The Pittsburgh Steelers are preparing for the Detroit Lions in Week 16, another game on the road, and it is time to take a look at what some of the people who label themselves as “experts” think about the upcoming game.

Will Aaron Rodgers be able to keep the offense on track and lead the Steelers to a third straight win over an old NFC North rival?

Or will the Lions be able to get back on track and keep their NFC North and playoff hopes alive?

There is a lot going on with this game, and the experts are certainly forecasting a close game, regardless of who they have leaving the week with a victory. When it comes to the odds for the game, the Steelers are currently getting 7.0 points with a total of 51.5, keep that in mind as you check out what the experts believe will take place.

Before going any further, understand there are two types of websites when it comes to expert picks. There are those who have all their experts just click a box, and those who have experts provide some reasoning behind their selection. An example of the former would be the panel at ESPN. There they have 10 of the 11 NFL experts at ESPN like the Lions to get their latest win at Ford Field this Sunday.

As for those experts who put more thought into their picks outside of just checking a box, the panel at Bleacher Report gave their predictions for how they see the Steelers game going, versus the spread:

Hanford: Lions (-7)

The Steelers played their best game of the season on MNF in their win over the Dolphins, but the Lions are looking to get right here at home. I don’t think that bodes well for Pittsburgh.

The Lions defense is banged up, but I don’t think Pittsburgh has the personnel to take advantage of that in a game where it’s going to need to score points to keep pace.

The Rams managed to bottle up Jahmyr Gibbs last week for the most part, which means he’s due for an epic performance here.

Injuries aside, the Lions hold every advantage here from coaching to personnel, and it’s enough to cover.

Sobleski: Steelers (+7)

Pittsburgh still isn’t where it needs to be, but it controls the AFC North, and Aaron Rodgers has played well over the last two weeks. Also, Mike Tomlin’s defense showed up against the Dolphins, who looked like a potentially difficult matchup because of how Miami previously ran the football.

The Lions offense is far more potent, but Detroit simply hasn’t found itself this season. The Lions have been far too inconsistent.

As long as Rodgers and Co. can move the ball, the Steelers can go into Ford Field and outright win.

Predictions

Steelers: Sobleski

Lions: Davenport, Gagnon, Hanford, Knox, Moton, O’Donnell

The experts on the Sports Illustrated staff also provided general picks for the upcoming AFC game, and if you are someone who likes to see people pick against the Steelers, this would not be your bread-and-butter. The SI crew has none of their experts taking the Steelers and heavily leaning on the home team when it comes to who they like on Sunday.

Clare Brennan: Lions
Mitch Goldich: Lions
Gilberto Manzano: Lions
Conor Orr: Lions
John Pluym: Lions
Matt Verderame: Lions

Pete Prisco of CBS Sports has picked the Steelers to beat most of their opponents to date in 2025. And it was Prisco’s Week 15 game where he correctly picked the Steelers beating the Dolphins at home. What does he think about Week 16 AFC North vs. NFC North game?

“This is a big game for both in their playoff quest. The Lions lost last week, while the Steelers are coming off a Monday night win over the Dolphins. The Steelers defense played well in that one, but this is a big step up in terms of matching offensive firepower. Both teams will score, but the Lions will get more.”

Pick: Lions 33, Steelers 27

At NFL.com, all 5 of the experts are all-in on the Lions in this Week 16 contest. While that might stun some reading this, one of their staff writers always gives an explanation as to why they are making the pick of the Lions this Sunday.

Ali – Lions 31-23
Brooke – Lions 34-23
Dan – Lions 33-21
Gennaro – Lions 34-21
Tom – Lions 30-21

Why Dan picked the Lions: I don’t like this matchup for the Steelers, assuming the Lions’ pass rush comes to play. The explosiveness disparity seems about as large as it gets for two teams in playoff contention. Yes, Pittsburgh’s offense has shown more life in recent weeks, with Aaron Rodgers finding some success down the field for a change, but his limitations as a 42-year-old quarterback didn’t go away overnight. With Aidan Hutchinson leading the charge, Detroit’s defense has a 37.8% pressure rate, the sixth-highest mark in the league. Meanwhile, Rodgers has a 37.1% completion rate under pressure in 2025, which ranks last in the NFL. The Lions lead the league in points per game (30.6) and that number jumps even higher when they’re at home (33.7). The Steelers just don’t have the same juice. If Detroit can get after Rodgers and control the clock on offense, it will relieve the stress on the Lions’ injury-plagued secondary, setting up a comfortable victory for a team clinging to playoff hopes.

What do you think will happen in the game? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below, and be sure to stay tuned to SCN for the latest news and notes surrounding the Steelers as they prepare for the Lions this Sunday in Week 16.