Honestly, if you told a Lions fan five years ago that they’d be walking into Lambeau Field in a monsoon and bullying the Packers, they would have asked what you were drinking. But that’s exactly what the Lions vs Green Bay 2024 series gave us. It wasn't just about the wins; it was the way Detroit dismantled the "mystique" of Green Bay.
The 2024 season saw the Lions pull off a clean sweep of the Packers for the second time in three years. That’s a sentence that still feels weird to type. The first matchup on November 3 was a soggy, disciplined 24-14 Detroit victory in the rain. The second? A 34-31 absolute thriller on Thursday Night Football in December that essentially ended the division race.
The Rainy Masterclass at Lambeau
The November 3 game was supposed to be the "prove it" moment for Detroit. Everyone knows the Lions are a "dome team." Critics love to say Jared Goff can't grip a wet ball. Well, it rained. A lot. And Goff went 18-for-22.
That's 81.8% completion in a literal downpour.
The turning point was one of those "what was he thinking?" moments from Jordan Love. Just before halftime, with the Packers only down 7-3, Love tried to hero-ball a shovel pass while being hit. Kerby Joseph—who basically exists to ruin the Packers' day—snagged it for a 27-yard pick-six.
- Final Score: Lions 24, Packers 14
- The Vibe: Detroit looked like the more physical, weather-proof team.
- Key Stat: Detroit converted two 4th downs into touchdowns. Dan Campbell doesn't care about your "safe" field goals.
Green Bay outgained Detroit 411 to 261 in total yards, which is wild when you think about it. But the Packers committed 10 penalties for 67 yards. They had drops. They had the Brian Branch ejection (which we'll get to). Basically, Green Bay played like the old Lions, and Detroit played like the old Packers.
That Wild Thursday Night Shootout (December 5)
If the first game was a grit-fest, the rematch at Ford Field was a high-octane drag race. This was Lions vs Green Bay 2024 at its peak.
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Detroit was 11-1 coming in. Green Bay was 9-3. The division was on the line.
Jordan Love actually looked fantastic in the second half of this one. He recovered from a sluggish start to lead four scoring drives. Josh Jacobs was a monster, scoring three rushing touchdowns and eclipsing the 1,000-yard mark for the season. For a moment, it felt like the Packers had finally figured out how to crack the Lions' secondary.
But Dan Campbell had other plans.
With 43 seconds left and the game tied 31-31, Detroit had a 4th-and-1 at the Green Bay 21-yard line. Most coaches kick the field goal there, right? If you kick it, you give Jordan Love 40 seconds to drive for a tie. Campbell said "no thanks." He went for it. Goff nearly fell down on the snap, stumbled, handed it to David Montgomery, and the "identity" of this Lions team was summed up in a 7-yard gain.
Jake Bates nailed the 35-yard field goal as time expired. 34-31. Game over. Division effectively over.
Why Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph Are Green Bay’s Nightmares
You can’t talk about these games without mentioning the Detroit safeties. In the November game, Brian Branch got ejected for a helmet-to-helmet hit on Bo Melton. It was a huge blow to the Lions' defense at the time, but it also showed the aggressive—sometimes overly so—edge this team plays with.
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Then there’s Kerby Joseph.
The guy has a magnet for the ball when it's coming out of a Packers jersey. His pick-six at Lambeau was his sixth interception of the season at that point. He’s become the modern-day "Packer Killer."
The Coaching Chess Match
Matt LaFleur and Dan Campbell have a lot of mutual respect, but their styles couldn't be more different. LaFleur is the tactician, trying to find the perfect exploit in the scheme. Campbell is the gambler who trusts his "dogs" to win the 1v1 battles.
In the December game, the Lions became the first team in NFL history to have six different players record at least five catches in a single game.
- Amon-Ra St. Brown
- Jameson Williams
- Sam LaPorta
- Tim Patrick
- Jahmyr Gibbs
- David Montgomery
That's impossible to defend. If you double St. Brown, Tim Patrick (who had two TDs in December) beats you. If you sit back in zone, Gibbs and Montgomery carve you up on screens.
What Most People Get Wrong About This Matchup
The narrative is often that the Packers "blew it" or that Jordan Love is "too turnover prone." While Love did have some shaky moments (10 interceptions by early November), the reality is more about Detroit’s efficiency.
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In the two 2024 games, the Lions were a combined 6-for-7 on 4th down.
Think about that. In the most high-pressure situations, they simply didn't fail. It’s not that Green Bay played bad football—they actually played quite well in the December rematch—it’s just that Detroit has a higher floor right now.
Actionable Takeaways for the Future Rivalry
If you're looking at where this rivalry goes in 2025 and 2026, keep these things in mind:
- The Trenches: Detroit's offensive line is the gold standard. Until Green Bay can consistently pressure Goff without blitzing, he will pick them apart.
- The "Aggression Gap": Green Bay started matching Detroit's aggressiveness late in the season, but they still struggle with the "weight" of Dan Campbell’s 4th-down decisions.
- The Secondary: The Packers need a dedicated "Kerby Joseph" type—a playmaker who can flip the field. Xavier McKinney is great, but the depth isn't quite there yet.
The 2024 season officially signaled a changing of the guard. The road to the NFC North title now goes through Detroit, and for the first time in decades, the Packers are the ones playing catch-up.
For those looking to dive deeper into the film, watch the December 5 final drive. Pay attention to how the Lions used Tim Patrick and Jameson Williams to clear out the intermediate zones for St. Brown. It's a clinic in modern spacing.