The Detroit Lions were looking at what many believed was an obvious choice on a fourth-and-1 with 43 seconds left in their Week 14 game against the Green Bay Packers.
The score was tied at 31-all, so after Zayne Anderson stopped David Montgomery for no gain on third-and-inches, everyone thought Dan Campbell would turn to Jake Bates to kick a go-ahead field goal.
Instead, Campbell dialed up another Montgomery run. The running back burst through the line for a 7-yard gain and positioned the Lions to run the rest of the time off the clock. That allowed Bates to come on with two seconds remaining in regulation and hit the game-winning kick in a 34-31 triumph.
Campbell’s move was certainly bold, but it was far from his only one during the contest. The Lions went 4-of-5 on fourth-down conversions and scored two of their four touchdowns in fourth-and-goal scenarios. Their lone failure set up the Packers for a go-ahead score, but ultimately, Campbell’s aggressive strategy paid off once again.
The Lions improved to 12-1 with the victory and officially clinched a playoff spot. Meanwhile, the Packers dropped to 9-4 despite a strong offensive showing and will not have a realistic chance to fight for the NFC North title, as they are three games and a tiebreaker back of the Lions with four games to go.
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Dan Campbell’s bold call pays off. The Lions ran out the clock and Jake Bates’ 35-yard field goal split the uprights as the clock ticked down to zero.
The Lions are now 12-1 and have clinched a playoff berth. The Packers are 9-4 and would need a miracle to claw their way to the top of the NFC North.
Dan Campbell made a bold decision and opted to go for it on fourth-and-inches in a tie game rather than going for a go-ahead field goal. Jared Goff fell down on the play but still managed to get the ball to David Montgomery, who burst through the line for a 7-yard gain.
The Lions will now be able to run out the clock and try the game-winning field goal with no time left.
The Packers had a chance to stop the Lions on third-and-7 from the Green Bay 37-yard line. The Packers brought pressure and Dan Campbell had a perfect play dialed up: a screen pass to Jahmyr Gibbs. He gained the 7 yards needed to get the first down and put Detroit in range for a Jake Bates field goal.
Green Bay has two timeouts left and there is 1:55 left on the clock. The Packers probably can’t allow another first down or the Lions will get a chance to run out the clock and kick a potential game-winning field goal.
The Packers were able to move the ball consistently against the Lions, but an offensive pass interference call against Christian Watson in a goal-to-go situation ultimately caused their drive to stall.
Brandon McManus was called upon to try a 32-yard field goal and made it with ease. Green Bay and Detroit are now tied, but the Lions will have a chance to mount a game-winning drive with 3:38 left in regulation.
The Packers can’t afford too many mistakes down three in the fourth quarter. Jordan Love avoided a big-time negative play by dodging a Jack Campbell blitz and threw a perfect pass to Christian Watson for a huge gain.
The back-and-forth game in Detroit continues! Jared Goff finds Tim Patrick on a third-and-goal play-action fake. It’s Patrick’s second touchdown of the game after he hadn’t scored since the 2021 NFL season with the Broncos.
Jake Bates makes the extra point and the Lions go back up by three with 8:39 left in regulation.
The Packers make the Lions pay for their fourth-down decision. Josh Jacobs finds a lane to the end zone once again, plowing in for the 4-yard score. He now has 64 yards and three touchdowns on 15 carries.
Brandon McManus makes the extra point to put the Packers ahead by four points.
“Thursday Night Football” will come down to the fourth quarter in Week 14. The Lions have a three-point lead over the Packers, but Green Bay will open the final frame with a first-and-goal from the 6-yard line.
The Packers are starting to find space with Christian Watson (3 catches, 85 yards) and Tucker Kraft (3 catches, 41 yards, 1 TD) through the air against the Lions’ defense while Jahmyr Gibbs (17 touches, 61 yards, 1 TD) is doing damage for Detroit.
This game may come down to which team has the ball last, or which team can avoid turnovers in the final quarter.
The Lions went for it for it on fourth down for the fourth time of the game, but they did so from their own 30-yard line. That proved to be ill-advised, as Jahmyr Gibbs was stopped for no gain on a toss play by the Packers.
Green Bay is now in field goal range and is positioned to tie things up as the third quarter winds down.
The Lions have stopped the Packers for the first time in the second half. Matt LaFleur tried to catch Detroit off-guard with a flea flicker, but the Lions pressured Jordan Love into a throw-away on the play.
From there, Detroit contained Green Bay and forced a punt. The Lions are now back in action from their own 22-yard line.
The Lions-Packers game was briefly delayed after official Carl Johnson was injured following a collision with a Packers player. Johnson was able to walk off under his own power and after briefly receiving medical treatment, he was able to return to his role as line judge.
