Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

Detroit pummels Pittsburgh at home, 45-7, in the '62 opener. Their 'Playoff Bowl' meeting after the season was FWIW closer at 17-10.

There's the '69 opener - Steelers winning their only game that campaign (Noll's debut) over a Lions team that'd finish at 9-4-1.

Another opener, Barry Sanders juking-out Rod Woodson for the season until returning for SBXXX.

That Turkey Day Massacre in '83 making it clear that Steelers were now in decline; but would at least end up making the playoffs anyway.

Not the case on Thanksgiving '98, though, with the infamous coin-flip.


What other games in-mind involving these two blue-collar franchises who meet this Sunday in Detroit, each team having Buddy Parker and Bobby Layne at different times?

Steelers lead series, 17-14-2.

Lions haven't beaten the Steelers since that 1998 game, correct?

Even though the game is in Detroit, I don't think the Lions have won in Pittsburgh since before the AFL-NFL merger...

sluggermatt15 wrote: ↑Fri Dec 19, 2025 11:50 am Lions haven't beaten the Steelers since that 1998 game, correct?

Even though the game is in Detroit, I don't think the Lions have won in Pittsburgh since before the AFL-NFL merger...

Both are correct, but the last time they played it was a tie and it was in Pittsburgh. Dan Campbell's first year with the Lions, of course. They were 0-8 going in with Steelers going in at 5-3. To me, at the time, it signaled success to come for Detroit!

The “Grudge Bowl” on November 8, 1959 at Pittsburgh featured the quarterback rivalry--Bobby Layne vs. Tobin Rote--that had split Detroit and wasn't settled until George Wilson traded Layne to the Steelers two games into the 1958 season. Rote opened the scoring with a short run, then threw three interceptions in the second quarter before quitting the game with a wrenched knee. Earl Morrall, who Detroit had acquired (along with draft picks) in the Layne trade, took over. A late touchdown pass from Layne to Tom Tracy produced the final 10-10 tie.

This was touted as ex-Lions coach Buddy Parker's first regular-season game against the team he had quit in a huff in August 1957, but he had actually faced the Lions in his very first game as new Steelers coach-- an exhibition at Buffalo's Civic Stadium on Sept. 4, 1957, with Buddy overseeing a 20-14 win over Detroit. There was no bad blood reported, just players chatting amiably with Parker, and Buddy and Wilson agreeing to discuss possible trades at some future date. And of course, they did pull off a whopper of a trade the following season!

The snowy 1992 game at Three Rivers where 11 point underdog Detroit nearly won outright

Well Richard, the Lions have to beat the Steelers to keep fighting.
Luckily, Watt is out again but they better put out all the stops--and get to Rodgers--if they want to make a run. With that offense, a puncher's chance. Injured or not, they need to try to commit to Branch this offseason.

In 1934 the Lions opened the season with 7 (Seven!) consecutive shut out victories (still the record).
During that streak no opponent had even gotten inside the Lions 22 yard line... but...

That string of scoreless victories was finally broken on November 4, by the Pittsburgh Pirates (soon to become the Steelers) on a trick-play punt return in which Harp Vaughn fielded the kick then lateraled the ball across the field to Joe Skladany who ran the ball in for a touchdown.
It was the only time Pittsburgh crossed midfield all day. The Lions won the game 40-7 but the scoreless streak was broken.

I'd say that's a "Notable" Detroit vs. Pittsburgh NFL game (even if it was "pre-Steelers").

Brian wolf wrote: ↑Sat Dec 20, 2025 12:33 am Well Richard, the Lions have to beat the Steelers to keep fighting.
Luckily, Watt is out again but they better put out all the stops--and get to Rodgers--if they want to make a run. With that offense, a puncher's chance. Injured or not, they need to try to commit to Branch this offseason.

Brian, back in Sept. I had the Lions pegged for a 11-6 or 10-7 season becuz of the schedule and GB getting stronger w/ Love maturing and addition of Parsons. I also thought Ben Johnson would make a .500 club out of da Bears but I didn't think the turnaround would happen so quickly. Best chance Lions have is to win out and overtake GB for the WC.

I think/hope Detroit will beat Pitts and @ Minn next week. If so, the last game of season is Detroit @ Bears w/ the WC on the line. If the Lions can squeeze into the playoffs, they could be dangerous for a round or two.

The Lions still score a shit-ton of points but they're not quite as much fun to watch w/o Johnson calling the plays. He was always pulling something out of his bag of tricks.

JuggernautJ wrote: ↑Sat Dec 20, 2025 4:36 am In 1934 the Lions opened the season with 7 (Seven!) consecutive shut out victories (still the record).
During that streak no opponent had even gotten inside the Lions 22 yard line... but...

That string of scoreless victories was finally broken on November 4, by the Pittsburgh Pirates (soon to become the Steelers) on a trick-play punt return in which Harp Vaughn fielded the kick then lateraled the ball across the field to Joe Skladany who ran the ball in for a touchdown.
It was the only time Pittsburgh crossed midfield all day. The Lions won the game 40-7 but the scoreless streak was broken.

I'd say that's a "Notable" Detroit vs. Pittsburgh NFL game (even if it was "pre-Steelers").

I agree---I'd say that's notable!

JuggernautJ wrote: ↑Sat Dec 20, 2025 4:36 am That string of scoreless victories was finally broken on November 4, by the Pittsburgh Pirates (soon to become the Steelers) on a trick-play punt return in which Harp Vaughn fielded the kick then lateraled the ball across the field to Joe Skladany who ran the ball in for a touchdown.

It wasn't a punt return. It was a pass out of the punt formation. The Pro Football Chronicle mentioned it, since they had an article on Detroit's string of shutouts. Dutch Clark was right there covering Skladany, but tried for the interception and missed.

Pro Football Reference also shows it to be a pass play.