It wasn’t the prettiest Detroit Lions win, a win over the Green Bay Packers was all the beauty I needed to see in the world.
It was a back-and-forth game with questionable coaching decisions and controversial officiating galore. I feel like the Lions had plenty of chances to put the game away, but it took every second of Sunday’s game to pull away with a 20-17 win.
Here’s how it all happened:
The Detroit Lions won the toss, but unlike the last game, they chose to postpone the second half. That will put the Packers offense first. A touchback on the opening kick gave Jordan Love good field position to start. A spectacular 22-yard toe-tapping catch by Matthew Golden put them on Detroit’s side of the field.
Then, facing fourth-and-5 from Detroit’s 33-yard line, the Packers opted to go for it, and Love found Savion Williams for a huge 27-yard gain.
The Lions stayed strong in the red zone, though. On third-and-goal, pressure from Tyleik Williams forced Love out of the pocket and the low throw fell incomplete. This time, Green Bay wouldn’t do it, and settled for a short field goal. But the Packers missed a 26-yard field goal and came up empty.
The Lions finally got off to a faster start on offense. They got an early third down on a throw to Jahmyr Gibb for 7 yards. Then three straight explosive passing plays: a 28-yard toss to Amon-Ra St. Brown, a 24-yard dart to Jameson Williams, and a 16-yard touchdown pass to a crossing Jamo for a six-play, 80-yard drive. 7-0 Lions.
The Packers took over and dunked and dunked at midfield. They face fourth-and-2 around the logo, and face it again. Detroit had a coverage bust and left Tucker Kraft open for a 22-yard gain.
Aidan Hutchinson nearly picked off Love on second down in the red zone, setting up a third-and-9 from the 14-yard line. Love dodged the pressure and found Kraft open after Jack Campbell dropped in coverage. 7-7 tie.
The Lions answered quickly with another explosive play. Goff hit the St. Brown went 40 yards on the first play of the drive.
Gibbs then slipped into a small crease and took it 12 yards down to the Packers’ 25-yard line to end the first quarter.
Detroit’s drive stalled after Gibbs was stopped for a 5-yard loss to open the second quarter, and the Lions followed with a false start. A 15-yard pass to Gibbs set up a manageable third-and-5, but a quick screen to Gibbs was completely sniffed out by Green Bay. The Lions settled for a 40-yard field goal, and Jake Bates drilled it. 10-7 lions.
Another Bates touchback put the Packers at the 35 with a chance to take the lead. But, instead, they went three-and-out. That was largely thanks to Aidan Hutchinson’s sack of Love for a 10-yard loss to start the drive.
On third down, Love couldn’t find Christian Watson, with Ennis Rakestraw in tight coverage.
Detroit’s next drive got off to a good start with a 17-yard pass to St. Brown. However, Goff fumbled the ball on the next play, and fell on it for a 7-yard loss. Back-to-back incomplete passes ended the drive and Jack Fox’s punt bounced into the end zone.
Green Bay avoided another three-and-out with a big third-down conversion. Love found Williams for a 20-yard gain against an aggressive blitz call that Roger McCreary shut down late. They faced another third-and-long at midfield, and while they didn’t convert, they set up a fourth-and-3. Love then found Watson open all the way to the Lions’ 13-yard line.
In the red zone, Green Bay opted to go for it again on fourth down—their fourth attempt of the half—but this time, DJ Reed made an open field tackle on Golden to bring it back on downs.
Detroit took over deep in their own zone with 3:41 left and a chance to add to their lead before halftime. A screen in St. Brown kept the drive alive, and he got another 15 to move toward midfield. A couple of impressive Gibbs runs moved the Lions into Packers territory while eating up most of the remaining clock.
St. got back-to-back catches. Brown of 11 and 18 yards to move into the red zone. But Gibbs had an ill-timed fumble and the Packers recovered with 19 seconds left in the half.
Green Bay is happy to call it there, and it is 10-7 lions at halftime.
Detroit’s offense picked up where it left off… as they fumbled again. Goff and center Cade Mays, in his first game, couldn’t connect on the snap exchange, and the Packers recovered at the Lions’ 42-yard line.
A few plays later—on third-and-6—Loe hit Josh Jacobs, who broke several tackles and went 25 yards for the score and the Packers’ first lead of the game. 14-10 Packers.
The Lions’ offense—fresh off back-to-back turnovers—moved the chains once with an Isaac TeSlaa third down grab for 10 yards. Goff then found Williams 30 yards into Packers territory. A Gibbs couple ran for the first time, then Detroit was given a personal penalty on the Packers to move to Green Bay’s 11-yard line. Two plays later, Goff found Williams for a 10-yard touchdown to retake the lead. 17-14 Lions.
The Packers responded with a three-and-out. Reed made a great play that broke up a deep shot to Matthew Golden that looked like it was originally going to be caught. Then Love’s YOLO ball on third down to Golden overshot the receiver.
The Lions had one more shot to push their lead to two points, starting with the ball at their own 35-yard line. Detroit was the beneficiary of another questionable call—a pass interference after the Lions failed to convert on third down. Gibbs then converted a third-and-1 with a 9-yard gain in the red zone.
Then a clear pass interference penalty on the Packers erased what would have been an interception.
Detroit has been aggressive. Facing fourth-and-5 from the Packers’ 6-yard line, they chose to do so. Goff connected with Williams, but was pushed out of bounds before being able to get his feet in.
The Packers got out of the shadow of their own end zone on an 8-yard run by Jacobs for a first down to end the third quarter.
The quarter started with an intentional grounding penalty after pressure from Tyler Lacy. After the deep shot was well defended. by Khalil Dorsey, the Packers face third-and-21. You know what’s coming. YOLO BALL.
But this time Brian Branch stepped up in front of Christian Watson for the pick.
Unfortunately, the Lions offense couldn’t take advantage of the interception, going three-and-out in the rush.
Green Bay finally started moving the ball. Love connected with Jacobs on an 8-yard pass on third-and-6 despite tight coverage from Derrick Barnes. Barnes was then tagged with an unnecessary roughness penalty after an incomplete pass to move Green Bay into Lions territory.
Hutchinson drew a holding penalty, putting the Packers back on down and distance. That eventually set up a third-and-15. Green Bay tried a hook and ladder, but the Lions held them 9 yards, setting up a 43-yard field goal attempt. This time, Trey Smack drilled it in to tie the game at 17-17 with 7:10 left in the game.
After a penalty on the kickoff, the Lions started at their own 15-yard line to try to regain the lead. Instead, disaster. Despite gaining 9 yards on first down, the Lions pulled away, setting up a fourth-and-2 from their own 23-yard line. Dan Campbell chose to do so, and Gibbs was tackled for a 2-yard loss.
Green Bay took over just outside the red zone. Detroit forced a quick third-and-5, and Love’s blast into the end zone slipped through Jacobs’ fingers, setting up another short field goal. Smack MISSED AGAIN from 35 yards, and the Lions took over with 3:21 left. On review, Lions DL DJ Wonnum caught a piece of the kick.
Goff started the drive with a dart to Sam LaPorta 18 yards, plus an additional 15 yards due to a personal foul penalty. Gibbs ran a 15-yard rush down to the Packers’ 25-yard line, forcing the Packers to start using their timeouts.
The Lions got a key first on a false start by the Packers to keep the clock running. Gibbs then got 8 on a toss to give Detroit an option for the ultimate play: a 22-yard field goal for the game-winner from Jake Bates. Bates drilled it to move the Lions to 4-2 and drop the Packers to 4-3.