look too much like Sunday. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xC40xwBEd2Q #detroitlions #lions #detroitlionspodcast #runfits #interiorcontrol #12personnel #22personnel #chipsanddoubles #crushthecan #behindthesticks #winfirstdown #pressuresintonegativeplays #t.j.wattstatus Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices