Matt's Stats: Week 16 vs. Lions

SERIES HISTORY

The Steelers lead this series 17-14-2. Starting in 1934, the Pittsburgh Pirates lost the first four meetings against Detroit. The Steelers also had a seven-game winless streak between 1950 and 1962. The most recent meeting was a 16-16 tie in Pittsburgh in 2021. Before that, the Steelers were on a five-game winning streak and had won 13 of 15 against Detroit. The Steelers and Lions have never met in the postseason.

MATCHUP OVERVIEW

• The Steelers are 3-3 on the road while Detroit is 5-2 at home this year. Over Detroit's last 10 games, they have gone win/loss/win/loss/win/loss/win/loss/win/loss. The Lions have a +83-point differential, eighth best. Pittsburgh is at +10.
• The Lions are +9 in turnover differential mostly due to having the league's fewest turnovers (8). Detroit has only lost three fumbles all year. The Steelers are at +10, behind only the Bears and Texans.
• Detroit possessed the ball for just 26:25 in Los Angeles. For the season, they still sit at 30:21 despite being at 28:42 over their last three games. Pittsburgh held the ball for 33:33 on Monday Night.
• This will be the fourth time in the last six weeks that Pittsburgh is at a rest disadvantage.
• Detroit has scored 12 more touchdowns than they have allowed.
• The Lions have 29 plays of 30+ yards, second most. They have also allowed a league high 30 such plays.
• Pittsburgh's opponents have created 67 more first downs, 655 more passing yards, and 397 more rushing yards than the Steelers this season.
• Detroit has 373 rushing attempts. Their opponents have 373 rushing attempts. The Lions have produced 342 more rushing yards than they have allowed and average .9 more per carry than they allow. They also have nine more rushing touchdowns.
• The Lions have a +11-sack differential compared to +15 for the Steelers.
• Detroit's average starting drive is on the 32.8-yard line. Pittsburgh's is at the 31.6-yard line. That is second and seventh best respectively.
• Pittsburgh has generated 68.1% of their passing yards after the catch. Detroit is at 55.3%. That is the highest and fourth highest respectively. However, the Lions give up just 35.6% of their passing yardage after the catch, the lowest percentage in the league.
• Pittsburgh gives up 261.2 passing yards per game. Detroit gives up 249.9. That is the fourth and seventh most respectively.
• Detroit faces an average depth of target of 10.5 yards downfield. Not only is that the highest in the league, but the next highest is at 9.0. The Steelers face an average depth of target of 7.2 yards.
• The Lions defense faces an average time to throw of 2.75 seconds, less than only Cincinnati and Dallas. Pittsburgh's defense is at 2.48 seconds, only Seattle faces a shorter time to throw.
• The Lions average 131.1 rushing yards per game, fifth most. The Steelers produce 89.2, fourth fewest. Detroit's 4.92 yards per carry is fourth best.
• In terms of three and outs per drive differential, the Steelers are 31^st and Detroit is sixth.
• Pittsburgh (84) and Detroit (86) and eighth and ninth lowest respectively in accepted penalties committed.
• When the Steelers and Lions drop back to pass, their quarterbacks scramble just 2% of the time. Only the Rams are lower.
• The Steelers 66.7% red zone percentage is third best. Detroit's 67.3% red zone rate is second best.
• The Lions are undefeated when Jahmyr Gibbs finds the end zone and winless when he doesn't.
• Detroit has an average margin of victory of 16.8 points, highest in the league.
• Pittsburgh has held the lead at halftime in 11 games this season.
• After winning last week, the Steelers are now 2-11 without T.J. Watt in the lineup, including playoffs.

