DETROIT — The Green Bay Packers were granted an unexpected opportunity to halt the Detroit Lions’ offensive momentum during their match on Thursday night, yet they failed to capitalize on it.
With just 43 seconds remaining in a tied game at 31-31, the Lions faced a crucial fourth-and-inches situation at the Packers’ 21-yard line. Although they were within easy field-goal range for kicker Jake Bates, Lions’ head coach Dan Campbell opted to keep the offense on the field, preferring not to give Green Bay any time to respond should they succeed.
This bold decision could have backfired had the Packers managed a stop, potentially leading to a surprising triumph for them. According to Packers coach Matt LaFleur, Campbell’s choice was somewhat unexpected but consistent with his coaching style over the years.
Lions running back David Montgomery took advantage of the moment, breaking through for a 7-yard gain. Just a few plays later, Bates secured the victory for Detroit with a 35-yard field goal as time expired, finalizing the score at 34-31. LaFleur acknowledged, “They gave us an opportunity and we didn’t take it. Hats off to them.”
Following a rocky start with a 2-2 record, the Packers have since rallied to a 7-2 run. Nevertheless, both of their losses in this stretch came against the Lions (12-1), likely making the possibility of a division title seem distant. Green Bay’s earlier losses also included defeats against notable NFC contenders: the Philadelphia Eagles and divisional foe Minnesota Vikings.
Quarterback Jordan Love helped lead the Packers to a commendable 24 points in the second half, securing two fleeting leads of 21-17 and 28-24. However, the defense struggled to contain the Lions, allowing them to dominate the field. The Lions orchestrated two productive fourth-quarter drives—one that covered 70 yards resulting in a touchdown and another that spanned 53 yards, culminating the game in their favor. Quarterback Jared Goff completed all ten of his passes during those crucial drives, amassing 105 yards and a touchdown.
“They were given ample time in the pocket towards the end,” LaFleur noted, expressing frustration over the team’s defensive performance. “They utilized numerous screens, and that really impacted our strategy.” On the first drive of the final quarter, Goff executed passes of 11 and 14 yards, while on the last drive he connected on completions of 19, 11, and 16 yards.
LaFleur acknowledged, “There are certainly adjustments we can consider. But Jared is an exceptional quarterback, and his offensive weapons are impressive. He gets them the ball, and they excel in gaining yards after the catch.”
As for Love, he refrained from placing blame on his teammates. “We would have loved to see the defense make a stop at the end, giving us a chance for a win or at least to push for overtime,” he stated. He also reflected on the early struggles that put the team in a difficult position, admitting, “We had a slow start and dug ourselves into a 17-7 deficit in the first half.”
In the initial half, Love completed only 3 of 7 attempts for 31 yards and was also sacked. However, he shone post-intermission, going 9 for 13 with 175 yards and one touchdown. Despite his improvement, he expressed dissatisfaction with his early performance. “I just didn’t make enough plays when it mattered,” he remarked. “Both teams have strong offenses, but starting slow had detrimental effects on us.”
Looking ahead, there’s a possibility that the Packers might meet the Lions once more in a playoff scenario. “That’s quite a while away,” LaFleur noted. “However, I genuinely believe that we have a solid team that can compete.”
