Steelers Edge Lions 29-24 After Late Penalty Negates TD/ TezzBuzz/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ The Pittsburgh Steelers held off the Detroit Lions in a dramatic 29-24 victory sealed by a controversial offensive pass interference call. Jared Goff’s would-be game-winning touchdown was wiped out as Amon-Ra St. Brown was flagged on the final play. The win keeps the Steelers atop the AFC North, while Detroit’s playoff hopes are on life support.
DETROIT — The Pittsburgh Steelers stayed in the thick of the AFC playoff race with a controversial win that left the Detroit Lions — and their fans — stunned and furious.
In a wild finish at Ford Field, the Steelers secured a 29-24 victory when a potential game-winning touchdown by Jared Goff was wiped out by an offensive pass interference call on Amon-Ra St. Brown. The penalty came as time expired, ending the Lions’ furious comeback and pushing them to the brink of playoff elimination.
The win moved the Steelers to 9-6giving them sole possession of first place in the AFC North with two games left. The loss dropped Detroit to 8-7likely dooming their postseason hopes after back-to-back defeats.
With 22 seconds remaining, rookie wideout Isaac Tesla was flagged for setting an illegal pick on St. Brown, nullifying a short touchdown that would’ve put Detroit ahead.
Then, on the final play of the game, Goff hit St. Brown just short of the goal lineand before he was tackled, the wide receiver lateraled the ball back to Goff, who reached the end zone. But officials determined that St. Brown had pushed off cornerback Jalen Ramsey to get separation, drawing another offensive pass interference penalty and effectively ending the game.
Lions head coach Dan Campbell declined to criticize the officiating but refused to second-guess a failed fourth-down call earlier in the game that might have shifted the outcome.
The Steelers’ ground game overwhelmed Detroit’s defense, dominating the run battle 230-15. Running back Jaylen Warren exploded for two 45-yard touchdowns in the fourth quarter, finishing with a career-best 143 rushing yards.
Warren’s second score gave Pittsburgh a 29-17 lead with 4:20 left, but the Lions quickly answered with a touchdown and then mounted their final drive, which ended in the controversial penalty.
Despite racking up over 480 total yards — a season high — the Steelers left the door open. Chris Boswell missed a 37-yard field goal with just over two minutes left, giving Detroit one last chance.
Detroit capitalized quickly with back-to-back penalties on the Steelers — defensive pass interference and tripping — setting the Lions up at the Pittsburgh 35.
But that’s where the comeback stalled, with two touchdowns called back in the final minute.
Goff completed 27 of 41 passes for 266 yards and three touchdownsincluding a 45-yard TD to Kenneth Gainwell to end the first half. The play was initially ruled incomplete but overturned after a review showed Gainwell cradled the ball just before rolling over and racing to the end zone.
Goff also threw two fourth-quarter touchdown passes that brought Detroit within striking distance. But it wasn’t enough to avoid a second straight loss — something the Lions haven’t experienced in over three seasons.
Steelers receiver DK Metcalf had a brief run-in with a fan during the second quarter, swiping at a man in the front row who was leaning over the railing. No flag was thrown on the play, but the NFL is expected to review the incident.
The fan appeared to be taunting Metcalf, who responded with an open-hand motion toward the man’s face. The league could issue discipline this week.
Pittsburgh’s win ensured the franchise will finish with at least a .500 record for the 22nd straight seasonbreaking the NFL record it previously shared with the Dallas Cowboys. Mike Tomlin also extends his personal streak to 19 straight non-losing seasonsthe longest by any head coach in league history.
Steelers:
Lions:
Steelers (9-6): Travel to Cleveland next Sunday in a crucial AFC North matchup.
Lions (8-7): Visit Minnesota for a Christmas Day showdown to keep slim playoff hopes alive.
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