The Detroit Lions fell 29–24 to the Pittsburgh Steelers in a crucial Week 16 matchup. With their third defeat in the last four matchups, Detroit is now 8-7, and its playoff chances are now as good as gone. In the aftermath, frustrated by the defeat and a controversial decision that sealed their fate, head coach Dan Campbell didn’t shy away from pointing fingers for this painful loss.

“We have nobody to blame but ourselves. It’s on us,” he said, via ESPN‘s Eric Woodyard’s post on X.

According to Woodyard, Campbell is feeling the weight of the loss, which dipped their chances of reaching the playoffs to just 16%. While the coach makes his frustration clear over the controversial ending of the game, he believes his team should not have put itself in that situation. The play that sparked both confusion and debate took place on a fourth-and-goal play with just six seconds remaining. 

Quarterback Jared Goff rolled left and released a quick pass to his wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown, who started marching towards the end zone. Brown fought through contact while making his way before two Steelers defenders shoved him backward. As they tried to drag him down to the ground, the receiver pitched the ball back to Goff in desperation. The quarterback took the ball and dove across the goal line. Touchdown? 

The officials did raise their arms to signal the score. But in no time, they threw yellow flags on the field. The move caught players from both sides off guard as they stood still, not sure whether to celebrate or protest. Further, the referees came together and discussed for a minute before ruling it as offensive pass interference on Brown. In a clip shared by Bob Pompeani on X, a referee can be heard explaining his call. 

“The ruling on the field is a touchdown, however, offensive pass interference No. 14 [Brown] on the offense,” he said. “By rule, that penalty is not enforced and there is no replay. The game is over. There is no touchdown.”

And just like that, the call that earlier looked like a miracle finish turned into a moment of heartbreak for Dan Campbell’s team. Now, the big question is how this will affect their standings and shape their road to the playoffs.

The NFC North door shut for Dan Campbell’s Lions

The Lions entered Week 16 with a firm position at 8-6 and some playoff hopes. There’s no denying they have it tough among powerful rivals such as the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers. And then there is a crowded wild-card race as well. However, things were still under control for the Lions until the Steelers handed them a defeat on Sunday. While Jared Goff’s team is not officially out of the playoff race, the path has become too narrow.

With just two games remaining on the schedule, their dream of winning the NFC North is now off the table. Currently, the Lions are three games behind the division-leading Bears. It’s impossible to catch them even with a head-to-head matchup still ahead in Week 18. Consequently, that reality leaves them with only one potential route to the postseason–the wild card.

Detroit sits as the eighth seed in the NFC, which puts them just outside the playoff spots. The franchise trails the seventh-seeded Packers by a win and a tie. To make the playoffs, Dan Campbell’s team must win out against the Minnesota Vikings and the Bears. They also need the Packers to lose their remaining games. Overall, the last stretch has become an uphill battle for the Lions, where even a single loss could end their journey. 

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