Love Matches Career High with Four TD Passes as Packers Defeat Lions 31–24

AP Photo/Ryan Sun

In a pivotal NFC North matchup on Thursday in Detroit, quarterback Jordan Love delivered one of the best performances of his young career, matching his personal high with four touchdown passes and guiding the Green Bay Packers to a 31–24 victory over the Detroit Lions. The win completed a season sweep for Green Bay and provided a crucial tiebreaker advantage as the division race tightens heading into December. Love, who finished 18-of-30 for 234 yards, credited his offensive line for the clean pockets that allowed him to attack the Detroit secondary. “Credit to our O-line for giving me plenty of time to make those throws,” he said. “That’s really the reason why we were able to win the game.” The protection held throughout the afternoon, enabling Love to convert all three of the Packers’ fourth-down attempts, two of which resulted directly in touchdowns during the second quarter. The Packers seized control early, jumping out to a 10–0 lead and repeatedly re-establishing a two-score margin whenever the Lions threatened. Green Bay’s defensive front dominated as well, anchored by newly acquired edge rusher Micah Parsons. The former Cowboy was a disruptive force, recording 2.5 sacks to push his season total past twelve for the fifth consecutive year. His pressure consistently collapsed Detroit’s pocket and limited Lions quarterback Jared Goff’s ability to stretch the field.

Detroit, now 7–5 after dropping three of its last five, struggled in high-leverage moments. The Lions failed twice on fourth-down attempts—once on the opening drive of the second half and again early in the fourth quarter. The latter miscue proved costly: two plays after Jahmyr Gibbs was stopped for a loss near midfield, Love found Christian Watson for a 51-yard touchdown that extended the Packers’ lead to 24–14. Even as Goff mounted a response—finishing 20-of-26 for 256 yards and two touchdowns—the Lions’ miscues persisted. A dropped fourth-down pass by Jameson Williams halted a promising drive, and later, a Parsons sack inside the 5-yard line forced Detroit to settle for a field goal rather than a chance to tie. Williams otherwise enjoyed a career day with seven receptions for 144 yards, but the missed conversion loomed large in the fourth quarter. Green Bay’s offense ultimately iced the game with two late conversions: a third-and-5 completion to Watson and a decisive fourth-and-3 strike to Dontayvion Wicks. The aggression, Packers coach Matt LaFleur said, was intentional. “We were staying aggressive,” he noted. “We got a chance to go out there and ice the game.”

The win lifts the Packers to 8–3–1, keeping them just behind Chicago in the NFC North standings. Detroit, meanwhile, faces a narrowing window as it tries to climb back into playoff position. “We’ve dug ourselves a hole,” Lions coach Dan Campbell admitted.

Both teams leave the game with new injury concerns. Green Bay defensive tackle Devonte Wyatt was carted off with an ankle injury that LaFleur described as “not good,” while Detroit lost star wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown to an ankle issue that may sideline him for one to two weeks.

Green Bay will host Chicago on December 7 in another key division clash. Detroit returns home December 4 for a matchup against Dallas, seeking to halt its midseason slide and revive its postseason hopes.