Detroit Lions kicker Jake Bates sent his team to the playoffs with a game-winning field goal in a historic night on Thursday against the Green Bay Packers at Ford Field.
Bates’ 35-yard field goal with two seconds remaining seals a 34–31 victory over the Packers (9–4) and the Lions’ longest winning streak in the franchise’s 95-year history at 11 games. The first NFC team to clinch a playoff berth this season, the Lions (12–1) also won a 12th game for the third time in franchise history, and the team did it back-to-back years for the first time ever.
The Lions and Packers delivered made things unforgettable for a much-hyped game between two NFC contenders that had a night full of big offensive and defensive plays. Lions quarterback Jared Goff threw for three touchdowns, and Packers running back Josh Jacobs rushed for three scores in the NFC North showdown.
“It’s the best division in football,” Campbell said. “It’s really elite.”
Goff came out strong with a 28-yard pass to Jameson Williams on the opening drive, which set up David Montgomery’s 3-yard touchdown run. The Lions defense then stepped up and held the Packers to 19 yards and punt on the following drive.
Both defenses stole the show on the following three drives in the first quarter amid another three-consecutive punts. Packers defensive end Rashan Gary and Lions defensive end Za'Darius Smith both got to their respective quarterbacks in the process.
Detroit opened the second quarter with a bang amid a fumble recovery by linebacker David Long Jr. after Packers wide receiver Christian Watson lost the ball on a 20-yard reception. The Lions went up 10–0 on a 43-yard field goal by kicker Jake Bates.
Green Bay nearly lost the ball again on an interception by Lions cornerback Carlton Davis III, but the play got overturned due to a pass interference penalty. Packers running back Josh Jacobs made the most of the new opportunity with a 1-yard touchdown run, 10–7.
Detroit answered and closed the half with a 12-play, 70-yard drive as running back Jahmyr Gibbs capped it off with a 2-yard touchdown reception from Goff for a 17–7 advantage into the locker room. Green Bay chipped away at the deficit quickly in the third quarter with quarterback Jordan Love’s 12-yard touchdown pass to tight end Tucker Kraft, 17–14.
Packers cornerback Keisean Nixon then picked off Goff and returned it to the Lions’ 16-yard line. That set up Jacobs’s second touchdown of the game on a 6-yard run for a 21–17 lead, but the Lions answered big on the next drive.
Goff led a 13-play, 70-yard drive and found wide receiver Tim Patrick on a 3-yard touchdown pass on fourth and goal for a 24–21 lead. It marked the second fourth-down touchdown score by the Lions in the game.
After both defenses put an end to the scoring for a pair of drives, Jacobs found the end zone for a third time on a 4-yard run in the fourth quarter, 28–24. Love set that one up with a 21-yard pass to Kraft in the final minute of the third quarter.
Goff answered by connecting with Patrick again on a 1-yard touchdown to complete a 10-play, 70-yard drive, 31-28. Green Bay then tied things up 31–31 with a field goal by Brandon McManus to cap a nine-play, 56-yard drive.
Detroit simply didn’t let the Packers have another chance and whittled down the final 3:38 of the game on an 11-play, 53-yard game-winning drive. Montgomery came up big on a fourth down with one yard to go at the Packers’ 21-yard line, which brought Bates a little closer for a game-winning field goal try.
“Everyone on this team believed we were going to win that game, and we were going to find a way,” Campbell said. “We did it again.”
No individual running back went over 66 yards in the game, but both teams rushed for 99 yards or more. Goff finished with 280 yards passing as he went 32–41, and Love threw for 206 yards on 12–20 passing.
