Thursday night promised NFC North fireworks, and the Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers delivered, treating the Ford Field crowd to a Week 14 shootout of playoff contenders. While Jordan Love and Josh Jacobs rallied the visitors from down 10 at halftime, taking two separate leads after the break, it was Dan Campbell who stole the Motor City spotlight, dialing up four successful fourth-down calls, including one with 43 seconds left, to lift the Lions over the Packers, 34-31, and keep Motown atop the division.
The Lions started the matchup with an edge, controlling the ball and forcing an early turnover on a Christian Watson fumble. The Packers snuck back into contention later, with Jacobs scoring three times as Matt LaFleur's go-to red-zone bludgeon. But Campbell's trademark aggression kept Detroit swinging; one of his boldest strokes, a failed fourth-down attempt at his own 31-yard line, threatened to derail momentum, but his fourth-and-inches call just outside the red zone on the Lions' final series set up a walk-off Jake Bates field goal.
In the end, the Lions easily out-possessed their division rivals, just over 36 minutes to nearly 24 minutes, while approaching 400 total yards. They also got two scores from former Denver Broncos wide receiver Tim Patrick, who missed the last two NFL seasons with serious injuries. Their win, which marks a sweep of the Packers in 2024, earns them a playoff spot and keeps them in the driver's seat for the NFC's top playoff seed at 12-1.
Here are top takeaways from Thursday's showdown:
The Packers had quite a few more splash plays Thursday, including a 59-yard bomb from Love to Watson, and a pick by Keisean Nixon of Jared Goff. But Goff had the most pivotal play, overcoming a stumble after the snap to get the ball cleanly to David Montgomery on fourth-and-inches in the final minute, with the game tied up at 31. The unorthodox but successful conversion set up Bates' game-winning kick, robbing Green Bay of a final drive.
Was Detroit perfect in this one? No. But really, what can you criticize? The defense surrendered 31, but it was also littered with emergency fill-ins due to injuries at every level. The bold situational decisions resulted in a turnover on downs deep in their own territory, but they converted four of five (!) fourth-down tries on the whole. Even without a gaudy night from stars like Jahmyr Gibbs, Sam LaPorta or Amon-Ra St. Brown, everyone chipped in to forge one methodical drive after another, and Goff never folded despite taking some licks and throwing an ugly pick. At 12-1, with the NFC's No. 1 seed squarely in sight, it's wild to think any of us entertained a possible hangover for a club that barely missed the Super Bowl in 2023.
Green Bay's four losses this season are to teams with a combined record of 32-5. Which can be interpreted one of two ways: 1.) They've had some tough draws against the best of the best, like the Lions and Philadelphia Eagles; or 2.) They're missing a "finishing" factor against elite competition. The truth probably lies somewhere in the middle -- Love battled multiple injuries earlier this year, and three of the four defeats were one-score decisions -- but the playoff race isn't determined by sympathy. Green Bay has to find a way to start or finish stronger if it intends to hang with the big dogs. They might start by examining the defense, which failed to get off the field on innumerable third and fourth downs.
Consider again that the defense was without some of its top starters, including interior veteran D.J. Reader and big-money tackle Alim McNeil, who left with a head injury. Throw in Tim Patrick's red-zone emergence, scoring twice while leading Detroit with six catches, and all of a sudden you've got reason to believe both sides of the ball will benefit from added depth down the stretch. The only thing standing in the Lions' way might honestly be their own unceasingly aggressive play-calling.
The Lions (12-1) will enjoy the weekend off, then stay at home for a Week 15 cross-conference clash with the Buffalo Bills (10-2), who just locked up the AFC East and will play the Los Angeles Rams this weekend. The Packers (9-4) will stay on the road for a Week 15 showdown with the Seattle Seahawks (7-5), who play the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday.
In classic Lions fashion, a fourth-down conversion clinched the game and set up Jake Bates' game-winning field goal.
Detroit is now 12-1 and fully in the driver's seat for the NFC North title, which could come down to a Week 18 game against the Vikings. Green Bay is 9-4 and likely done in the division race, but still in very strong position for an NFC wild card spot.
Detroit goes for it on fourth down for the fifth time tonight, and converts for the fourth time. Pretty incredible play by Jared Goff to actually get the ball to Montgomery after getting stepped on by his offensive lineman. They can run the clock all the way down and then kick the game-winning field goal.
Amon-Ra St. Brown nearly got what would have been the game-sealing first down, but was ruled inches short upon review. And then David Montgomery got stuffed on third down. So, now the Lions have a choice of kicking to take the lead with 43 seconds left or going for it to try to ice the game entirely.
Massive third-down conversion for the Lions at the two-minute warning. Green Bay only has two timeouts, so Detroit is pretty much in full control of this end-game situation now. One more first down and the Lions can run the clock before kicking a field goal.
Every time Jameson Williams has gotten a first down tonight, he has mimicked the Packers WRs' first-down celebration.
An offensive pass interference call on Christian Watson negated what would have been Josh Jacobs' FOURTH touchdown of the game, and the Packers instead had to settle for a field goal after their goal-to-go drive got set back to the 16-yard line. That field goals ties the game, 31-31, with 3:38 remaining. Lions about to get the ball with a chance for a game-winning drive.
