The Detroit Lions pulled out all the stops. Two successful trick plays set a tone for the Lions, as they scored two touchdowns off of well executed gadget plays and while the Packers rallied late, two interceptions by Jordan Love sealed the loss for the Green and Gold.
The Packers desperately wanted to leave this game without an injury to a key player. Chandon Sullivan and Marquez Valdes-Scantling both left the game injured. The severity of the injuries were not disclosed. Aaron Rogers, Josh Myers and David Bakhtiari all started and played well. All three players were watching by the start of the second half. Aaron and company scored the first points of the game on a thirteen play, 74 yard touchdown drive that ended with a 1 yard dart pass from Rodgers to Allen Lazard. Lazard seemed covered but Rodgers threw it behind the Lion defender who had his back turned to the play.
The Packers started with their first team defense and they held on the Lions first possession thanks to a sack from Dean Lowry. The Lions then tried a fake punt pass that went through the hands of Lion Godwin Igwebuike. The Packers seemed set up for a quick second score but Rodgers was sacked on third down by a blitzer and the Packers punted.
The Lions did not let their first trick play failure change their game plan. A double reverse wide receiver pass scored a 75 yard touchdown and evened the score. The Packers turned the ball over on downs after failing to convert on a fourth and four. The Lions took the lead by driving 57 yards on ten plays that featured the younger brother of Packer Equanimeous St. Brown. The Lions smaller and younger St. Brown torched the Packers defense with eight catches for 109 yards including a touchdown.
A key turning point in the game was a fumble by Juwann Winfree. With Green Bay trailing 17-13 early in the third quarter, Love dropped a short pass to Winfree in the flat. When Winfree turned upfield, the Detroit defender was able to strip him of the ball. Detroit wasted no time, dialing up their next trick play, A reverse flea flicker pass by Goff to a wide open Brock Wright on first down. The catch and run resulted in a Lion touchdown, resulting in a score of 24-13.
The Packers played most of their second team defense in the second half and the unit failed in the fourth quarter. Jordan Love led three scoring drives for eighteen points in the second half, capped off by his run scoring two point conversion which gave the Packers a three point lead with less than five minutes remaining in the contest. The Lions scored again, then sealed the victory by intercepting Love twice in the final minutes. The Packers must now wait to see who and when they play in two weeks. They know where. Packer fans can enjoy their team on the Frozen Tundra in two weeks.