Carl Johnson left the game after taking an inadvertent shot from Packers edge defender Kinsgley Enagbare. The line judge has now returned to the field after getting banged-up is back in action.
Detroit has bounced back after a rough start to the second half. Jared Goff found Patrick wide open on a fourth-and-goal from the 3-yard line and veteran wide out Tim Patrick reeled it in with ease to put the Lions back in front.
The Lions are now 3-for-3 on fourth down for the game and have scored two of their three touchdowns in fourth-down situations.
The Lions got the ball a yard shy of midfield and Dan Campbell unsurprisingly opted to go for it. Jared Goff took the ball up the middle himself and got the necessary yard with ease. That kept Detroit’s drive going.
Carl Johnson, the line judge, was injured after a play when Kingsley Enagbare collided with him going to the sideline. Johnson was able to get up and walk off under his own power, but he appeared to be dealing with some sort of shoulder injury.
The Amazon broadcast reports that Johnson was taken back to the officials’ locker room to be evaluated.
The Packers scored seven points in the first half. They have now scored 14 points in the first 3:45 of the second half.
Josh Jacobs capped off the 16-yard, post-interception drive with a 6-yard run. The Packers ran the hurry-up to catch Detroit’s defense off-guard, which allowed Jacobs to bully his way into the end-zone.
Green Bay now has its first lead of the game against Detroit, which will have to respond on its next drive.
The Packers are off to a hot start in the second half. They got a touchdown on their opening drive and their defense came up with a big turnover when Keisean Nixon jumped in front of a pass intended for Tim Patrick.
Nixon brought the pick back to the 16-yard line, so the Packers are in scoring position right away.
The Lions’ depleted defensive line gets thinner. Alim McNeill suffered a head injury in the first half. He returned to action, but he was ruled out after halftime because of the malady.
Amazon’s sideline reporter Kaylee Hartung made it clear that while McNeill was dealing with a head injury, it wasn’t a concussion.
The Packers come out of the locker room looking a lot different than they did in the first half. Jordan Love ripped a laser across the middle of the field to his tight end Tucker Kraft, who managed to make the catch despite facing tight coverage from a Lions defender.
Love had overthrown Kraft for a wide-open touchdown in the first half, but this throw made up for that early mistake.
Jordan Love had 31 passing yards in the first half. He nearly tripled that total on his first pass of the second half, when he found Christian Watson behind the defense for a massive, 59-yard gain.
Had Love been able to put the ball just a half a step farther in front of Watson, he might have taken it for a touchdown. Instead, he was tackled on the 12-yard line.
The TNF broadcast brought up the Jared Goff-Matthew Stafford trade, which occurred before the 2021 NFL season. Below are the details of that swap, which helped the Rams win Super Bowl 56 and has the Lions positioned as a Super Bowl contender this season.
Rams get:
Lions get:
After a variety of trades, the Lions picks became the following players:
The Lions got the better of the Packers in the first half. They outgained the Packers 174-105 and held Jordan Love to just 31 passing yards in the first half. Green Bay also had a key turnover that ultimately resulted in the Lions’ field goal.
The Packers are running the ball better than the Lions, however, as Josh Jacobs has 49 yards and a touchdown on nine carries. Green Bay might have to lean more on Jacobs in the second half to get them back in the game.
Meanwhile, the Lions will continue to utilize their balanced offense while looking to get pressure on Love. Their patchwork front-seven has looked anything but in the first 30 minutes of the game. If defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn can get that unit to hold up, the Lions should have a good chance to extend their winning streak to 11 games.
The Packers had a decision to make on fourth-and-goal from the 2-yard line. Would they go for it, or kick a field goal to go ahead by 6 points?
Dan Campbell opted to go for it. Ben Johnson dialed up a passing play that got Jahmyr Gibbs isolated on linebacker Isaiah McDuffie. Gibbs ran an angle route that saw him bluff like he was running toward the flat before breaking over the middle of the field. Jared Goff hit the wide-open running back with ease.
Jake Bates made the extra point to give the Lions a 10-point lead with 11 seconds left in the half. The Packers do not have any timeouts remaining.
Jared Goff is wearing a Walter Payton Man of the Year helmet decal in Week 14. He is the Lions’ nominee for the prestigious “Man of the Year” award in 2024, so he will be able to wear it for the rest of the season.
The Packers went run-heavy after the Lions’ field goal drive, and it paid off. They ran the ball 10 times on 12 plays and saw Josh Jacobs finish the drive with a 1-yard touchdown.
Jordan Love had his longest run of the season on the drive, 14 yards, but had issues through the air. He overthrew tight end Tucker Kraft on a wide-open, play-action pass on a second-and-goal but was bailed out a play later by a pass interference after he threw an apparent interception.
Good news for the Lions: Alim McNeill has cleared the NFL’s concussion protocol and was cleared to return to the game. He was on the field for the play that resulted in Christian Watson’s fumble and will continue to anchor Detroit’s defensive line.
