The Green Bay Packers fought solid, but suffered their fourth loss of the season to the Detroit Lions on Thursday night.
After a 10-point deficit, the Packers made up for the loss and even took a miniature lead in the second half. Unfortunately, the Lions controlled the ball last and converted four first downs on the final drive, missing the final three minutes and 38 seconds, before kicking a field goal to win 34-31.
Thursday’s result means Detroit remains atop the NFC North at 12-1 and Green Bay’s hopes of returning to the league are all but over, although they are still in great position to win a wild card.
The Packers played much better than they did in their first game against the Lions this season, when they fell into a double-digit hole and didn’t even compete for most of the game.
Looking on the radiant side of Thursday’s loss, Green Bay faced an NFL juggernaut, but the defense was unable to get off the field in key situations.
If the Packers face the Lions again in the playoffs, situational football will undoubtedly be the most critical thing. While this loss is tough to swallow, Green Bay can take solace in some stellar performances after a hard-fought Week 14 battle.
Edge Rashan Gary
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The Packers offense was unable to respond to the Lions’ first scoring drive down the middle. This put extra pressure on the defense to tighten up and Gary did just that on his first third down. After faking an attack from the outside, he changed his pass, cutting inside and sacking Jared Goff. Up to 5.5 sacks on the season, Gary’s last sack came at a key moment as he helped the defense get off the field and prevented Detroit from increasing its early lead.
WR Christian Watson
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Watson’s night was a rollercoaster of explosive plays and costly mistakes. On the one hand, he missed his first catch of the game, which would have resulted in a 20-yard loss. Watson was also assessed a questionable offensive pass interference penalty that negated a touchdown on Green Bay’s final drive. Tying the game with a field goal instead of taking a four-point lead after the touchdown ultimately doomed the Packers. Still, the game wouldn’t have been as tight if it weren’t for Watson. He led all receivers with 114 yards on just four receptions, and Green Bay started a second-half comeback with a 59-yard field goal on the second play of the third quarter. He also assessed a critical pass interference penalty on third down, which allowed the team its first touchdown. Watson was a massive machine to play a massive role against Detroit, again showing the Packers offensive potential when he takes advantage of his opportunities.
Wooden DT Colby
DETROIT, MICHIGAN – DECEMBER 05: Kingsley Enagbare #55 and Colby Wooden #96 of the Green Bay Packers react during the first quarter of the game against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on December 5, 2024 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo: Nic Antaya/Getty Images)
Wood only played 13 snaps on defense in Week 14, but he still managed to have one of the best reps of the night. Leading by seven, the Lions turned the ball over to Jahmyr Gibbs in the first quarter to try to take over on a 3rd-and-5. Wood, however, had other ideas as he was able to quickly tackle All-Pro center Frank Ragnow and blow up Gibbs in the backfield. Wood was instrumental in a confined role, tying his career high for tackles with four.
RB Josh Jacobs
When the Packers have needed someone to step in and play a robust role this season, Jacobs has answered the call for the most part. It was a similar story on Thursday, when Jacobs found the end zone three more times, increasing his touchdown total to eight in just the last four games. All three goals came from behind the Lions’ 6-yard line. Jacobs threw for 68 yards on 18 carries, but forced four missed tackles, tying him with Seattle quarterback Kenneth Walker for the league lead, according to Pro Football Focus.
CB Keisean Nixon
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Trailing 17-7 at halftime, Green Bay had a great start to the third quarter. After starting the second half with a try, the defense maintained momentum after a robust shot by Nixon, who collected a pass intended for winger Tim Patrick. It was Nixon’s first interception of the season, enabling the offense to score a 16-yard touchdown and take the lead. In addition to his pick, Nixon had a season-high ten tackles and a nice pass breakup on a great coverage against Amon-Ra St. Brown.
TE Tucker Kraft
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Kraft continued to set the tone for the Packers. When the offense needed to score at halftime, Kraft made a contested touchdown catch. Then, after the Lions failed to score first on 4th and 1 from their own 31, Kraft made them pay with a 21-yard gain and stuffed the ball into Detroit’s 10. Jacobs capped it off with a miniature touchdown run two plays later to give Green Bay a 28-24 lead early in the fourth quarter.
DT Kenny Clark
(Photo: Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
Kenny Clark dominated the game against the Lions in what was undoubtedly his best performance of the season. There’s a reason he was the highest-rated Packers defender by PFF after making five rushing stops, which marked a “failure” for Detroit’s offense. Clark recorded a career-high in tackles with eight, including a combined tackle for loss on third down and a score before halftime. The top defender had a needy first half of the season, but has put in good performances in the last two games. Let’s hope Clark can keep it up.
