DETROIT – The Lions got the ball last and moved in position for a walk-off field goal, which K Jake Bates made from 35 yards out to give Detroit a 34-31 win over the Packers on Thursday night at Ford Field.
The final drive capped a back-and-forth game that saw the lead change hands multiple times in the second half. The Packers rallied from a 10-point halftime deficit to take the lead two different times in the second half, but the Lions answered every time.
Green Bay's final possession, trailing 31-28, stalled in the red zone due to an offensive pass interference penalty and the Packers had to settle for the tying field goal with 3:38 left.
Detroit ran down the rest of the clock, converting a fourth-and-short in the final two minutes, and Green Bay never got the ball back.
With the win, the Lions improved to 12-1 and have for all intents and purposes eliminated the Packers from the NFC North race. Green Bay, now 9-4, will be playing for a wild-card spot in the playoffs.
For the Packers, QB Jordan Love was 12-of-20 for 206 yards with one TD and a 111.7 passer rating. WR Christian Watson had seven catches for 114 yards, WR Dontayvion Wicks had four for 49, and TE Tucker Kraft had three for 41 and a TD.
RB Josh Jacobs had 18 carries for 66 yards and three TDs to go over 1,000 yards on the season.
For the Lions, QB Jared Goff was 32-of-41 for 283 yards with three TDs, one INT and a 109.7 rating. WR Jameson Williams had five catches for 80 yards, with TE Sam LaPorta adding five for 54, WR Amon St. Brown had five for 43, and WR Tim Patrick had six for 43 with two TDs.
RBs David Montgomery (14 carries, 51 yards() and Jahmyr Gibbs (14-43) combined for 94 yards on the ground.
Here's a recap of all the action:
Lions lead Packers 7-0 after first quarter
The Packers won the opening coin toss and elected to defer. Green Bay's defense got Detroit in third down three times during the Lions' first possession but couldn't get off the field.
Amon-Ra St. Brown caught a 4-yard out on third-and-2, Jameson Williams gained 28 yards off a crosser and referees called illegal contact on Keisean Nixon on third-and-goal at the Green Bay 7.
David Montgomery ran in the 3-yard touchdown on the next play to put Detroit up 7-0 with 9 minutes, 41 seconds left in the first quarter.
Za'Darius Smith sacked Jordan Love for a 7-yard loss on first down, but the Packers stayed on the field after safety Brian Branch was called for defensive pass interference on Jayden Reed on third-and-9.
Love couldn't connect with Dontayvion Wicks on a deep crosser on third-and-6, leading to a 43-yard Daniel Whelan punt that was fair caught at the Lions' 8.
The Packers' defense forced a three-and-out with Lukas Van Ness tackling Jahmyr Gibbs after a 2-yard gain on first down. Rashan Gary sacked Jared Goff for a 3-yard loss on third-and-5 and Green Bay took over at its 48 after a 42-yard Jack Fox punt.
Josh Jacobs gained five yards on first down, but the Packers were forced to punt after Love missed Christian Watson while under heavy pressure on third-and-5. Smith made contact with Love's helmet, but official John Hussey's crew didn't call it.
The Lions started at their 11 after another Whelan punt. Gibbs gained four yards and a first down on third-and-4. Packers Head Coach Matt LaFleur unsuccessfully challenged the spot of the ball.
Defensive lineman Kenny Clark stopped Gibbs for no gain on first down and Colby Wooden tackled Gibbs for a 3-yard loss on third-and-5 to force the punt.
Josh Jacobs gained seven yards on the last play of the first quarter, giving him his fourth 1,000-yard season of his career.
Lions lead Packers 17-7 at halftime
Love found a wide-open Watson for 21 yards on the first play of the second quarter, but Carlton Davis III punched the ball out on second effort and Detroit recovered at its 46.
Sam LaPorta caught a 10-yard pass before Quay Walker was flagged for an unnecessary roughness after a dust-up with Lions left tackle Dan Skipper. The Packers' defense held its ground and Detroit settled for a 43-yard Jake Bates field goal to extend its lead to 10-0 with 13:01 left in the first half.
The Packers went with a run-heavy attack on their next possession, with Jacobs breaking a 19-yard run through the right side on second-and-6 from the Green Bay 34.
Emanuel Wilson crossed midfield with a 7-yard carry. Right guard Sean Rhyan exited during the drive, with Kadeem Telfort replacing him.
A holding penalty on Elgton Jenkins halted Green Bay's momentum temporarily, but Tucker Kraft caught an 8-yard pass and Love scrambled for 14 yards to enter the Detroit red zone.
An illegal hands to face penalty on Smith and a defensive pass interference penalty on cornerback Terrion Arnold set up first-and-goal from the Detroit 1.