The Lions couldn’t get a touchdown after Christian Watson’s fumble, but thanks to a personal foul call on Quay Walker, they got into field goal range.
Jake Bates, the team’s first-year kicker, managed to get the ball through the uprights from 43 yards away. Bates is 20-of-21 on field goals to start his NFL career.
The Packers converted their biggest passing play of the day, a 21-yard completion from Jordan Love to Christian Watson. However, at the end of the play, veteran cornerback Carlton Davis knocked the ball out of Watson’s hands and the Lions pounced on it.
The Lions got off to a fast start, scoring on their first drive of the game, but since then, the game has devolved into a defensive struggle.
The Lions are outgaining the Packers 90-17 through 15 minutes and Green Bay logged negative-4 passing yards in the opening frame. Jordan Love has been under a lot of pressure despite largely facing Lions backups and has completed just 1-of-4 passes for 3 yards.
The Packers will need to find some rhythm on offense to get into the game with the Lions. Green Bay is averaging just 1.9 yards per play compared to Detroit’s modest mark of 4.5.
Did Green Bay’s challenge throw Detroit off-kilter? The Lions ran the ball three consecutive times after the first down and only picked up 2 yards. Jack Fox punted it back to the Packers who will now look to get something going on offense.
The Packers burned one of their challenges early in their “Thursday Night Football” clash against the Lions. Head coach Matt LaFleur believed that Jahmyr Gibbs was stopped short of the line to gain on a third-and-4 from inside the Lions’ 20-yard line. The review showed that while Gibbs was contacted before the marker, his second effort got him enough to move the chains.
As a result, Detroit’s possession will continue while Green Bay was charged its first timeout of the game. The Packers now have one challenge remaining, though they can pick up another if they win their second challenge.
Packers head coach Matt LaFleur is now 0-5 on challenges during the 2024 NFL season. He has a career record of 17-24 when dropping the red flag.
The Lions defense continues to hold up well despite injuries. They once again pressured Jordan Love on a third-and-5 and forced him to throw a ball that he couldn’t get to his receiver.
Detroit might have gotten away with a roughing the passer on the play, as a Lions defender hit Jordan Love across the helmet just after the ball was released, but it went uncalled. The Packers punted the ball down to the 10-yard line, so the Lions will be backed up again for their third possession.
The Lions are already significantly shorthanded on their defensive line. Alim McNeill was their last remaining Week 1 starter healthy for Thursday’s game, but he is being evaluated for a head injury after suffering one on the first defensive play of the game.
The Packers’ defense held up much better on their second drive of the day. They limited Jahmyr Gibbs to five rushing yards on two carries before Jared Goff was chased down by Rashan Gary to force a three-and-out.
Jack Fox punted the ball from the back of his own end zone and the Packers will get the ball back near midfield.
The Lions don’t look like they’re missing too many players on their defensive line. They sacked Jordan Love on their first defensive play of the game and were able to stop Green Bay on its first offensive drive of the day.
Detroit pressured Love on a third-and-6 and the quarterback was forced to throw off his back foot to Dontavyion Wicks. That resulted in the ball going just a step too far in front of the second-year receiver.
The Lions will get the ball back on their own 8-yard line, leading 7-0 in the first quarter.
Dan Skipper is a backup tackle for the Lions who is starting at left tackle in place of the injured Taylor Decker.
Skipper is an eight-year veteran who went undrafted in 2017 and has bounced around to seven teams. He has had four separate stints with the Lions but appears to have found a home as the team’s top backup tackle.
Skipper is the tallest active player in the NFL at 6-foot-10. He tips the scales at 330 pounds.
The Lions got the ball to start the game and methodically drove down the field to open the scoring. After an illegal contact penalty on third-and-goal, Detroit handed the ball to David Montgomery on the ensuing first-and-goal. He ran over the right side untouched to get a touchdown and give the Lions a 7-0 lead.
Jared Goff had a strong first series, going 6-of-8 for 58 yards. Jameson Williams had the longest reception, 28 yards, while Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jahmyr Gibbs each had two catches.
The Lions have one of the best players in franchise history in attendance for Thursday’s rivalry game against the Packers: Barry Sanders.
Sanders, a Pro Football Hall of Famer, ran for 15,269 yards and 99 touchdowns on 3,062 career carries. He led the NFL in rushing yards four times during his 10-year career and was named an All-Pro six times.
The 22-year-old Jahmyr Gibbs is known for being a speedster, which is the reason he’s now also known as, “Sonic,” while the 27-year-old David Montgomery brings a physical style, making him worthy of being known as, “Knuckles.”
