The Lions (6-3), looking for their third straight win, face the Steelers (3-6) at Pittsburgh. They haven’t won in the Steel City since 1955 when Bobby Layne was quarterback.

Here are five keys to the game if the Lions are going to break that streak:

1. Pressure quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. It shouldn’t be too difficult, he has been sacked 35 times in the first nine games. The veteran quarterback doesn’t like to give up on a play and he doesn’t get the best protection from his offensive line. Facing Ndamukong Suh and Nick Fairley could spell trouble. He knows he has to be careful or — as he said it — he’ll be dead.

2. Run the ball effectively against the Steelers’ rush defense which is ranked 29th in the NFL. Reggie Bush said from watching film he thinks the key against the Steelers is to break through arm tackles. Bush had his second 100-yard rushing game this season on Sunday — both came against the Bears.

3. Prevent the big play. It’s a broken record, but these chunk plays have killed the Lions. In each of the nine games they’ve given up a touchdown play of 30 or more yards — three of them were 78 yards or more. Seriously, too much. The secondary has to make better adjustments.

4. Steelers coach Mike Tomlin showed utmost respect for Calvin, calling him Mr. Johnson during a conference call this week. Well, Mr. Johnson and Mr. Stafford may have to work harder this week to make the passing game effective against a sound Steelers’ secondary. The Lions will likely be without Nate Burleson (forearm) but Stafford has been able to make connections with Kris Durham, Jeremy Ross and Kevin Ogletree in Burleson’s absence.

5. Play hungry. Lions players are admitting that in 2011, after they started 5-0, they weren’t playing as hungry as they should have been. They finished the season 5-6 for a 10-6 overall record. They made it to the playoffs and lost to the Saints. They are hungrier now. They’ve learned a little about winning. They can’t see a team struggling with a 3-6 record and think winning will come easy. It won’t.

Prediction: Lions 27, Steelers 17

(Follow @PaulaPasche on Twitter. Order her book,  “100 Things Lions Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die’’ here. It’s also available at bookstores.)