GREEN BAY – After posting no victories in the state of Wisconsin for 24 years, the Detroit Lions won at Lambeau Field for the second time in the last three seasons with a 30-17 triumph over the Packers on Monday night.
The result evened up both teams' records at 4-4, two games behind NFC North front-runner Minnesota (6-2). The Packers lost their third straight while the Lions broke a three-game losing streak.
For the Lions, QB Matthew Stafford completed 26-of-33 for 361 yards and two touchdowns, both to WR Marvin Jones, who had seven catches for 107 yards. Stafford's passer rating was 132.4. WR Golden Tate added seven catches for 113 yards. RB Ameer Abdullah had 21 rushes for 48 yards and a TD.
For the Packers, QB Brett Hundley in his second NFL start was 26-of-38 for 245 yards and an 86.0 passer rating. WR Randall Cobb had five catches for 58 yards, with WR Davante Adams adding seven grabs for 53. RB Ty Montgomery had five carries for 33 yards.
Here's a recap of all the action.
First quarter:
It looked as though the Packers were going to score first, but the Lions did instead and took a 7-0 lead after one quarter.
The Packers won the toss and elected to receive. QB Brett Hundley completed his first four passes and also picked up a first down with a sneak. But the drive bogged down on a first-down sack by LB Tahir Whitehead at the Detroit 25, and K Mason Crosby had a 38-yard field goal try blocked by DT A'Shawn Robinson, as the snap from new long snapper Derek Hart was low.
The Lions appeared to be stopped on a three-and-out on their first drive, but a third-down personal foul on Packers DT Mike Daniels for a head butt kept Detroit's drive and the Lions capitalized. A 15-yard pass to WR Golden Tate and an 11-yard run by RB Ameer Abdullah preceded a 25-yard TD pass from QB Matthew Stafford to WR Marvin Jones, who beat CB Davon House down the sideline. The PAT made it 7-0 Lions with 1:45 left in the quarter.
The Packers went three-and-out on their next drive, losing yardage on first and second down before Hundley scrambled on third down, coming up a few yards shy as the quarter expired.
Second quarter:
Detroit put together a long TD drive and the Packers finally got on the board late in the first half, as the Lions took a 14-3 lead into intermission.
The Lions converted on third-and-10 with a 16-yard pass to Jones and followed with a 19-yard pass to TE Eric Ebron. Two tackles for loss set up third-and-16, which became third-and-11 after LB Clay Matthews jumped offside. Stafford's pass for Ebron over the middle was incomplete, and K Matt Prater hit the crossbar from 55 yards out, no good.
The Packers couldn't take advantage of the good field position, though, going three-and-out. Hundley's third-down pass for WR Davante Adams along the sideline was broken up by CB DJ Hayden. P Justin Vogel's punt, combined with a Detroit penalty, put the Lions on their own 9-yard line to start.
The Lions got moving again on a 9-yard completion to Abdullah, a 17-yard tip-toe sideline catch by Tate on third down, and a 10-yard pass to TE Darren Fells. Stafford converted another third down with a 15-yard pass to Tate to the Green Bay 24. Another pass to Tate for 9 plus two Abdullah runs for a total of 11 made it second-and-2 on the 4. Abdullah took it in from there, and with Prater's PAT, the Lions led 14-0 with 2:47 left in the half.
The Packers got one first down at the two-minute warning on an 8-yard run by RB Ty Montgomery, one play after Hundley's deep ball to WR Davante Adams went off his outstretched hand. A 9-yard run by Montgomery, 8-yard completion to WR Jordy Nelson, and 18-yard screen pass to Montgomery got the Packers to the Detroit 35, and Green Bay used its first timeout with 1:02 left.
Consecutive passes to Adams for 5 and 7 yards made it first down on the 23, and the Packers used their second timeout with 36 seconds left. A 2-yard sack forced the Packers to use their last timeout with 27 seconds left. After an incomplete pass, Adams caught an 8-yard toss over the middle, and the Packers had to run their field-goal unit onto the field to make a 35-yarder on the final snap. Crosby was good, making it 14-3.
Third quarter:
Detroit added a field goal and was looking for more as the third quarter ended with the Lions leading the Packers, 17-3.
The Lions opened the third quarter with a productive drive. RB Theo Riddick broke off a 14-yard run before Stafford was sacked by DE Dean Lowry on a flea-flicker attempt. The Lions quickly converted on second-and-18, though, as Tate picked up 21 on a crossing route. Stafford found Tate on third-and-5 for 13 to the Green Bay 27, but the Packers' defense held there. Prater was good on a 44-yard field goal to make it 17-3 Lions.
The Packers got a first down on a 12-yard pass to Nelson and then decided to go for it on fourth-and-2 from midfield. But on a quick flip to WR Randall Cobb out of shotgun, Cobb was brought down for a 3-yard loss to S Glover Quin, and the Lions took over.
The Lions converted another third down with a 17-yard pass to WR TJ Jones to get to the Green Bay 27, and Packers S Morgan Burnett left with a groin injury. But Abdullah fumbled on the next snap, and CB Damarious Randall recovered for the Packers.
Green Bay immediately went deep, but a long ball for Nelson was incomplete, with CB Darius Slay in coverage. The fans pleaded for a flag that never came, and the Packers went three-and-out.
The Lions got going again on a 12-yard pass to Tate and a 15-yarder to Ebron. On third-and-10, Stafford hit Jones on a back-shoulder throw for 23 yards to the 15. A 12-yard pass to Jones put the ball on the 1 as the quarter expired.
Fourth quarter:
The Packers' defense held at the 1-yard line on three straight runs, forcing a 19-yard field goal by Prater to make it 20-3 Lions. On first down, Abdullah fumbled the ball, but the Lions recovered. Riddick was stuffed on second down, and then Stafford failed to get in on a third-down sneak.
Hundley then hit his biggest play of the night, a 46-yard gain to Cobb on a slant route, but RT Bryan Bulaga was injured on the play. It was announced he had a knee injury and would not return.
From the Detroit 21, an 8-yard run by Montgomery, 9-yard pass to Adams, 3-yard run by Montgomery, and a Hundley sneak got the Packers into the end zone for the first time. Crosby's PAT pulled the Packers within 20-10 with 9:52 left.
Detroit quickly answered, though. Stafford beat an all-out blitz with a quick dump-off to Riddick, who raced through open space for 63 yards to the Green Bay 12. Two plays later, Jones hauled in an 11-yard TD pass, and the Lions were back up by three scores, 27-10, with 8:06 to go.
The Packers then stalled out after one first down, with the Lions getting a sack and a fourth-down toss falling incomplete near midfield.
The Lions tacked on a 31-yard field goal with 1:42 left, capping a 10-play, 33-yard scoring drive.
Hundley drove the Packers into scoring range, and a pass interference penalty in the end zone as the clock ran out gave Green Bay one more snap from the 1-yard line. RB Jamaal Williams ran it up the middle for the score.
