DETROIT – The Packers used three successful fourth-down conversions, two for touchdowns and another to run out the clock in the fourth quarter, to down the Lions 31-24 on Thanksgiving at Ford Field.
With their third straight win, the Packers improved to 8-3-1. The Lions fell to 7-5.
Packers QB Jordan Love threw four TD passes, two of them on fourth downs to WRs Dontayvion Wicks and Romeo Doubs, and was 18-of-30 for 234 yards and a 124.2 passer rating.
Green Bay's defense got a pair of fourth-down stops in the second half, one to start the third quarter and another with the Lions in the red zone in the fourth. Those helped the Packers get and then maintain a 10-point lead. DL Micah Parsons finished the game with 2 1/2 sacks.
After the Lions used a long drive to kick a field goal with three minutes left to get within seven points, Green Bay ran out the clock with the help of a third-down completion to WR Christian Watson for one first down, and then a gutsy fourth-down throw to Wicks for another first down to kill the clock.
Wicks finished with six catches for 94 yards and two scores, while Watson had four catches for 80 yards and a long TD. Doubs added four catches for 20 yards and a score. RB Josh Jacobs had 17 rushes for 83 yards.
For the Lions, QB Jared Goff was 20-of-26 for 256 yards with two TDs and a 132.9 rating. RB Jahmyr Gibbs had 20 carries for 68 yards, and RB David Montgonery had eight carries for 32 yards and a TD.
WR Jameson Williams caught seven passes for 144 yards and a TD, and rookie WR Isaac TeSlaa had two catches for 35 yards and a score.
Here's a recap of all the action:
Packers lead Lions 3-0 after first quarter
Detroit won the coin toss and elected to defer. Green Bay started at its 17 after a holding penalty. Josh Jacobs returned at running back while Anthony Belton started at right guard.
After Jacobs gained four yards on first down, Christian Watson boxed out Amir Robertson for a 17-yard gain off play-action.
A 6-yard flare to Dontayvion Wicks after orbiting out of the backfield led to Jacobs' 13-yard run up the middle to the Detroit 40 on third-and-1. An 8-yard out to Romeo Doubs set up Emanuel Wilson's 4-yard carry on third-and-1.
The drive stalled there after three consecutive incompletions, but the Packers took a 3-0 lead with a 45-yard Brandon McManus field goal with 9 minutes, 12 seconds left in the first quarter.
Isaiah McDuffie tackled Jahmyr Gibbs after a 2-yard gain on first down. Micah Parsons pressured Jared Goff into an incomplete pass on the next play.
The Lions went three-and-out after safety Xavier McKinney came on a blitz to force another Goff incompletion. Green Bay started at its own 17 after Jack Fox's 46-yard punt.
The Packers were forced to punt it back to Detroit after Bo Melton gained a yard on a first-down end around and Chris Brooks was tackled after a 4-yard pickup on third down. The Lions took over at their 37 after Daniel Whelan's 61-yard punt.
Amon-Ra St. Brown was slow to get up after Gibbs' 7-yard run on first down. Gibbs gained seven yards on back-to-back carries, but a false start pushed the Lions back into their territory.
Green Bay tackled David Montgomery for no gain on a toss left before pressuring Goff into an incompletion on second down. Micah Parsons and Kingsley Enagbare combined for a sack for a loss of six yards. The Packers took over at their 23.
Jacobs gained eight yards off a check down from Jordan Love and then broke a season-long 21-yard run off the left side to the Detroit 40. Wilson gained five yards on a pitch right on first down. The Packers picked up the first down after D.J. Reader lined up offsides on third-and-4.
Packers lead Lions 17-14 at halftime
Jacobs gained nine yards on a draw to start the second quarter. Love and Watson couldn't connect on third-and-3 and Green Bay chose to go for it.
Love unfurled a go-ball for Dontayvion Wicks down the left sideline that the third-year receiver pulled down for a 22-yard touchdown to push the Packers' lead to 10-0 with 14:19 left in the first half.
The Lions moved across midfield on a 24-yard pass to Jameson Williams over the middle. Williams lost five yards on an end-around, but Gibbs gained 18 on the next play.
After Gibbs lost four yards on second-and-9, Goff threaded a pass to receiver Tom Kennedy for 23 yards on third-and-13.
On third-and-goal from the Green Bay 3, Montgomery scored off a direct snap in a Wildcat formation to cut Green Bay's lead to 10-7 with 7:54 left in the first half.
Starting at its own 30, Green Bay converted the first down with a 7-yard out to Wicks and then a 4-yard out to Watson. The Packers snapped the ball before Detroit head coach Dan Campbell could challenge the play and Brooks gained five yards on a check down to the Packers' 46.
