The Pittsburgh Steelers delivered a statement win on Monday Night Football, defeating the Miami Dolphins 28–15. With the victory, Pittsburghextended its remarkable home Monday night winning streak to 23 games.
It was, without question, the most complete performance the Steelers have put together all season. Now, as they head to Detroit for a game that the Lions must win to keep their postseason hopes alive, the Steelers appear to be getting hot at exactly the right time.
The Pittsburgh Steelers might be getting hot when it matters most
December football is the most critical stretch of the NFL season. As teams battle up the standings and position themselves for the playoffs, every week carries added weight. For the Steelers, recent history has not been kind. In past seasons, December has often been the point where Pittsburgh runs out of gas and collapses down the stretch.
This year feels different. Winners of two straight games to open December, the Steelers appear to be finding their groove at the right time. Aaron Rodgers has looked noticeably sharper, the offense is finally clicking, and the defense has stepped up when it matters most. Even with a growing list of injuries over the past few weeks, Pittsburgh has continued to find ways to win.
That momentum will be tested this Sunday in Detroit against a talented Lions team that is in desperation mode after last week’s loss to the Los Angeles Rams. It will not be an easy matchup. While the game does not significantly impact the Steelers in terms of playoff seeding or the AFC North, where they currently hold the sole lead, it carries major weight in terms of perception and belief.
If this momentum is real, a win in Detroit would be a statement. It would signal that this Steelers team is not just surviving but actually peaking. History shows that teams that get hot at the right time are rarely easy outs once the playoffs begin.
The question remains whether this 2025 Steelers team is finally different. Can they carry momentum into January and earn their first playoff win in nearly a decade, or will this be another familiar script where they do just enough to reach the postseason only to be exposed when it matters most?
Detroit is the next step, and the outcome will say a lot about whether these Steelers can make real noise or if they are frauds once again.