If you were watching Amazon Prime on that chilly Thursday night in early December, you saw something that’s becoming a bit of a habit in Detroit. A lot of heart. A ton of risk. And, eventually, a kicker named Jake Bates drilling a 35-yarder as time expired to send the Ford Field crowd into a total frenzy.
The nfl dec 5 2024 lions vs packers matchup wasn’t just another divisional game. It was the night the Detroit Lions officially punched their ticket to the playoffs, moving to a staggering 12-1 and securing their 11th straight win.
Honestly, it felt like a heavyweight fight where neither guy wanted to go down. The Lions walked away with a 34-31 victory, but for most of the second half, it felt like Green Bay might actually pull off the upset. Jordan Love and Josh Jacobs were relentless, but in the end, Dan Campbell’s "aggressive" nature—which some might call borderline reckless—turned out to be the exact edge Detroit needed.
Fourth Downs and Gamble Culture
You can't talk about the Lions without talking about fourth downs. It’s basically their DNA at this point. In this game, they went 4-of-5 on fourth down. Think about that for a second. Most coaches get the "scared money" jitters when it’s 4th and goal, but Dan Campbell just sees it as another chance to ruin a defensive coordinator’s week.
Two of Detroit’s touchdowns came on fourth-and-goal conversions. One was a 2-yard flick to Jahmyr Gibbs right before halftime that put Detroit up 17-7. The other was a 1-yard toss to Tim Patrick in the third. If they kick field goals there, they lose. Period.
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The Play That Sealed It
The most "Dan Campbell" moment happened with about 43 seconds left. The game was tied 31-31. Most humans would have kicked a 39-yard field goal right then and there to take the lead. But that gives the ball back to Jordan Love with time on the clock.
Instead, Detroit went for it on 4th and 1 from the Green Bay 21.
It almost ended in disaster. Jared Goff actually tripped over his own lineman’s foot while trying to hand the ball off. It looked messy. But David Montgomery, who is basically a human bowling ball, snatched the handoff while Goff was halfway to the turf and rumbled for 7 yards. That was the game. They bled the clock, called a timeout with two seconds left, and let Bates do his thing.
How the Packers Almost Stole It
It's kinda wild how close Green Bay came. They were down 10 at the half and looked completely out of sync. Then, the third quarter happened.
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Jordan Love found his rhythm, Christian Watson started torching the secondary (finishing with 114 yards on just 4 catches), and Keisean Nixon snagged an interception that flipped the momentum. Josh Jacobs was a monster in the red zone, finishing with three rushing touchdowns.
- First Quarter: Lions 7, Packers 0
- Second Quarter: Lions 17, Packers 7
- Third Quarter: Packers 21, Lions 17 (The comeback was real)
- Final Score: Lions 34, Packers 31
The Packers actually led 28-24 at one point. But their undoing was a mix of slow starts and a really painful offensive pass interference call on Christian Watson late in the fourth. That penalty turned a potential go-ahead touchdown into a "settle for a field goal" situation. Against this Lions team, settling for three is usually a death sentence.
Stat Nerds, This One’s For You
Jared Goff was clinical. He finished 32-of-41 for 283 yards and 3 scores. But the real story is how he spread the wealth. According to OptaSTATS, this was the first time in NFL history that six players on one team had at least five receptions in a single game.
- Jameson Williams (80 yards)
- Sam LaPorta (54 yards)
- Amon-Ra St. Brown (43 yards)
- Tim Patrick (43 yards, 2 TDs)
- Jahmyr Gibbs
- David Montgomery
It’s almost impossible to defend a team when you have to worry about six different guys catching 5+ balls.
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The Fallout: Playoff Seeding and Reality
So, what does the nfl dec 5 2024 lions vs packers result actually mean? For Detroit, it was everything. They stayed ahead of the Vikings in the NFC North and kept the inside track for the No. 1 seed.
For Green Bay, the loss was a gut punch. It effectively ended their hopes of winning the division. At 9-4, they were forced into the Wild Card conversation. Matt LaFleur mentioned after the game that they have to "earn the right" to come back to Detroit in the playoffs.
If you're looking for actionable takeaways from this game for your own sports analysis or betting:
- Never bet against the Lions on 4th down. The analytics might say one thing, but Campbell’s "feel" for the game is a legitimate variable that Vegas hasn't quite figured out.
- The Packers' "Slow Start" issue is real. They've struggled in the first quarter of big games all year, and it forced them to play perfect football in the second half—which is a recipe for disaster against elite teams.
- Watch the injury report for the rematch. Both teams took hits here. Alim McNeill (Lions) and Javon Bullard (Packers) were banged up. In a potential playoff rematch, the health of these defensive anchors will be the deciding factor.
If you want to keep tabs on how this affects the rest of the season, keep an eye on the Eagles' record, as they are the primary threat to Detroit’s home-field advantage. The road to the Super Bowl officially goes through a loud, indoor stadium in Michigan.