FOX 2 – The Lions have one more preseason game before the new season – and kick off for the first time at Ford Field.

On Saturday the Lions host the Pittsburgh Steelers at 1 p.m. with it being the last chance for those on the roster bubble to state their case for a permanent spot.

While many of the starters are likely to be on the sideline, there are position battles to keep an eye on, including at quarterback. Nate Sudfeld and Hendon Hooker are both vying for the role backing up Jared Goff – but recently there have been hints the team might keep all three.

At running back Sione Vaki – who played mostly safety in college and dabbled on offense, is being used at tailback. The fourth round rookie has shown flashes but is looking to prove his worth beyond just special teams.

Other spots all eyes will be on include the reconstructed defensive backfield and whether former UFL star Jake Bates can continue to impress at kicker.

Bates became a star with the Michigan Panthers and has impressed – including hitting the winning field goal against the Chiefs in the second preseason game.

How to watch the Lions on FOX 2

The Lions welcome the Pittsburgh Steelers on Saturday Aug. 24  and you can watch every single snap on FOX 2, FOX2Detroit.com, on your phone or tablet, and the FOX LOCAL app!

With the start of the preseason upon us – you can watch every snap on FOX LOCAL on your TV and FOX 2 on your phone – and it’s all 100% FREE!

FOX 2 is committed to getting Lions fans access to each and every moment of the preseason. If you live in the Detroit area – you can stream the game for free on this page and on the FOX LOCAL app on your TV. No TV subscription required.

If you live outside of the Detroit viewing area, you’ll need to find the game on a local channel near you.

The best coverage of YOUR TEAM – can only be found on FOX 2.

What time is the Lions game?

FOX 2’s coverage of the Lions against the Steelers starts with Gameday Live at 12:30 p.m. ET. 

Kickoff is at 1 p.m. ET from Ford Field.

After the game, be sure to hang around for the postgame show as Dan Miller and Jennifer Hammond talk about every moment that mattered in the preseason opener.

Javier Baez returned to Wrigley Field on Tuesday night for the first time since the 2021 trade. It’s a special moment for him as he’s among one of the most important players in Chicago Cubs history.

The current Detroit Tigers shortstop hasn’t found similar success since leaving the team, but what he did with the Cubs was second to none. There was a part of his career when he looked like arguably the best shortstop in Major League Baseball, and he played a big part in them winning the World Series in 2016, breaking one of the biggest droughts in professional sports history.

Chicago honored him in many ways during his first game back, including a name above his locker, a tribute video, and more.

It’s well-earned, given the success he found there.

Baez told reporters, including Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune, that he still thinks about the 2016 World Series run.

“That’s one of the things that no one will take from you. You’re always going to be a champion here.”

A two-time All-Star,  Gold Glove Award winner, Silver Slugger, and NLCS MVP, it’s easy to see why the Cubs welcomed him back with open arms. They decided to head in a different direction from him because of the situation the team was in, not because of his play.

Before being traded, he had some impressive campaigns.

In 2018, he finished with 34 home runs, 111 RBI, and slashed .290/.326/.554 with an OPS+ of 129.

While his time with the Tigers hasn’t seen him do half of what he did in Chicago, perhaps that player is still there. He’s shown signs of improvement throughout the past month, which is very positive for Detroit as they move forward.

It hasn’t exactly been sunshine and rainbows throughout the past month, but he’s starting to figure it out a bit at the plate. Considering he’s under contract until the end of the 2027 season, they’ll need him to get back on track.

It’s important that the Cubs are showing him this type of love, too. Many around the game seem to forget how good he truly was. The contract situation makes his lack of production a bit tougher on him for many reasons, but that doesn’t take away from what he did for Chicago and their fan base.

Hopefully, he can show those fans what they’re missing and produce for the Tigers as they look to get a massive series win against a beatable Cubs team.