In an exciting, high-scoring game, the Packers recorded a 31-24 win over the Lions in the first game of the NFL's Thanksgiving triple-header.
Green Bay (8-3-1) never trailed, led 17-14 at halftime and was ahead by 10 points at four different points. Despite the Lions' best efforts to catch them, the Packers kept Detroit at bay behind Jordan Love's four touchdown passes and a defense that came up with two big fourth-down stops.
Conversely, the Packers were a perfect 3 of 3 on fourth down that included Love's game-clinching, 16-yard completion to Dontayvion Wicks on fourth-and-5 with 1:55 left. The catch was part of a big game for Wicks, who caught six passes for 94 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
Detroit (7-5) stayed within striking distance of Green Bay despite playing most of the game without All-Pro wideout Amon-Ra St. Brown, who left the game for good after sustaining an ankle injury in the first quarter. With St. Brown out, Williams picked up the slack with seven catches for 144 yards.
In addition to St. Brown's injury, the Lions also struggled to protect Goff behind an injury-plagued offensive line. The unit specifically struggled to contain Micah Parsons, who had 2.5 sacks.
Here's a closer look at how the Packers were able to complete the season sweep of Detroit.
After leaning on his running game early, Love and his receivers heated up as the game progressed. Love made several clutch completions while spreading the ball around. He had a lot of success getting the ball to both Wicks and fellow wideout Christian Watson, who caught four passes for 80 yards and a score.
Love now has 19 touchdowns this season against just three interceptions.
Detroit ended the first half with a score and were trying to start the second half with another score. But that plan was spoiled by Parsons and fellow linebacker Isaiah McDuffie after they combined to stuff Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs on fourth-and-3 from the Packers' 47-yard-line. The play call immediately drew the ire from Lions fans as Gibbs was stonewalled for a 1-yard loss on the previous play.
Love quickly parlayed his defense's stop into a 51-yard touchdown pass to Watson that proved to be the game-winning score.
After Watson's score, the Lions once again responded with a score of their own. But they were denied a touchdown after Parsons drilled Goff on third-and-goal. The sack -- Parsons' second of the drive -- gave him a piece of NFL history as he has become the first player to have at least 12 sacks in each of his first five seasons.
With St. Brown out, and with the Packers' defense holding Gibbs to 68 yards on 20 carries, the onus of the Lions' offense was very much on Goff's shoulders. Goff stood up to the pressure by going 20 of 26 for 256 and a pair of touchdowns. He also had a 24-yard run that set up his third quarter touchdown pass to Isaac TeSlaa.
Goff and Williams put on a show, but they were unable to convert on a critical pass on fourth-and-3 with 10:55 left and the Lions trailing, 31-21. It was the Lions' second missed fourth-down conversion of the game and their seventh in the last two games in as many attempts.
Ahead 10-7 late in the first half, the Packers decided to go for it on fourth-and-1 on the Lions' 2-yard-line. But despite committing a false start, the Packers were afforded a timeout while avoiding a five-yard penalty. The officials determined that Matt LaFleur called a timeout before the false start occurred, although replays suggested otherwise.
Green Bay ultimately scored a touchdown after the time out while extending its lead to 17-7, much to the chagrin of Lions coach Dan Campbell.
Neither team moved in the NFC playoff standings following Thursday's game. Green Bay remained in the sixth spot in the standings, while the Lions stayed in the eighth spot.
Thanks again for spending part of your Thanksgiving here with us! Be sure to check out our article above shortly for a full breakdown of the Packers' big win.
Packers were 3 of 3 on fourth down, including Wicks' game-clinching, 16-yard grab with under two minutes to go.
Fittingly, Wicks' huge catch on fourth down essentially seals the Packers' 31-24 game. Wicks' sixth catch gives the Packers a first down that will allow them to go into victory formation.
GB runs it twice and converts on third-and-5 with a short completion from Love to Watson. Lions have burned two timeouts, but still have one left plus the two-minute warning.
Parsons' sack forced the Lions to settle for a FG, making it a 31-24 game with 2:59 left. Lions have each of their time outs left.
Green Bay suffered a significant loss on Parsons' latest sack, as DT Devontae Wyatt is getting carted off the field. Wyatt has four sacks this year that includes two in the team's recent win over the Vikings. Appears to be a lower body injury.
Parsons gets his second sack on the drive and it comes on third-and-goal. He's got 2.5 sacks a day while showing his worth on a national TV stage.
Micah Parsons now has 1.5 sacks today after he stuffs Goff on the Lions' current drive. The Packers got another sack later in the drive, but that one was waived off by a penalty that gave the Lions a fresh set of downs.
Lions running out of time, though, with just 6:20 left and needing two scores. Goff just hit Williams for 44 yards to put the Lions in the red zone.
Huge stop for the Lions defense after the Packers' fourth-down stop. They got some help, though, after Watson was unable to pull down what would have ben a tough catch on third-and-four.
Detroit needs points on this drive. They do have all three of their timeouts left and have 9:02 to make up the 10-point deficit.
Detroit is now 0-2 on fourth down today (and 0-7 in its last two games) after Goff and Williams are unable to connect on fourth-and-2. The throw was a little off the mark, but one that Williams still should have hung onto.
