Jordan Love passed for 234 yards and four touchdowns and the visiting Green Bay Packers topped the Detroit Lions, 31-24, in a pivotal NFC North matchup on Thanksgiving Day.
Dontayvion Wicks caught six passes for 94 yards and two touchdowns for the Packers (8-3-1). Christian Watson caught four passes for 80 yards and a score, while Josh Jacobs rushed for 83 yards on 17 carries and Micah Parsons registered 2 1/2 sacks.
Jared Goff passed for 256 yards and two touchdowns for the Lions (7-5). Jameson Williams caught seven passes for 144 yards and a touchdown. Jahmyr Gibbs rushed for 68 yards on 20 carries.
The Lions’ top receiver, Amon Ra St. Brown, departed in the first quarter after suffering an ankle injury. An offensive lineman rolled up on his leg while he was making a block. St. Brown did not have a catch.
Green Bay led 17-14 at halftime.
The Packers scored on their first possession with Brandon McManus making a 45-yard field goal. Green Bay made it 10-0 in the first minute of the second quarter via Love’s 22-yard touchdown pass to Wicks on a fourth-and-3 situation.
Detroit answered with a 65-yard drive which David Montgomery completed by taking a direct snap and scoring from 3 yards out.
The Packers came right back with a 70-yard drive finished off by Love’s 2-yard touchdown pass to Romeo Doubs.
Williams spun away from a defender and scored on a 22-yard pass play with 25 seconds left in the half to pull the Lions within three points.
After Detroit turned the ball over on downs on their initial second half possession, Watson beat one-on-one coverage on a 51-yard scoring pass from Love to give Green Bay a 24-14 lead.
Goff’s 17-yard scoring pass to Isaac TeSlaa with 7:25 left in the quarter tightened the game once again.
Love connected with Wicks on a 1-yard touchdown pass later in the quarter to make it 31-21.
A Parsons sack forced the Lions to settle for Jake Bates’ 31-yard field goal with 2:59 remaining.
Wicks’ 16-yard catch on fourth down with 1:10 remaining sealed the Packers’ win.
