Detroit Lions stock report: 7 risers, 16 fallers vs Steelers

The Detroit Lions’ unsuccessful end-of-game goal-line sequence against the Steelers almost perfectly encapsulated their tumultuous 2025 season. It was a year defined by brief optimism, uncomfortable stretches, and frustration—a season that never quite felt like the version of this team fans had grown used to. When answers were needed most, they weren’t found. That final series mirrored the season itself: desperate, disjointed, and underwhelming. They put themselves in this situation.

There was something painfully fitting about the final nails in the Lions’ once-promising season being delivered by Matthew Stafford and Aaron Rodgers. Throughout the year, Detroit lacked the control and confidence that once defined them. Fans who had grown accustomed to tuning in with prideful enjoyment and an expectation for a consistent product instead found themselves watching a team that felt unsure of itself, often searching for an identity it no longer possessed.

With home-field advantage and an extra day of preparation advantage, Detroit instead got pushed around by a supremely average football team—a Steelers squad that had struggled mightily against playoff contenders. By the end of the season, the Lions had regressed into the same tier of mediocrity as the team they were supposed to beat. The stock report recap mirrors a disappointing average football team, as 14 teams will advance into postseason play, and it’s hard to swallow that this team won’t be one of them.

Stock down: Dan Campbell, head coach

The numbers are increasingly difficult to ignore. The Lions are 4–6 over their last ten games and 3–5 since their Week 8 bye. They sit just one game over .500 and only one game ahead of a Vikings team that not only beat them but started J.J. McCarthy, Carson Wentz, and Max Brosmer at quarterback this season. Now Detroit enters a losing streak with those same Vikings looming on a much less meaningful remaining slate.

Earlier in the week, Campbell praised the team’s practice effort, pointing to strong metrics in change of direction and deceleration. Whatever those metrics suggested, they never showed up on Sunday. The Lions looked tight, unprepared, and at times timid, allowing the Steelers to dictate the physical tone. Once again, Detroit desperately played from behind without an identity or a defining strength.

With Campbell still responsible for play-calling duties, the offense produced arguably its least cohesive game plan since that Vikings game. The end-of-game goal-line failure personified the larger issue: no in-game answers, no adjustments, and no ability to solve even a bland defensive structure with vulnerable middle-of-the-field defenders.

Entering the season, the Lions were widely viewed as a legitimate Super Bowl contender, even after last year’s premature playoff exit. Instead of capitalizing on that momentum, Campbell chose familiarity when filling both coordinator vacancies—opting for John Morton and Kelvin Sheppard, neither of whom appeared to be in high demand elsewhere. The result was clear regression on both sides of the ball.

This offseason now falls squarely on Campbell. He must adapt, make difficult decisions, reestablish the team’s identity, and find the fundamentals again. That means hiring a proven offensive coordinator, someone like Brian Daboll, rebuilding the trenches, determining their defensive philosophy moving forward, and allowing himself to return to being the best version of a head coach—rather than trying to cover too many cracks himself.

Stock down: Kelvin Sheppard, defensive coordinator

Once Arthur Smith settled in, he thoroughly dismantled Kelvin Sheppard’s defense. The Lions allowed nearly seven yards per play, surrendered over 200 rushing yards, only managed nine pressures on 49 dropbacks, and gave up ten combined third- and fourth-down conversions, all with the Steelers playing multiple backup offensive linemen. Pittsburgh strung together a 17-play drive, an 11-play drive, and two separate nine-play marches — leaving Detroit’s defense helpless and rudderless.

There were moments of pure dysfunction, including snaps with 10 or even 12 defenders on the field. The Lions were gashed on the ground (particularly in the fourth quarter), carved up by screens and short throws, and came out flat in the second half yet again. They were incapable of playing zone coverage, gap integrity vanished, and the unit once again failed to get off the field. They looked like one of the most poorly coached defenses at this point in the season.

This unraveling wasn’t isolated to one week. Kansas City spread and exposed them horizontally. J.J. McCarthy found success. Jameis Winston generated double-digit explosive plays. Jordan Love carved them up—again. Dak Prescott shredded them. The Rams moved the ball at will. And throughout it all, the run defense steadily eroded.