Star DB Brian Branch is down after that latest completion to Dontayvion Wicks. The Lions already have 13 defensive players out tonight. They cannot afford to lose the best player left on the defense.
Fantastic play by Jordan Love. Elusive on the pocket. Reset his feet on the move and floated the ball out to Christian Watson while being cracked by an oncoming pass rusher. That's as good as you can do it, folks.
The Lions ran David Montgomery right into the line twice on first- and second-and-goal. They went heavy personnel play action on third, and snuck Tim Patrick to the back of the end zone for his second score of the game. The Lions took advantage of the Green Bay defense's eyes twice on that drive, with a big run by Amon-Ra St. Brown earlier setting up the score. Detroit is back in the lead.
Both Lions running backs have been fantastic in blitz pickup tonight.
Josh Jacobs plows right through the middle of the line for his THIRD touchdown of the night. He's only got 64 yards on his 15 carries, but three end zone trips will do a lot for the stat line -- and the score line. Packers have the lead again.
Detroit was 3 for 3 on fourth down tonight, but Jahmyr Gibbs just got stuffed on a fourth-and-1 toss. He had absolutely nowhere to go. Tried to cut it back but to no avail. BIG stop for Green Bay.
Very poorly-timed bad drive for Green Bay there. A flea flicker got blown up on first down and the drive never recovered. Now the Lions have a chance to make this a two-score game again.
Just as they did the first time the Packers scored a touchdown, the Lions marched right back down the field to score a touchdown of their own. And just like they did on that drive, they converted on a fourth-and-goal with a pass to the front of the end zone. This time, it was with a quick-snap pass to Tim Patrick over the middle to re-take the lead.
Green Bay was down 17-7 at the half. The Packers are now up 21-17 less than four minutes into the third quarter. It's Josh Jacobs once again plowing into the end zone to give his team the lead. Wow.
Keisean Nixon stepped in front of an underneath route intended for Tim Patrick and came away with a massive interception. The Packers are set up deep in Lions territory with a chance to tie or take the lead. What a swing early in the half.
Huge drive for the Packers. Two fantastic throws from Jordan Love, with the second behind an absolute laser over the middle to Tucker Kraft. Just snuck the ball past Carlton Davis for the touchdown. Packers are right back in it. Kraft has been great this year.
The Packers had three completed passes for just 31 yards in the first half. They more than doubled that up with their first passing play of the second half. Christian Watson got in behind the defense for a FIFTY-NINE yarder.
Detroit put together an excellent drive here in response to the Packers finally getting on the board. It took all four downs, because of course it did, but Jahmyr Gibbs smoked a linebacker on an angle route and Goff put the ball right between the 2 and the 6 on his jersey for the score.
Following that sequence, Josh Jacobs punched it into the end zone from a yard out. Badly-needed touchdown drive for the Packers.
Love had Tucker Kraft WIDE open at the goal line and just sailed the throw. Should have been one of his easiest TDs of the year. He got picked on a tipped pass on the next play but it was erased by a pass interference penalty in the end zone, giving the Packers another first-and-goal opportunity.
Right after the fumble, the Lions got a pair of first downs thanks to a Sam LaPorta catch and then a personal foul penalty on Quay Walker, but the Packers got three straight stops after that to hold Detroit to a field goal that extended the lead to 10-0. They really need their offense to put something together here, because the defense is keeping them in the game.
Love was under heavy pressure AGAIN on the first play of the second quarter, but hit Christian Watson on a crosser while fading away. Watson created a bunch of yards after the catch but got stripped as he was going down. Turnover. Lions ball. Big swing.
The Lions moved the ball really well through the air on their first drive but they've called a bunch of runs in a row on their last two drives without much in the way of success. Gibbs keeps getting contacted behind the line of scrimmage and his longest run is 5 yards. He has 6 carries for 11 yards. Detroit was having more success getting him in space on the first drive. Good start for Green Bay's run defense.
Call is confirmed. Packers still have one challenge remaining but lose a timeout.
Gibbs initially looked like he was going to be stopped short of the line to gain on third-and-4, but spun around and (according to the on-field ruling) picked it up. Pretty high-leverage challenge for the Packers in the second quarter, as they could potentially force a second consecutive Lions punt if this is overturned. Would Detroit go for fourth-and-inches just outside the 20-yard line?
Love got clobbered again on another third down, but there was a pretty clear roughing the passer penalty that went uncalled. Za'Darius Smith raked Love across the helmet. Rough break for Green Bay.
Green Bay pinned the Lions inside their own 10-yard line with a good punt. After a pair of short runs from Jahmyr Gibbs, Rashan Gary (who drew the holding penalty on the opening drive) got to Jared Goff for a third-down sack. The Packers now have great field position to start their second drive.
Love was just under heavy pressure on another third down. If he'd been able to step into his throw, he might have hit the deep shot. But he had to throw early and off his back foot, and overshot his target as a result.
Detroit's injury-ravaged defense coming up with a sack on the first play of the game is certainly an unexpected development. Jordan Love then had to scramble away from pressure on the second play, and got absolutely clocked on a third-down throw that fell incomplete but drew a defensive pass interference call to extend the drive.
