Jake Bates kicked a 35-yard field goal on the final play of the game and the host Detroit Lions extended their franchise-record winning streak to 11 games with a 34-31 victory over the Green Bay Packers on Thursday night.
Jared Goff passed for 283 yards and three touchdowns (two to Tim Patrick) for the Lions (12-1). David Montgomery had 84 combined yards rushing and receiving and scored a touchdown.
Josh Jacobs scored three rushing touchdowns for Green Bay. Jordan Love, who was held to 31 yards passing in the first half, finished with 206 passing yards and a touchdown.
The Packers (9-4) are 7-2 over their last nine games with both losses coming against Detroit.
The Lions held a 17-7 halftime lead.
Detroit scored on its first possession of the game, with Montgomery finishing off the 11-play, 70-yard march with a 3-yard scoring run.
Love’s second completion of the game was fumbled by Christian Watson on the first play of the second quarter. The Lions recovered the ball at their own 46-yard line and turned the giveaway into three points, as Bates kicked a 43-yard field goal.
Jacobs’ 1-yard scoring run with 5:35 left in the half put the Packers on the board.
However, the Lions reestablished the double-digit lead in the closing seconds of the half on fourth-and-goal. Goff hit running back Jahmyr Gibbs over the middle on a 2-yard pass to complete the 70-yard drive.
Love’s 59-yard completion to Watson during the opening possession of the second half set up his 12-yard scoring pass to tight end Tucker Kraft. That cut Detroit’s lead to 17-14.
Keisean Nixon picked off a Goff pass moments later, giving the Packers the ball at the Lions’ 16-yard line. Green Bay took the lead on Jacobs’ 6-yard run with 11:15 remaining in the quarter.
Goff and the Lions responded with a 13-play drive. Goff found Patrick on fourth-and-goal from the 3, providing Detroit with a 24-21 lead.
After forcing a punt, Detroit gambled on fourth-and-1 from its own 31 but it backfired as Gibbs was thrown for a loss. Jacobs scored from four yards out in the opening minute of the fourth quarter as the Packers regained the lead.
The Lions roared right back with a 10-play drive, completed by Goff’s 1-yard pass to Patrick with 8:39 to play. The Packers tied it at 31-apiece with 3:38 left on Brandon McManus’ 32-yard field goal.
Detroit ran out the clock on its ensuing possession. A 16-yard pass from Goff to Amon-Ra St. Brown and Montgomery’s 7-yard run on fourth down (with Goff falling to the ground as he handed the ball off) with less than a minute left put Bates in position to make the game-winning kick.
