The Green Bay Packers have looked like the best team in football twice this season. The Detroit Lions will sadly tell you all about it.
The Packers blew out the Lions 27-13 in Week 1, and then convincinglybeat them again on Thanksgiving, 31-24. Jordan Love threw for four touchdowns and the Packers scored a big win in the NFC North as they got past the Lions, sweeping Detroit this season.
The Packers started hot and kept the Lions at arm's length the rest of the way. Detroit never led. The Packers made numerous plays on each side of the ball, just like they did in the season opener.
JORDAN LOVE MAKES IT 4 TDS ON THE DAY 🔥(via@NFL)pic.twitter.com/toRwqT2EzW
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports)November 27, 2025
The Packers haven't always hit their top gear this season. They've taken on some bad losses, and even some of their wins against bad teams required late rallies. But put the Lions in front of them, and they look like a future Super Bowl champion. The win improved their record to 8-3-1, and they're in fine shape now to make a run at an NFC North championship.
And, if the Packers are able to bottle up how well they've played against the Lions in both meetings, they're capable of a deep playoff run too.
Packers take early lead and keep it
A big story in the first meeting was how the Packers' defense completely shut down the Lions. The second meeting started off the same way.
Lions QB Jared Goff didn't have a completion in the first quarter and was sacked once. The Lions had 10 total yards in the first quarter and just one first down. They held the ball for less than four minutes because they couldn't keep a drive going. That allowed Green Bay to take an early lead.
[Get more Packers news: Green Bay team feed]
The Lions shouldn't be thrown off by opponents going for it on fourth down, considering they do it themselves all the time. The Packers got two huge touchdowns on fourth down gambles.
On fourth-and-3 the Packers went for it and Love threw deep, hitting Dontayvion Wicks, who barely got both feet in bounds as he was hit for a tremendous 22-yard touchdown.
The second touchdown came with controversy. The Packers lined up to go for it but there was a false start. Officials ruled that the Packers had called a timeout before the false start, though it appeared that Green Bay head coach Matt LaFleur called for itafter the penalty had happened. It remained fourth-and-1 instead of fourth-and-6, the Packers kept with their decision to go for it and scored on a nice throw from Love to Romeo Doubs.
Lions head coach Dan Campbell is known for his fourth-down gambles, but it was LaFleur who got the best of those situations on Thursday. LaFleur has gotten a lot of criticism this season but he was excellent in the win over the Lions.
Lions can't get momentum back
The Lions' offense warmed up later in the game, which was impressive because the unit waswithout Amon-Ra St. Brown for most of the game. He suffered an ankle injury and didn't return. The Lions still started moving the ball, but a couple of fourth-down failures were crucial.
In the third quarter, Jahmyr Gibbs was stuffed for a 2-yard loss on fourth-and-3. In the fourth quarter, the Lions trailed 31-21 but were deep in Packers territory when Goff rolled out and had Jameson Williams open for a first down and perhaps a touchdown. But the pass was slightly behind Williams and he dropped it. That was Goff's first incompletion since the first quarter, after 15 completions in a row.
[Get more Lions news: Detroit team feed]
Every time the Lions made a play, the Packers had an answer. In the third quarter Love hit Christian Watson for a 51-yard touchdown and then Wicks for a 1-yard score. The Packers' passing offense hasn't been consistent through the season but was getting what it wanted Thursday.
The Lions still had a chance. They settled for a field goal with 2:59 left after a Micah Parsons sack on third-and-goal. The defense needed to get a stop, but as was the case all day, Love made the play he needed to keep Green Bay from any danger. He hit Watson for a big 8-yard gain on third-and-5, after the Lions had taken two of their three timeouts.
When the Packers went for it on fourth-and-3 inside of the two-minute warning,Wicks made a great catch on a jump ball downfieldfor the first down that sealed the win.
The Packers will watch Black Friday closely, as the Bears try to take back first place of the NFC North by beating the Eagles. After another win over the Lions, the Bears are probably the only obstacle remaining in Green Bay's quest to win the division.
Featured
Kari Anderson
Final: Packers 31, Lions 24
Green Bay moves to 8-3-1 after a stellar showing over Detroit, in a game with huge implications in the NFC North.
Dontayvion Wicks gets the massive game-saving catch on fourth down
Jordan Love throws it overhead to Wicks, who pulls the ball down on fourth-and-3 and loses his shoe in the process. The wild 16-yard catch will seal the win for Green Bay.
DONTAYVION WICKS MAKES THE HUGE GRAB TO SEAL THE GAME
Packers get the third down conversion behind another great connection between Jordan Love and Christian Watson. Watson has four receptions for 80 yards in this game.
Kari Anderson
The Lions, who have failed to convert on fourth down all game, go for the field goal, with Jake Bates nailing the 31-yarder. Packers are up 31-24 with three minutes left.
Kari Anderson
Packers defensive lineman Devonte Wyatt is carted off
Devonte Wyatt went down after falling awkwardly in a scrum on that last play, and stayed down for a while before the cart came out.
Kari Anderson
Micah Parsons crushes Goff deep in the red zone
Detroit was four yards from another touchdown, but can't get the ball across the end line. On first down, the Lions tried for the wildcat again, but the ball falls flat — and nearly gets intercepted. And on second, Goff's pass into the end zone is batted down.
And on third down, Jared Goff gets sacked by Micah Parsons yet again.
Though Detroit's offense dropped the ball (literally), the defense comes up big with a massive stop. After the Packers fail to convert after a pair of rushes, Christian Watson nearly pulls in the pass on third-and-4, but it slips out of his hands.
Jordan Love wanted pass interference on the ball, but it doesn't come, and Green Bay is forced to punt.
Kari Anderson
Lions flub key fourth down
As Detroit goes for it on fourth-and-3, Jared Goff even found Jameson Williams, but the ball slips out of his hands and the Lions turn over on downs yet again.
Detroit is pushing through as the fourth quarter gets underway, though the Packers defense isn't making it easy. Jahmyr Gibbs gets stuffed on second-and-1, before Jared Goff finds Jameson Williams again for the first down.
Can the Lions erase Green Bay's 10-point lead in the final 12 minutes of the game?
Kari Anderson
A brief break as Packers linebacker Edgerrin Cooper goes down, before heading into the blue tent.
Kari Anderson
Good, bad and ugly on this Lions drive so far
A beautiful connection between Jared Goff and Jameson Williams sends Detroit 15 yards down the field.
But on the next play, a not-so-beautiful trick play attempt leads to a fumble with a nine-yard loss. The Lions are down two scores, and will need to pull it together if they want to stay in it.
Kari Anderson
Dontayvion Wicks stretches for another TD
Lions stuff the Packers on first-and-goal, but on second-and-goal, Jordan Love finds Wicks for his second touchdown of the day, with Wicks rolling into the pylon for the score.
That could've been disastrous for Green Bay, as Romeo Doubs loses control of the ball off a tackle, but lineman Rasheed Walker is able to grab it and save the drive.
Kari Anderson
Jordan Love with another massive pass to Dontayvion Wicks
Lions safety Thomas Harper goes down with an apparent injury, and the game takes a brief break while he's tended to.
Detroit has struggled with injuries in the secondary this season, and another loss would be a big blow.
Kari Anderson
Isaac TeSlaa dives for the touchdown
After back-to-back big plays from David Montgomery, the Lions strike again with a touchdown. Jared Goff sent the low pass to Isaac TeSlaa, with the rookie receiver corralling it to bring the game to 24-21.