“Sonic and Knuckles,” the nickname, was born in October in what has become a fun sideshow to a magical Lions season. — Nick Brinkerhoff
The Lions are 11-1 and their only loss came to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 2. Jared Goff failed to throw a touchdown and tossed two interceptions in a 20-16 defeat. Baker Mayfield outdueled him, leading the team in passing (185 yards) and rushing (34 yards) while Chris Godwin racked up 117 yards and a touchdown on seven catches.
Detroit has won 10 consecutive games since that home loss.
The “Thursday Night Football” game between the Packers and Lions is set to kick off at 8:15 p.m. ET at Ford Field in Detroit.
“Thursday Night Football” will exclusively stream on Amazon Prime Video.
The Lions signed Jamal Adams to their practice squad ahead of Week 14 while dealing with a rash of defensive injuries (they have 13 defensive players on IR). Detroit elevated Adams for its Thursday night clash with the Packers, and he is expected to play.
Adams, 29, was the sixth overall pick in the 2017 NFL draft by the New York Jets. He was an All-Pro in 2019 and has recorded 498 tackles, 21.5 sacks and four interceptions in 83 career games. The Lions will be his fourth team.
The Lions are banged-up in Week 14, but fans got some good news about defensive end Aidan Hutchinson before the game. Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer reported on the Amazon Prime Video broadcast that Hutchinson could return to action if the Lions make it to the Super Bowl.
Hutchinson was leading the NFL with 7.5 sacks before his injury.
For cord cutters looking for a live stream for the matchup, you can turn to Amazon Prime Video. Prime is the exclusive home of “Thursday Night Football” for viewers not tuning in from local TV markets.
Al Michaels (play-by-play) and Kirk Herbstreit (analyst) will be in the broadcast booth for Prime Video, with Kaylee Hartung (sideline) and Terry McAulay (rules analyst) providing additional coverage.
The Prime Video pregame, halftime and postgame shows feature Charissa Thompson as host, as well as former NFL players Ryan Fitzpatrick, Tony Gonzalez, Richard Sherman and Andrew Whitworth as analysts.
Taylor Rooks is the feature reporter for Prime Video’s “Thursday Night Football” coverage. Albert Breer provides reports and analysis.
Who will win between the Lions and Packers? Here’s what the USA TODAY Sports staff thinks:
The Lions are favorites to defeat the Packers, according to the BetMGM NFL odds. Not interested in this game? Check out expert picks and best bets for every NFL game this week.
Looking to make tonight’s game a bit more interesting? Here are some of the best bets to place:
For more best bets, visit our “TNF” best bets guide.
The Lions still sit atop of the NFC North, but the division could get very interesting if the Packers pull out a victory tonight. Here’s how they stack up:
With three divisional games left in the final five-week gauntlet, the Lions are in the best position to win the NFC North.
Detroit is the only team with a perfect record against NFC North opponents entering Week 14. They’re also in sole possession of first place in the division with their 11-1 record.
For the Lions, a win against the Packers on Thursday would clinch a playoff berth and the head-to-head tiebreaker over Green Bay.
The Packers are at a disadvantage when it comes to the NFC North title. Not only do they have the worst overall record, but they’ve also already lost head-to-head matchups with the Lions and Vikings, which has also (obviously) hurt their divisional record.
Green Bay needs a lot to break their way to have a shot at the NFC North, but it isn’t impossible. A win over the Lions on Thursday would be a massive boost to their divisional title chance, as it would split their head-to-head matchups and ruin Detroit’s perfect divisional record.
The Packers vs. Lions game on “Thursday Night Football” is being held at Ford Field in Detroit.
Ford Field finally hosted its first Lions playoff game last season, when the Lions defeated the Los Angeles Rams in the wild-card playoffs. Ford Field was the host venue for Super Bowl XL, which was won by the Pittsburgh Steelers over the Seattle Seahawks.
Ford Field also is the host venue for college football‘s GameAbove Sports Bowl, which will take place on Dec. 26.
➤ Ranking NFL’s stadiums from 1 to 30: Where does Lions’ Ford Field rate?
Given that the Lions vs. Packers matchup is being played under the climate-controlled roof at Ford Field, Mother Nature will not be a factor in tonight’s game.
The New England Patriots and Pittsburgh Steelers are tied for the most Super Bowl wins with six.
The Packers have won four Super Bowls in five appearances, including the first two Super Bowls (then called the AFL–NFL World Championship Game) under legendary coach Vince Lombardi, for whom the Super Bowl championship trophy is named after. The Packers’ most recent Super Bowl win came during the 2010 season in Super Bowl XLV.
The Lions are among four NFL teams that have never appeared in a Super Bowl. The Lions, however, were a powerhouse team before the advent of the Super Bowl, winning four NFL championships, including three in the 1950s.
NFL franchises with most Super Bowl wins:
➤ Super Bowl winners: All-time scores, results for NFL title game
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