With 10:50 left and ahead by 10 points, the Packers can possibly put the game away with a TD on this drive.
Dontayvion Wicks' gets his second TD of the day, giving the Packers their fourth 10-point lead of the day. Love now has a season-high four touchdown passes.
Love now 16 of 26 for 210 yards and four touchdowns, no picks and no sacks. Wicks has five grabs for 78 yards and two scores.
Romeo Doubs fumbles inside the Lions' 10, but it's immediately scooped up by Packers lineman Rasheed Walker.
What a game Dontayvion Wicks is having. He now has four grabs for 77 yards and a score after pulling down a 30-yard pass to get the Packers back in scoring range late in the third.
The Lions sustained an injury on the play to DB Thomas Harper.
For a third time today, the Lions have scored a TD after falling behind by 10 points. This time, it's rookie Isaac TeSlaa who finds pay dirt on a 17-yard catch. The score was set up by consecutive runs of 14 and 13 yards by David Montgomery.
Amon-Ra St. Brown has been ruled out of the remainder of the game with an ankle injury sustained in the first quarter.
GB parlays the fourth-down stop into a 51-yard bomb from Love to Christian Watson, giving the Packers a 24-14 lead with 10:31 left in the third. Love now has thrown 3 TD's to three different receivers.
After getting stuffed on third down, Gibbs gets the call again on fourth-and-3 and is again stuffed by Isaiah McDuffie with help from Parsons. Lions fans expressing their displeasure with the call after the Lions decided to run it again in that situation.
Speaking of McDuffie, two big plays there from a player who is starting because of Quay Walker's injury.
Score: Packers, 17-14
First downs: Packers, 10-8
Third down: Packers 5-9, Lions 4-6
Fourth down: Packers 2-2 (two touchdowns)
Total yards: Packers, 198-140
Red zone: both teams 1-1
TOP: Packers, 17:49
Turnovers: 0
Love: 11-21, 118 yards, 2 TD's, 0 sacks
Goff: 7-10, 103 yards, TD, 1 sack
Jacobs: 59 yards on 8 carries (29-yard run)
Packers: 80 yards on 16 carries
Gibbs: 32 yards on 8 carries
Montgomery: 16 yards and 1 TD on 5 carries
Williams: 3 catches, 69 yards
Wicks: 3 catches, 47 yards, TD
Jameson Williams' nifty TD off of a screen pass has made it a three-point game with just 25 seconds to go until halftime. Williams has made up for St. Brown's absence with 69 yards on three catches.
The Packers committed a false start on fourth-and-1, but the officials gave the Packers a time out after the fact. GB, instead of being penalized five yards, scored a TD on fourth down after the time out.
As you can imagine, Lions fans aren't pleased.
Romeo Doubs rewards the Packers' gamble on 4th-and-1 with a two-yard TD catch from Jordan Love that extends the Packers lead to 17-7 with 2:12 left in the half.
After a slow start, Love has warmed up with 118 yards and two touchdowns on 11 of 20 passing. The Packers are now at 199 yards of total offense compared to the Lions' 86 yards.
Green Bay is an impressive 5 of 9 on third down and 2 of 2 on fourth down.
Wicks come through again with an 18-yard catch on third-and-five, as the Packers are back in Lions territory late in the first half. Wicks was having his left foot looked at after his TD, but he appears to be good to go.
A short David Montgomery TD cuts Lions deficit to 10-7 midway through the second quarter. The score was set up by a 23-yard catch by Tom Kennedy and a 22-yard grab by Jameson Williams. Gibbs has run for a hard-earned 32 yards on seven carries.
Lions still playing without St. Brown, who has been in the locker room since suffering an ankle injury in the first quarter.
Despite only getting one foot inbounds, Dontayvion Wicks' 22-yard TD catch stands to give GB a 10-0 lead early in the second quarter. The officials determined that Wicks would have gotten the second foot down if not for the hit he absorbed after he had secured the ball.
Love is still just 5 of 11 passing, he was on the money on that throw. He's been complemented by a running game that is already up to 74 yards on 12 carries.
Packers first quarter lead includes 65 yards on 11 carries compared to the Lions 16 yards on four carries. Jared Goff was 0-3 in the first quarter as the Lions were out-gained 102-10.
Josh Jacobs rips a 29-yard run as the Packers are now in Lions territory late in the third quarter. Green Bay is now up to 67 rushing yards on 10 carries. Jacobs with 50 yards on five carries. Well on his way to his first 100-yard game of the season.
He has been labeled as questionable to return with an ankle injury.
Micah Parsons is part of a third-down sack to force a Lions punt. The Lions' offense has struggled the move the ball so far, largely because of their injuries on the offensive line and the absence of Amon-Ra St. brown.
Parsons now has 4.0 sacks in the Packers' last nine quarters.
Amon-Ra St. Brown is heading to the locker room. We'll definitely keep an eye on it as he would obviously be a huge loss for the Lions' offense.
Looks like he was hit from behind on a running play on the Lions' last play.
The Lions' defense is able to get the Packers' offense off the field in three plays. Love is now just 3 of 7 passing after settling for a short completion on third down.
Feel like whoever can get their running game going is going to have a major edge in the game. Green Bay had some success on the ground on its first drive, but they weren't able to sustain it on their second drive.