WHEN PITTSBURGH HAS THE BALL

• The Steelers averaged 5.9 yards per play last week. For the season, they sit at 5.2. Detroit gave up 7.5 yards per play last week and average 5.4 for the season and just 5.1 at home.
• Pittsburgh uses 11 Personnel (31^st) just 35.1% of their snaps, 12 Personnel (13^th) at a 28.7% clip, and 13 Personnel (2^nd) 16.2% of the time. Pittsburgh has an extra offensive lineman on the field for 16.5% of their snaps. The Steelers 52.8% multi tight end usage is the highest in the league.
• Out of 11 Personnel, Pittsburgh averages 6.4 yards per play (5^th). The Steelers have a 50/50 run pass split out of 13 Personnel.
• The Lions use their base defense at the highest rate in the league (58.7%) and have been in their dime package for just .7% of defensive snaps.
• The Steelers are throwing the ball on 57.4% of their plays, 12^th highest in the league.
• The Steelers have a play of 20+ yards on 12.5% of their passing plays the past two weeks (7^th) after a 6.8% rate previous (26^th).
• Pittsburgh's offense turns a set of downs into a new set of downs 70% of the time. Detroit's defense is at 71%, which is league average.
• The Lions give up 7.52 yards per pass attempt, better than only five defenses. Only the Cowboys (31) and Bengals (31) have surrendered more passing touchdowns (28).
• Detroit allowed Matthew Stafford to throw for 368 yards last week.
• Over their past six games, Detroit has allowed the most passing yards in the league (272.3 yards per game).
• Puka Nacua scorched the Lions to the tune of 181 receiving yards.
• The Lions give up a league high 129.6 yards per game to receivers aligned out wide and over the past six weeks, they give up a league high 203.3 yards per game to the wide receiver position.
• Kenneth Gainwell had 126 yards from scrimmage in Week 15. He has hit a 17% target share in four of his last five games. Only eight running backs have four such games all season. Gainwell has six or more catches in four of his last five games. Gainwell leads all running backs that have run at least 100 routes this year with a target on 28.1% of his routes.
• Detroit allows the second fewest receiving yards per game (21.4) to running backs.
• The Lions are sixth in the league with 39 sacks.
• Aiden Hutchinson became the first player since sacks have been tracked in 1982 with 35+ sacks and 5+ interceptions in his first four career seasons. The only other player with 30+ sacks and 5+ interceptions in his first four seasons is Joey Porter. Hutchinson's four forced fumbles are second most, and he is third in quarterback hits (28).
• The Steelers have lost 165 yards from sacks. Only seven offenses are lower.
• Pittsburgh's 13.2% play action rate is only ahead of five offenses.
• The Lions allowed 159 yards on the ground in Week 15.
• Jaylen Warren (685) and Gainwell (451) make up 1,136 of the Steelers 1,295 rushing yards. Kaleb Johnson is Pittsburgh's third leading rusher with 69 yards on the ground.
• Pittsburgh's 2.3% explosive run percentage is only ahead of the Raiders. Detroit allows an explosive run rate of 2.4%, only the Rams and Seahawks are better.

