DETROIT – On a day in which fourth-down conversions reigned supreme, Dontayvion Wicks was king for the Packers' offense.
After opening the day with a ridiculous 22-yard touchdown on fourth-and-3, the third-year receiver sealed a thrilling 31-24 win over the Detroit Lions with a 16-yard catch on fourth down that stunned the 66,662 in attendance at Ford Field on Thanksgiving.
With the Lions out of timeouts, Green Bay opted to keep its foot on the gas while clinging to a one-score lead with 1 minute, 55 seconds left in regulation on fourth-and-3 from the Detroit 45.
As Wicks stepped to the line of scrimmage, he had an idea the ball might be going his way based on the design of his crossing route but still told quarterback Jordan Love before the play to "pick his poison" based on all Green Bay's weapons.
Love chose Wicks, who flashed in front of safety Brian Branch and pulled down the crosser despite his shoe flying off.
"I knew he was coming to me because I was the closest to him, coming across the face," Wicks said. "It was just about making the play to win the game. We knew it was going to come down to the end, so we had to go make them plays that count."
The Packers were in a tight spot at receiver on the short week, entering without both rookies Matthew Golden (wrist) and Savion Williams (foot) due to injury.
So, they leaned on their veteran core of Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs and Wicks against the two-time defending NFC North champions.
The Packers entered the game understanding the challenge the ultra-aggressive Lions pose with head coach Dan Campbell's propensity for going for it on fourth down.
Green Bay's defense held up its end of the bargain, stopping the Lions both times they went for it on fourth down. Meanwhile, Head Coach Matt LaFleur countered aggression with aggression on the Packers' offensive side of the ball.
Green Bay set the tone early in the second quarter when it chose to go for it on fourth-and-3 from the Detroit 22. Wicks went down the left sideline and looked in a go ball from Love for a highlight-reel touchdown that staked the Packers to a 10-0 lead.
Based on a look Green Bay saw earlier in the game, Wicks felt there was room to knife between Lions safeties Branch and Thomas Harper and make the play.
"We were trying to go to that play really the whole time after we ran the first play that he broke up," Wicks said. "We saw he was sitting there, so run around him. And that's what happened, and 10 gave me the chance, and I came down with it. That was a fun one to get my first tud of the year."
Wicks didn't have to wait long before catching his second TD of the season off a 1-yard fade that put Green Bay up 31-21 with 1:50 left in the third quarter. Earlier in the nine-play, 72-yard scoring drive, he made a gutsy 30-yard catch down the seam to move the Packers into scoring territory.
Catching six passes on seven targets for a team-high 94 yards with two touchdowns served as another indication of the growth the Packers have seen from Wicks in Year 3.
It's also the response Green Bay expected after the former fifth-round pick dealt with some drops last season and had been nagged by a calf injury much of this year.
"I feel like if you flipped the script and you seen the way that he worked, I don't think that you'd think that he had any drops or any issues with anything," receiver Christian Watson said. "He's a type of guy that's gonna work for sure. He comes to practice every day, every rep of practice he's trying to win, he's trying to fight every single rep, so I think it's just the culmination of all the work that he's put in."
Watson had a big game in his own right, catching four passes for 80 yards. Included in that was a beautiful 51-yard touchdown reception coming out of halftime and an 8-yard out on third-and-5 on the game-sealing series in the fourth quarter.
Trailing 31-24, Detroit used its timeouts to force Green Bay to gain one more first down to seal it. The Packers chose to throw on third-and-3 but Love and Watson were unable to connect.
It left LaFleur with a massive decision – to punt and put his defense back on the field or take a stab at ending the game right there. Ultimately, he chose the latter and Wicks came through.
"Man, I loved it. That's what it comes down to," said Wicks of the decision to go for it. "Coach believing in you and you just go out and make the plays, and that's going to keep him believing. I'm happy he had that mindset and we came out and executed in the way to win the game."
In slightly humorous fashion, Wicks lost his shoe while skying to pull down the final fourth-down pass from Love. Lost in the excitement, he didn't even realize he was without it until left tackle Rasheed Walker gave it back to him after the celebration.
"We don't win that game without him," Watson said. "Just to have him kind of just stay even through all the ups and downs with the injuries and whatnot, it's exactly the Wicks that I know. Just going out there and balling, so I'm glad he got to do all that today and help us win this football game."