After a respectable start to the season, the Lions’ defensive identity disappeared. The shut-down-the-run-first mindset faded, the pass rush didn’t have consistent urgency or interior presence, and coverage tendencies were fully exposed. Sheppard failed to adjust over the final two months, both in-game and week-to-week. While injuries in the secondary presented challenges, the unit had opportunities to compensate and make adjustments—every team deals with injuries.

Ultimately, the responsibility for the collapse rests with Sheppard and the defensive staff. It’s not easy for a first-time defensive play caller to navigate a season where the head coach became more involved in offensive play calling, but the defense’s weaknesses were clearly identified, targeted, and repeatedly exploited. That reality raises serious questions about Sheppard’s future, the staff’s approach, and the Lions’ defensive identity moving forward.

Stock up: Kalif Raymond, WR

The Lions needed a playmaker to step up when the passing attack was floundering, and the five-year veteran delivered. Raymond finished with four catches for 62 yards (47 YAC) and his first receiving touchdown of the season—each play exactly what the offense needed.

He sparked life on a short catch-and-run, digging out 13 yards on third-and-12 during the second drive. Later, in fourth-quarter desperation mode, Raymond converted another huge third-and-4 with a slant over the middle, followed by a determined screen behind Penei Sewell and Tate Ratledge that gained another first down. He capped it off with a massive fourth-down crossing route turned explosive touchdown to bring the Lions within one score.

It was a standout showing from the former journeyman, who has quietly carved out a role helping elevate this team in small but impactful ways over the years.

Stock down: Christian Mahogany, LG

The second-year pro and first-year starter deserves credit for battling back to the lineup after missing six games with a broken bone in his leg but he endured potentially his toughest outing as a professional. Compounding the challenge, Mahogany was playing alongside Kingsley Eguakun in his first career start at center. He also briefly rotated out for a three-and-out series in favor of Miles Frazier.

In the Lions’ limited and largely unsuccessful run game, Mahogany’s most notable moment came on a missed pull block at the goal line. That play felt more like a product of the Steelers preparedness and aggressive anticipation than a singular breakdown—consistent with Detroit’s run-game design being the root issue overall. Outside of that snap, Mahogany held up reasonably well as a run blocker across the Lions’ 11 rushing attempts.

Pass protection was where the problems surfaced. While protecting in obvious passing situations is never easy—especially when trailing and dropping back on more than 80% of offensive snaps—Mahogany struggled even early, before the game script tilted heavily pass-first. On the opening drive, he was dusted by Keeanu Benton for a sack on a play-action pass. Throughout the game, Mahogany’s athletic limitations showed up in space, with ongoing issues in agility, awareness, and identifying stunts and blitzes, including on Kyle Dugger’s safety.

This performance further underscored what’s been apparent all season: the Lions’ offensive line needs meaningful retooling. A center of the future—and likely an upgrade from Graham Glasgow—is essential, and a successor to Taylor Decker may be needed sooner rather than later. But Mahogany remains the biggest question in the puzzle. He’s flashed real upside as a run blocker and is still just ten starts into his career, yet the inconsistency hasn’t been good enough to pencil him in as the unquestioned starting left guard next season. Competition—even from Frazier, alongside an upgraded center—feels necessary. A strong finish over the final two games would go a long way toward strengthening his case heading into 2026.

Stock up: Anthony Firkser, TE

With the Lions searching for reliable ancillary answers over the middle, Anthony Firkser stepped into an important role as a dependable outlet in the passing game. His first eye-catching play came on a broken-rep recess drill, with Jared Goff sliding up in the pocket and finding Firkser to move the chains. Soon after, Goff hit Firkser on a strike over the middle, as a backside of the play design option, in the red zone to set up first-and-goal.

Firkser added another key contribution late in the fourth quarter, converting a first down while trailing 29–17 on a quick out. He secured the catch, turned upfield, and got out of bounds to extend the drive.

In total, Firkser finished with four catches for 40 yards and three first downs—production that exceeded reasonable expectations for a tight end room operating without Sam LaPorta and Brock Wright.

