If you’re hunting for the score of the packers lions game, you probably caught the highlight reel but missed the absolute chaos that happened on the field. The Green Bay Packers took down the Detroit Lions with a 31-24 victory at Ford Field. It was a Thanksgiving showdown that basically felt like a playoff game in November.
Seriously.
Jordan Love didn't just play; he looked like he was auditioning for a spot in the Hall of Fame early. He matched a career high with four touchdown passes. That is Brett Favre territory. Honestly, nobody expected the Lions defense to look that shaky, especially with the way Dan Campbell has been building that unit.
But here we are.
What actually went down in Detroit
The game started off feeling a bit like a defensive slugfest. Packers kicker Brandon McManus knocked through a 45-yarder to put Green Bay up 3-0. It was quiet. Too quiet. Then the second quarter happened and everything broke loose.
Basically, Matt LaFleur decided to stop being polite.
The Packers went for it on fourth down three different times in Detroit territory. Most coaches would take the points and run, but LaFleur kept his foot on the gas. It paid off. Love found Dontayvion Wicks on a 22-yard fade pass on 4th-and-2. Suddenly it’s 10-0. Then, right before the half, he hit Romeo Doubs for another score on 4th-and-1.
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Detroit didn't just sit there, though. David Montgomery hammered one in from six yards out, and Jared Goff connected with Jameson Williams to keep it tight. By halftime, it was 17-14 Packers.
The second half was a different story.
- Christian Watson went nuclear with a 51-yard touchdown reception.
- Micah Parsons—yes, the Packers have Parsons in this 2025-2026 reality—was a nightmare for Goff.
- Dontayvion Wicks hauled in his second touchdown to basically seal the deal.
Why the final score of 31-24 is a bit deceptive
If you just look at the score of the packers lions game, you see a one-possession game. You think, "Oh, it was close."
It really wasn't.
The Packers led by 10 points for a huge chunk of the second half. Detroit only got within seven because they kicked a field goal with about three minutes left. They were desperate. Jared Goff was 20-of-26 for 256 yards and two scores, which looks great on paper, but he was under siege the entire afternoon.
Micah Parsons finished with 2.5 sacks. He and Isaiah McDuffie were living in the Lions' backfield. When it came down to the final drive, the Packers didn't even give the ball back. Love hit Watson for a first down, then found Wicks again on a gutsy fourth-down throw to ice the clock.
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Game over.
A tale of two seasons
This win pushed Green Bay to 8-3-1, giving them a massive edge in the NFC North race. Meanwhile, the Lions dropped to 7-5. It's wild because earlier in the season, back in Week 1, the Packers also handled business at Lambeau with a 27-13 win.
Green Bay has the Lions' number this year. Period.
The Lions have talent—Jahmyr Gibbs is a lightning bolt every time he touches the ball—but they couldn't convert when it mattered. They were 1-for-4 in the red zone in their first meeting and struggled with fourth-down stops in the second.
The Micah Parsons factor
We have to talk about how weird it is seeing Parsons in a Green Bay jersey. It’s still jarring. But man, he is the difference-maker. His presence alone changed how Ben Johnson had to call the Lions' offense. They had to keep extra blockers in, which took weapons out of the passing game.
Goff was hit nine times in that first game and sacked twice on Thanksgiving. You can't win like that.
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Key stats you should know:
- Jordan Love: 18-of-30, 234 yards, 4 TDs, 0 INTs.
- Dontayvion Wicks: 6 catches, 94 yards, 2 TDs.
- Jared Goff: 132.9 passer rating (somehow) but took the "L."
- Attendance: 66,662 screaming fans at Ford Field.
Looking ahead in the NFC North
So, what does the score of the packers lions game mean for the rest of the year? Well, the Chicago Bears are actually leading the division right now, which is a sentence I didn't think I'd be writing in 2026.
The Packers are currently sitting at the No. 7 seed for the playoffs, facing a potential Wild Card rematch with those very same Bears. The Lions, unfortunately, have hit a bit of a skid. They finished the regular season 9-8 and are currently on the outside looking in.
It's a tough pill to swallow for Detroit fans who thought this was their year.
If you're tracking these teams for your playoff bracket, keep an eye on Green Bay's aggression. Matt LaFleur isn't coaching like a guy who wants to play it safe. He’s coaching like a guy who has a franchise QB and a generational pass rusher.
Actionable next steps for fans:
Check the injury report for the Packers' secondary before their Wild Card matchup against Chicago. While the offense is humming, the defense has shown a few cracks in the late-game prevent schemes. If you're betting the over/under, notice that the Packers have hit the over in three of their last four divisional games. Also, verify the status of Christian Watson's hamstring; he’s the deep threat that makes this entire "fourth down" strategy actually work.