WHEN DETROIT HAS THE BALL

• The Lions averaged 6.4 yards per play last week. They average 6.2 for the season, which is tied with the Rams for best in the league. Detroit averages 7.6 yards per play over their last three games. Pittsburgh allowed 5.4 last week and now sit at 5.4 yards allowed per play for the season.
• Detroit's 30.6 points per game leads the NFL. Since Week 10 when Dan Campbell took over play calling, the Lions are averaging 31.5 points per game and 6.8 yards per play.
• The Lions use 11 Personnel 57.5% of the time, 12 Personnel at a 22.4% rate, 13 Personnel on 5.1% of their snaps. They have an extra offensive lineman on the field for 4.0% of their snaps. They are 19^th in their 11 Personnel usage, 17^th in 12 Personnel usage, 15^th in 12 Personnel usage, and fifth highest in usage of extra offensive linemen.
• In 12 Personnel, Detroit runs 66% of the time.
• Detroit's 7.8% explosive play rate is best in the league.
• Only the Rams (2.88) and Colts (2.88) produce more points per drive than Detroit (2.79). They are also only behind Los Angeles and Indianapolis in touchdowns per drive.
• The Lions are throwing the ball on 56.5% of their plays, 16^th highest in the league.
• Detroit turns a set of downs into a new set of downs at a 75% rate, only seven offenses are better. The Steelers defense is at 73%.
• Detroit is third in passing yards per game (248.8) behind Dallas and the Rams. They are completing 68.9% of their passes, also third best. Their yards per attempt (8.04) is fourth best and only the Rams (37) have thrown more touchdown passes (30). The Lions throw a deep ball (7.0%) at the league's lowest rate.
• Jared Goff threw for 338 yards and three touchdowns last week in a losing effort. He has thrown for 255+ in seven straight games since Detroit's bye.
• Amon-Ra St. Brown became the first player in NFL history with at least 90 receptions in each of his first five seasons. St. Brown had 164 receiving yards in Week 15 and his 43.9% target share was his highest of the season. He had nine catches for 127 yards and two touchdowns in the first half alone last week. Only Ja'Marr Chase (155) and Trey McBride (140) have more targets than St. Brown (135) and only Davante Adams (14) has more than St. Brown's 11 receiving touchdowns. St. Brown has 31.2% of the Lions targets, only behind Jaxon Smith-Njigba (34.9%) and he leads all receivers with 44.8% of Detroit's red zone targets.
• Jameson Williams racked up 134 receiving yards vs. the Rams. He has seen target shares of 37%, 29%, and 24% over his last three games. Since Campbell took over play calling duties in Week 10, Williams has reached 88+ receiving yards in five of six games. Williams has the second most receiving yards (936) by a non-team leading receiver (CeeDee Lamb has 976).
• A Lions tight end was not targeted last week despite Goff throwing the ball 41 times. Shane Zylstra played 47.6% of the team's snaps on passing downs, most among Detroit's tight ends in Week 15.
• Last week, St. Brown, Williams, and Gibbs accounted for 35 of 38 targets.
• Gibbs played 81.2% of the snaps last week and David Montgomery played under 20%. Those were season highs and lows respectively. Over the first 10 weeks, Gibbs played 60.3% of snaps. Since then, he has been over 69.4% in every game. Gibbs has three or more receptions in eight straight games. Since Campbell took over play calling, Gibbs has 20.8% of the Lions targets (second amongst running backs) and has been targeted on 28.6% of his routes (first amongst running backs).
• Pittsburgh has given up multiple passing touchdowns in four consecutive games and 11 times overall this season.
• Goff was only sacked once against the Rams.
• Pittsburgh's 90 quarterback hits are third most in the league. Nick Herbig leads the team with 13 quarterback hits. Watt has 12.
• Fourteen different Steelers players have recorded at least one sack this season.
• Eleven different Steelers players have recorded at least one interception this season.
• The Steelers 20 batted passes are the most in the league and four more than any other defense.
• Detroit is in shotgun just 49.2% of the time. Only the Rams and Seahawks use play action less.
• The Lions use play action on 17.2% of their dropbacks, seventh highest. Goff has 1,376 passing yards off play action, only behind Matthew Stafford.
• Detroit only ran for 70 yards last week, 38 from Gibbs, 32 from Montgomery. Gibbs averaged 2.7 yards per carry against the Rams. The Steelers held Miami to just 63 rushing yards.
• Gibbs has 476 rushing yards before first contact, most in the league. Gibbs has 13 rushing touchdowns and 16 total touchdowns, both second behind Jonathan Taylor. Gibbs also has eight carries of 25+ yards, tied for most in the league. Gibbs and Barry Sanders are the only two players in history to have three seasons with 1,200+ scrimmage yards and 10+ rushing touchdowns before turning 24 years old. His 52 career touchdowns are the most of any player before turning 24. Gibbs doesn't turn 24 until March 3^rd.
• Over the past three weeks Gibbs has rushed 45 times for 149 yards. He has rushed for under 4.0 yards per carry in five of his last seven games.
• Detroit produced 2.56 yards before contact per rush attempt. Only the Ravens are better. The Steelers allow 2.19 yards before contact per attempt.
• The Lions 21 rushing touchdowns are only behind Buffalo and Indianapolis. The Steelers have only allowed 10, only four defenses have allowed fewer.
• Goff has just 44 rushing yards this season, but that is third most on the team.
• With Herbig on the field this season, Pittsburgh allows 4.0 yards per carry to the running back position compared to 4.9 when he is off the field.
• Pittsburgh is allowing a 42.4% third down conversion rate.

SPECIAL TEAMS

• The Lions punt team only has one touchback this season.
• Jake Bates missed one of his three field goal attempts last week. The Lions have only made 77.8% of their field goal attempts this season, better than only six teams.

KEY MATCHUPS

Steelers LT Dylan Cook vs. Lions DE Aiden Hutchinson-Hutchinson is one of the league's premier edge defenders and is clearly Detroit's best defensive player. He plays the run well, but greatly affects the passing game. Hutchinson even had an interception last week. Cook started the season on the practice squad and is down the depth chart, but he has also been a very pleasant surprise in his recent game action.

Steelers Linebackers vs. Lions RB Jahmyr Gibbs-The Steelers have faced some very potent running games of late and the results have been, mixed. But, most recently, Pittsburgh's defense did a fine job of keeping DeVon Achane under wraps. The Lions are yet another excellent rushing attack led by Gibbs, who is dynamic as any back in the NFL.