• Isaac TeSlaa, WR: A much-needed mini breakout for the third-round rookie, as he set clear career highs in targets (7), receptions (4), and receiving yards (52). TeSlaa also flashed his best display yet of acrobatic, clutch ball skills, highlighted by his impressive touchdown grab.
• Kingsley Eguakun, C: Eguakun showed a few warts—particularly against Benton—but for a second-year undrafted free agent making his first career start, he wasn’t the liability many might have expected. His athleticism, something the position has lacked at times this season, showed up on several plays, including the explosive screen to St. Brown on the final drive, as well as some competence in pass protection. He may be worth further development as a long-term backup.
• Roy Lopez, NT: Lopez battled inside all afternoon, holding up against double teams while also shooting gaps and winning single blocks to disrupt several run plays. He looks like a player worth keeping around next season.
• Aidan Hutchinson, DE: Hutchinson is paid to create negative plays, and while consistent pressure was difficult with how quickly Rodgers got the ball out—and the run defense could’ve been better—recording his first multi-sack game since Week 4 was a welcome sight.
• Thomas Harper, SAF: Returning from a concussion, Harper delivered several impact plays, including two strong run stops on Jaylen Warren, one coming on a blitz near the Steelers’ own end zone. He also broke up a would-be first down, giving DK Metcalf a pop, and forced the crucial goal-line fumble on Darnell Washington. A few questionable pursuit angles remain, but overall, he played above replacement level.

• Jahmyr Gibbs, RB: For the fourth straight week, the run-game design gave Gibbs little room to operate, with the Steelers consistently having answers. Few backs could’ve found success in those conditions. He also had a near-fumble early and a drop.
• David Montgomery, RB: Playing just 13 snaps with four total touches continues to feel like a misuse of Montgomery’s skill set, even if his patient 17-yard run was a reminder of what he offers
• Amon-Ra St. Brown, WR: A strong third-down conversion on a curl-route early and a late catch-and-run screen stood out, but St. Brown finished with just four catches on nine targets for 54 yards and a drop. The absence of consistent production over the middle hurt an offense that stalled repeatedly.
• Taylor Decker, LT: Decker was beaten several times by Alex Highsmith and caught flat-footed on stunts more than once. Not a disastrous outing, but not his cleanest day protecting Goff’s blindside.
• Penei Sewell, RT: An uncharacteristically uneven performance, as Sewell was caught off balance reaching in the run game and was beaten twice in pass protection by rookie Jack Sawyer.
• Marcus Davenport, DE: He’s been ragdolled in run defense the last two weeks and has barely made a blip on the pass rush radar since he returned from injury
• Tyleik Williams, DT: Arguably his poorest performance against the run, while failing to threaten pocket integrity as a pass rusher—even accounting for the Steelers’ quick passing game.
• Alim McNeill, DT: Aside from one strong run stop on Kenneth Gainwell, McNeill was moved too easily in the run game and was a non-factor as a pass rusher. The Lions will hope to see the 2022–24 version return in 2026.
• Alex Anzalone, LB: Over-pursuit and getting washed out by blockers showed up in run defense, compounded by the costly, infamous pass interference and touchdown allowed to Kenneth Gainwell before halftime.
• Amik Robertson, CB: Made a classic Amik Robertson play by stopping a third-down screen early, but getting beaten in man coverage on third-and-long situations by receivers like Adam Thielen and Scotty Miller can’t happen.
• Avonte Maddox, SAF: A sharp contrast from his Rams performance. Maddox was repeatedly out of position in both run fits and coverage, took poor angles filling the alley, and missed tackles while dealing with an in-game ailment.
• Hank Fraley, offensive run game coordinator: The run game looks predictable and broken, and the responsibility doesn’t fall solely on Dan Campbell or the offensive line
• Kacy Rodgers, defensive run game coordinator: “What would you say ya do here?” — The Bobs, Office Space

• Jack Campbell, LB: Flashed his usual downhill and sideline-to-sideline impact on several plays, but over-pursuit led to cutback lanes on others—likely exacerbated by inconsistent edge containment.
• D.J. Reed & Rock Ya-Sin, CBs: Both were noticeably improved in coverage compared to the Rams game, though each had moments of shaky run support and missed tackles.