DETROIT (AP) – Jordan Love stepped back on the first snap and threw deep, taking advantage of what the Green Bay Packers thought the Detroit Lions’ defense would give them.
they were right.
Love set the tone with a 53-yard pass to Christian Watson on the first play of the game, then tied a career-high with three touchdowns on Thursday to lead Green Bay to a 29-22 victory over the NFC North-leading Lions. .
“It’s something I’ve been working on this week thinking it’s going to work,” Love said. When he had second thoughts on the morning of the game, he had to convince coach Matt LaFleur to stick with his original decision. “We were confident in it.”
The Packers (5-6) took advantage of Jared Goff’s career-high three fumbles (one return for a score in the first quarter) and Dan Campbell’s aggressiveness on fourth down. They controlled the game so that they were never at a disadvantage.
The Lions (8-3) went for it five times on fourth down, but converted just one on their final touchdown drive. One of his failed attempts was a risky decision to fake a punt from his 23rd run in the third quarter when he was down by nine points.
“That was obviously a very important play in the game,” LaFleur said. “And that led to a touchdown.”
Three plays after the failed fake, Love threw a 16-yard touchdown pass to Watson, giving Green Bay a 29-14 lead. Campbell later lamented the decision.
“That’s bad judgment,” Campbell said. “I shouldn’t have done that to those people.”
Goff pulled Detroit within seven points with a 12-yard touchdown pass to Josh Reynolds and a 2-point conversion pass to Sam LaPorta with 41 seconds left, but four days after he rallied from a 12-point deficit in the final inning, I couldn’t get close. A come-from-behind victory over Chicago within minutes.
The Lions were called for a foul formation while attempting an onside kick, but it was a fitting end to an afternoon game that got off to a poor start and did little to dampen the excitement of the crowd.
“The bottom line is our team wasn’t ready,” Campbell said.
Love completed 22 of 32 for 268 yards and three touchdowns, including two in the first quarter by rookie Jaden Reed and Tucker Craft. He clinched the victory with a career-long 37-yard run on a third-down read option play late in the fourth quarter.
Rashan Gary led Green Bay’s dominant performance on defense.
He forced a career-high two fumbles, one recovered, and had three sacks and seven tackles for loss on the same field where the former Michigan star tore ligaments in his knee last season. tied a career high.
Gary was given the game ball by LaFleur in the locker room and burst into tears.
“There were a lot of emotions throughout this whole time,” Gary said. “I was praying, trying to cool down.”
Goff went 29-of-44 for 332 yards and two touchdowns, including a touchdown on a 7-yard pass to LaPorta on the Lions’ first drive.
But his three fumbles ended Detroit’s chances.
Jonathan Owens returned a Goff turnover 27 yards for a score, giving Green Bay a 20-6 lead in the first quarter and drawing constant social media attention from his wife, Olympic gold medal-winning gymnast Simone Biles. It got a good reputation.
In Detroit’s last game against Chicago, Goff threw three interceptions for the first time in three seasons with the franchise.
“Sometimes there is an answer, sometimes there is no answer,” he says. “Overall, it’s my job to take care of the football.”
unnecessary roughness
LaFleur ran off the field at halftime, but a Ford Field security guard blocked his path and pinned LaFleur with both hands during a brief collision.
“There may have been some illegal contact,” he joked. “It wasn’t a big deal.”
holiday jar
The Lions, who were sometimes booed by fans, suffered a seven-game losing streak on Thanksgiving.
injury
Packers: RB Aaron Jones (knee), CB Jaire Alexander (shoulder), LB Devondre Campbell (neck), S Rudy Ford (shoulder), Dontaevion Wicks (concussion, knee), TE Josiah Deguara (hip). Absent.
Lions: Guard Jonah Jackson (wrist) has been suspended for the fifth time in six games.
next
Packers: Play against Kansas City on Sunday night, Dec. 3.
Lions: Dec. 3 at New Orleans.