Packers lose a tough one to the Lions

Defense can’t get a stop when it needs it most

The Green Bay Packers fell short of the Detroit Lions 34-31 on what was an entertaining Thursday night football NFC North battle. QB Jordan Love finished 12/20 with 206 YDS passing with a touchdown. RB Josh Jacobs finished with 66 YDS rushing on 18 carries and WR Christian Watson had 4 catches for 114 YDS receiving. The Packers defense could not stop the Lions on the final drive as Detroit went 4/5 on fourth down conversions.

Be sure to check out the CHTV game recap of all the action in Detroit.

Gut Reactions: Packers fall short against Lions

Aaron Nagler reacts to the Packers dropping a tough one to the Lions 34-31.

Lions 34, Packers 31: Game Balls / Lame Calls

Almost.

Throughout the night in Detroit, the Packers almost got there. The defense got some important stops, but at the most critical moments fell short. The offense almost sustained enough drives, but couldn’t finish enough of them. It was almost a huge victory, but Green Bay lost 34-31 because when you’re playing a good team, in their house, too many almosts are too much to overcome.

Detroit is the better team and it showed. But the Lions came in wounded and vulnerable, with much of its starting defense on IR or inactive. Green Bay, too, had to resort to a makeshift secondary as in-game injuries felled safeties Evan Williams and Javon Bullard, on top of the already injured Jaire Alexander and Corey Ballentine.

In the end, the Packer defense just couldn’t get off the field often enough. Jared Goff was a surgeon, completing 32 passes on 41 attempts for 283 yards. It was a short and intermediate game plan, as Goff delivered at least five receptions to six different pass catchers, none longer than 28 yards. Meanwhile, Detroit’s tandem of Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery tacked on another 94 yards on the ground, helping the Lions to dominate time of possession and convert seven of 15 third downs and four of five fourth downs, including the dagger at the end despite Goff getting stepped on and falling as he handed the ball off.

The Packers battled valiantly. There were some miscues, but overall they played hard, hung with the best team in football and did not beat themselves. But they needed to be nearly flawless, and that’s hard to do.

Let’s take a look at this week’s Game Balls and Lame Calls.

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly: Packers vs Lions

Aaron Nagler hands out the Good, the Bad and the Ugly from the Green Bay Packers Week 14 loss to the Detroit Lions.

Packers Snap Counts: Week 14 vs. Detroit

The Packers elevated CB Kalen King from the Practice Squad. Jaire Alexander, Edgerrin Cooper, Corey Ballentine, and Romeo Doubs were inactive due to injury. Jacob Monk was a healthy scratch. QB Malik Willis and Kalen King did not play.

Check out who played and how much in this week’s Packers Snap Counts.

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The Lass Word: Execution and lack thereof

It’s not the plays.  It’s how well your players perform the plays.  Jeff Hafley’s defense was simply no match for the relentless execution of the Detroit Lions Thursday night.  The Lions had touchdown drives consisting of eleven, twelve, thirteen, and ten plays.  Then capped it with a game-ending drive of ten plays, sealing a 34-31 win with a chip shot field goal.

Lions coach Dan Campbell had so much confidence in his offense’s ability to out-execute the Packers defense, he went for it on fourth down five times, and converted four of them.  Jordan Love and the offense had plenty of good moments, but just couldn’t match the consistency of the Lions offensive machine.  The final blow came on the last possession for both teams.  

The Packers had a first and goal on the seven yard line.  A touchdown would have put them up four and taken away the field goal option from Detroit.  But a false start on Zach Tom and an offensive pass interference on Christian Watson killed them.  Lack of execution when they needed it the most.  They settled for a game-tying field goal, leaving more than three minutes for the well-oiled Lions to grind out their usual victory.  Jared Goff finished the game completing thirteen passes in a row.  

Execution.  In the clutch.  The Lions did it better.  That’s why they’re 12-1, and the Packers remain in the wild card fight…

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