On third-and-5, Love fired an 18-yard completion to Wicks on a crosser to the Detroit 36. After a 2-yard Jacobs draw, Love rolled right and hit Luke Musgrave for 23 yards on playaction.
After the Lions were flagged for 12 men on the field, Love gained two yards on third-and-3 to the Detroit 2. On fourth-and-1, Love hit Doubs for a 2-yard touchdown off a fade to extend the Packers' lead to 17-7 with 2:12 remaining in the first half.
Montgomery gained two yards on a third-and-1 carry to the Lions' 46 and Detroit used its first timeout with 1:14 left. Williams caught a 25-yard pass from Goff to the Green Bay 29. On third-and-3, Goff checked out of the play and fired a quick pass to Williams who broke Carrington Valentine's tackle en route to the 22-yard touchdown to cut Green Bay's lead to 17-14 with 25 seconds left.
The Packers kneeled the ball to end the half.
Packers lead Lions 31-21 after three
Detroit gained the initial first down with a 7-yard pass to Kennedy before three straight Gibbs runs gained seven yards.
The Lions went for it on fourth-and-3 from the Green Bay 47 and turned the ball over on downs after Goff checked to a run and Parsons and McDuffie dropped Gibbs for a loss of two.
Taking over at their 49, Love delivered a perfect deep ball for a 51-yard touchdown to Watson over Robertson, extending Green Bay's lead to 24-14 with 10:31 remaining.
The Lions announced St. Brown (ankle) has been ruled out for the game.
Detroit offered a quick response on its next series, which began with a 24-yard Goff scramble to the Packers' 47. Montgomery picked up 13 yards on an underneath pass before running 14 yards to the Green Bay 17.
With time to throw, Goff threw an 18-yard touchdown to Isaac TeSlaa to cut the Packers' lead to 24-21 with 7:25 left in the third quarter.
Bo Melton returned the kickoff 27 yards and then picked up 14 on an end-around to the Green Bay 45. On the next play, Love fired a 30-yard completion to Wicks down the seam. Lions safety Thomas Harper was injured on the play.
Jacobs and Wilson combined to move the chains to the Detroit 15. Doubs fumbled on a 4-yard slant on second-and-5, but Rasheed Walker jumped on it. On third-and-1, a facemask penalty on Jack Campbell gave Green Bay a first down.
Love connected with Wicks for a 1-yard touchdown to push the Packers' lead back to 31-21 with 1:44 left in the third.
Williams gained 15 yards on first down before the Lions lost nine yards on an attempted flea flicker. Gibbs got 14 yards back on a second-and-19. Third quarter ended with Gibbs converting on third-and-5 with a 12-yard run.
Packers hold off Lions 31-24, improve to 8-3-1
Detroit converted a third-and-3 with a 7-yard pass to Williams to the Green Bay 28. Evan Williams darted in to stop Gibbs for no gain on a third-and-3 carry.
The Lions went for it on fourth down and turned the ball over on downs at the Packers' 22 after Williams dropped a crosser. Green Bay punted the ball back to Detroit after Love couldn't connect with Watson on a third-and-4 pass.
The Lions took over at their 20 after Daniel Whelan's 72-yard punt bounced twice inside the five and into the end zone for the touchback.
A 18-yard crosser to TeSlaa picked up the initial first down for the Lions. Parsons sacked Goff on the next play for a loss of eight. On third-and-15, Keisean Nixon was called for illegal contact for the automatic first down.
Williams gained 44 yards on a crosser to the Green Bay 16. A 6-yard pass to Gibbs on third-and-4 set up first-and-goal at the Packers' 4.
After Colby Wooden deflected a pass at the line of scrimmage, Parsons sacked Goff for a loss of nine yards on third-and-goal from the Green Bay 4. Devonte Wyatt was injured on the play and carted to the locker room.
Jake Bates made a 31-yard field goal to pull the Lions within one score, 31-24, with 2:59 remaining.
Starting at their own 35 after the touchback, Jacobs carried the ball twice to force Detroit to burn its first two timeouts while gaining five yards. On third-and-5, Love hit Watson for eight yards on an out for the first down.
The Lions used their third timeout with 2:38 left after a 3-yard Jacobs run. The clock ran down to the two-minute warning on Jacobs' 4-yard carry to the Detroit 45.
Love and Watson couldn't connect on third-and-3, but Green Bay went for it on fourth down after a timeout and Wicks came down with a 16-yard completion. The Packers kneeled out the win.