Jacobs punched in the 1-yard touchdown to cut the Lions' lead to 10-7 with 5:35 left in the first half. It's the first time in Jacobs' career he's had a rushing touchdown in four straight games.
Detroit fired back with Williams catching a 20-yard pass down the seam. Goff hit David Montgomery on a wheel route for six yards on third-and-5. On the next play, Goff found LaPorta on a crosser for 13 yards to the Green Bay 18.
The two-minute warning came after a 3-yard Gibbs run. A quick pass to LaPorta went for 11 yards and set up first-and-goal at Green Bay 4.
The Packers used their second timeout with 1:01 left in the half after a 3-yard Montgomery run to the Packers' 1. Goff was stopped for no gain on a sneak and Montgomery was tackled for a loss of a yards by Kenny Clark and Gary on third down.
The Lions opted to go for it on fourth-and-goal and Goff hit Gibbs on a quick slant for the 2-yard touchdown to extend their lead to 17-7 with 11 seconds remaining.
Lions lead Packers 24-21 after three
The Packers opened the second half with a five-play, 70-yard scoring drive that began with Watson beating Davis for a 59-yard completion.
Love beat Davis again with a 12-yard touchdown pass to Kraft on third-and-10 to cut the Lions' lead to 17-14 with 13:15 left in the third quarter.
A holding penalty on Graham Glasgow pushed Detroit back on first down. On second-and-15, Goff tried forcing a pass to Tim Patrick and Keisean Nixon picked it off and returned 16 yards to the Lions' 16.
An 8-yard pass to Wicks on second-and-8 set up first-and-goal from the Detroit 6 and Jacobs powered in for the touchdown to propel the Packers to a 21-17 lead less than four minutes into the third quarter.
The Lions pushed the ball to their 42 before an injury to an official stopped the game. Goff hit a quick pass to Williams for seven and then pulled off a fourth-and-1 sneak for the first down.
Karl Brooks nearly broke up a handoff to Gibbs, but Goff just got it to his running back on a 20-yard pickup. Green Bay's defense had Detroit in fourth-and-goal again, but Goff hit a quick 3-yard touchdown to Patrick to retake the lead 24-21 with 5:02 left in the third quarter.
It was the Lions' fourth touchdown on fourth down against the Packers this season.
Green Bay went three-and-out on its next possession. The offense tried a flea flicker on first down but it went incomplete. Love had to burn a timeout before third-and-9 and then flared a 6-yard pass to Watson.
Detroit started its next possession at its own 21 after a 41-yard Whelan punt. Montgomery gained four yards off a pass and then a run to set up third-and-6. The Lions chose to go for it on fourth-and-1 after a 5-yard pass to Patrick.
Detroit called a pitch to Gibbs, but Quay Walker was all over it for a tackle for a 1-yard loss. Green Bay took over at the Detroit 31.
Kraft came wide open for a 21-yard gain to set up first-and-goal at the Lions' 6.
Lions beat Packers 34-31
The fourth quarter began with Jacobs scoring his third touchdown of the evening on a 4-yard run to put the Packers back up 28-24 with 14:20 left in regulation.
It was eighth rushing touchdown over his last four games. Aaron Jones (2019) is the only other Packers running back to have accomplish that feat since the merger.
Goff completed an 18-yard pass to Patrick on first down. Javon Bullard sustained an ankle injury on the play. Nixon moved to the slot with Carrington Valentine and Eric Stokes outside.
Goff converted on third-and-2 from the Detroit 44 with an 11-yard pass to St. Brown. The Lions eventually retook the lead, 31-28, on a 1-yard TD pass to Patrick with 8:39 remaining.
A false start pushed Green Bay back at the start of its next possession, but Love avoided a Jack Campbell blitz on second-and-14 with a 29-yard completion to Watson to the Lions' 45. The reception put Watson over 100 yards on the evening.
The Packers marched back into the Detroit red zone with a 26-yard pass to Wicks, who then caught a 12-yard pass to set up first-and-goal from the Lions' 7.
Christian Watson was called for offensive pass interference while trying to run a slant, pushing the Packers back to the Lions' 16. Brandon McManus made a 32-yard field goal to tie the game at 31 with 3:38 remaining.
Goff had quick completions to Williams for 19 and Patrick for 11 to move to the Packers' 40. Green Bay blitzed on third-and-7, but the Lions dialed up a screen for Gibbs that went seven yards and a first down, as the game reached the two-minute warning.
A holding penalty on Frank Ragnow pushed the Lions back to the Green Bay 40. On second-and-17, Goff completed a 16-yard pass to St. Brown across the middle.
Zayne Anderson tackled Montgomery for no gain on third-and-1. Lions used their final timeout with 43 seconds left. Goff tripped while handing the ball off to Montgomery, who still gained seven yards to convert Detroit's fourth fourth down with a 7-yard gain.
Jake Bates made a 35-yard field goal to win the game.
