According to sports writer LARRY LAGE of the Associated Press,

DETROIT

Jordan Love started his first play by stepping back and launching a long pass, capitalizing on the strategic opportunity the Green Bay Packers anticipated from the Detroit Lions defense.

They were right.

Love started off the game strong with a 53-yard pass to Christian Watson on the very first play. He ended up scoring three touchdowns, which tied his career high, and helped Green Bay secure a 29-22 victory over the NFC North-leading Lions on Thursday.

On the morning of the game, Love had to convince coach LaFleur to stick with their initial decision, which they had implemented earlier in the week and were confident in.

The Packers (5-6) dominated a game in which they never fell behind, capitalizing on Jared Goff’s career-high three fumbles. They even scored off of one of those fumbles in the first quarter. Dan Campbell’s bold decision to go for it on fourth down also played a role in their control of the game.

The Lions, with a record of 8-3, attempted a fourth down conversion five times but were only successful once during their final touchdown drive. One of their failed attempts was a bold decision to attempt a fake punt from their own 23 yard line in the third quarter while trailing by nine points.

LaFleur acknowledged that the play was crucial in the game and ultimately resulted in a touchdown.

After the unsuccessful attempt at a fake play, Love made a 16-yard touchdown pass to Watson, resulting in Green Bay taking a 29-14 lead. Campbell later expressed regret over the choice.

Campbell regretted his actions, acknowledging that it was a poor decision to make for those individuals involved.

Goff narrowed Detroit’s deficit to seven points by throwing a 12-yard touchdown pass to Josh Reynolds and a 2-point conversion pass to Sam La Porta with only 41 seconds remaining. However, he was unable to bring his team any closer in the game, despite their recent comeback win over Chicago where they overcame a 12-point deficit in the final minutes.

The Lions were penalized for an unlawful arrangement during their attempt at an onside kick. This was a fitting conclusion to their rough afternoon, which did not improve and ultimately dampened the enthusiasm of the energetic crowd.

Campbell admitted that he did not have his team prepared for the task at hand.

Love was 22 of 32 for 268 yards with three touchdowns, including two in the first quarter to rookies Jayden Reed and Tucker Kraft. He had a career-long 37-yard run on a read-option play on third down late in the fourth quarter to seal the win.

Green Bay’s defense was led by Rashan Gary, who played a key role in their strong performance.

On the same field where he previously suffered a knee injury, the former Michigan standout had a career-best performance with two forced fumbles (one of which he recovered), three sacks, and seven tackles.

Gary cried as LaFleur presented him with a game ball in the locker room.

“During this entire period, there has been a heightened level of emotion,” Gary stated. “I spent a lot of time in prayer, trying to remain calm and level-headed.”

Goff completed 29 out of 44 passes for 332 yards and two touchdowns. One of these touchdowns was a 7-yard pass to LaPorta on the Lions’ opening drive.

Unfortunately, his three fumbles ultimately led to Detroit’s defeat.

In the first quarter, Jonathan Owens scored a 27-yard touchdown off of Goff’s turnover, giving Green Bay a 20-6 advantage. His wife, Olympic gold medalist in gymnastics Simone Biles, showed her support on social media.

During the last game between Detroit and Chicago, Goff had three interceptions, marking the first time in three seasons with the team.

The person stated that there may be a solution at times, but other times there may not be one. They also mentioned that their responsibility is to handle the football.

UNNECESSARY ROUGHNESS

During halftime, LaFleur was exiting the field when a security guard at Ford Field blocked his path and briefly made contact with him.

He made a joke about possible illegal contact, stating that it was not a significant issue.

HOLIDAY JEER

The Lions, who were jeered by their supporters at times, have been defeated in seven consecutive games on Thanksgiving.

INJURIES

The Green Bay Packers had several players who were unable to play in their recent game due to various injuries. Running back Aaron Jones was dealing with a knee issue, cornerback Jaire Alexander had a shoulder injury, linebacker De’Vondre Campbell had a neck injury, safety Rudy Ford injured his shoulder, and Dontayvion Wicks had both a concussion and knee injury. Additionally, tight end Josiah Deguara was inactive due to a hip injury.

The Detroit Lions’ guard Jonah Jackson was unable to play in the team’s fifth game out of the last six due to a wrist injury.

UP NEXT

The Green Bay Packers will be hosting the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday night, December 3rd.

The Lions will be playing against New Orleans on December 3rd.

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“Stay updated with Larry Lage on Twitter at https://twitter.com/LarryLage.”

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“Coverage of the NFL by the Associated Press can be found at https://apnews.com/hub/NFL.”

Source: wralsportsfan.com