FULL SCORE
- Love carves up a lion on Thanksgiving Day. Jordan Love gave up the turkey or ham for his Thanksgiving plate and chose to eat lion instead. The Packers quarterback played his best game of the season, dropping big pass after big pass. Love led four consecutive non-kneeling touchdown drives in the second and third quarters to keep the Lions in check. Love completed 18-of-30 passing for 234 yards, a season-high four touchdown passes and no turnovers. The quarterback was especially great going down the field on Turkey Day, completing 4 of 6 passes of 20-plus yards for 126 yards and two TDs. He fixed a króna Dontayvion Wicks for his first TD of the game, and his best throw was a 51-yard blast to Christian Watson for points. Love consistently moved the chains in key spots to keep drives alive and milk the clock late. Green Bay went 6 of 12 on third down and 3 of 3 on fourth down. Love was 7 of 11 passing for 74 yards and two TDs on third and fourth downs. Matt LaFleur showed a lot of confidence in his quarterback, especially with the ball in his hands for the play that broke through. The QB has taken a lot of heat this season, but in a huge league showdown, Love proved to be the key to victory.
- The Lions’ fourth-down mistakes keep coming. The difference in the game came down to the fourth down. Jordan Love threw two TDs and ended the game on three of his fourth down attempts. The Lions were hit on two of their fourth-base attempts and turned the ball over in a game in which Detroit never recovered from an early 10-0 deficit. Things looked dull for the home side early on Jared Goff going 0 for 3 with a sack in the first quarter by two points. Loss of Amon-Ra St. Brown doubled down on the concern. Goff picked it up, and Jameson Williams had his best game as a pro, catching seven passes for 144 yards and a TD. At one point, Goff hit 15 straight passes, including two touchdowns, to keep the game close. However, the duo failed to connect in the fourth quarter which helped halt the comeback bid. Goff played well despite having a 46.7 pressure rate and not having his best target. He finished 20 of 26 for 256 yards and two TDs, with no INTs. However, botched fourth downs in the third and fourth quarters, along with a slow start, fueled the home team’s loss. Detroit falls to 7-5 and is in serious danger of missing the postseason in a crowded NFC race.
- Parsons is the difference. Green Bay’s defense was shredded by Jameson Williams, allowing the Lions 352 yards, but when it had to make a late play, it Micah Parsons who slammed the door. His composure on third down on the Lions’ final possession kept Detroit out of the end zone for a 10-point game. The pass rusher generated 2.5 sacks, including two in the fourth quarter — as a closer. It wasn’t just the sacks where Parsons is special. He recorded a game-high 10 QB pressures, five rushing pressures and three run stuffs. He created pressure on 38.5% of his pass rushes, his most in a game since his rookie season. Oh, and Parsons brings attention to the entire offensive line and allows teammates to make plays. Green Bay held Jahmyr Gibbs for 68 yards on 20 attempts (3.4 yards per carry). The aspect of the game that should give the Packers the most optimism heading into January: Green Bay dominated the trenches on both sides of the ball.
NFL Research: Jordan Love had six touchdowns, no passes, and was not sacked in two wins against the Lions this season. Love is the first Packers QB in a Super Bowl season with six-plus passing TDs and no sacks in a season against Detroit.
Next Gen Stats Insight for Packers-Lions (via NFL Pro): Christian Watson (4-foot-4) stopped three of his six shots Amik Robertson (5-foot-9) for 72 yards and a touchdown in Week 13 against the Lions. Robertson did not allow a reception to Watson on three targets in man coverage, with all of Watson’s production coming against zone.