Packers lengthen Lions’ Thanksgiving Day distress as Jordan Love shines

DETROIT — Seems, quarterback Jordan Love and the Inexperienced Bay Packers offense have been simply getting began final week.

They got here out of Sunday’s win over the Chargers feeling like they’d put collectively their greatest offensive efficiency of the season. That paled compared to how Love & Co. began their 29-22 Thanksgiving win over the Detroit Lions.

If Love wasn’t convincing final week as a result of he did it in opposition to the thirty first ranked protection within the NFL, how about this in opposition to the first-place Lions’ top-10 protection?: He was 22 for 32 for 268 yards yards and three touchdowns with out an interception, including 39 speeding yards.

This was not like any of the Packers’ wins this season. They bought rolling straight away when Love hit Christian Watson for a 53-yard bomb on the sport’s opening play. It was Love’s first profession completion with 50 or extra air yards, in accordance with ESPN Stats & Info. It was additionally probably the most yards by any participant on a group’s first offensive play from scrimmage in a recreation since Week 13 of 2022 (Trent Sherfield’s 75-yard TD for Miami in opposition to the 49ers).

The Packers had scored 20 or fewer factors in seven of their first 10 video games. They scored 20 within the first quarter alone in opposition to the Lions (one was a defensive landing).

It is likely to be a tad early to name the Packers a playoff contender. However at 5-6, they’re at the very least within the image. Even when they can not knock off the Chiefs subsequent Sunday evening, the final portion of the schedule turns of their favor. After Kansas Metropolis, 4 of their remaining 5 opponents presently have shedding data. Solely the Vikings (6-5) are above .500.

Listed below are a very powerful issues to know from Thanksgiving Day for each groups.

Inexperienced Bay Packers

Describe the sport in two phrases: Thanksgiving miracle. The Packers, who closed an 8.5-point underdog in accordance with ESPN BET, tied for the third-largest upset on Thanksgiving because the 1970 AFL-NFL merger. Solely the 1993 Dolphins (9.5-point underdogs on the Cowboys) and the 2015 Bears (9-point underdogs on the Packers) received as greater underdogs on the vacation.

Pivotal play: When the Packers sniffed out the Lions’ faux punt on fourth-and-4 from their very own 23-yard line within the third quarter — with Lukas Van Ness and Karl Brooks stopping Jalen Reeves-Maybin for no acquire on a direct snap — it gave the Packers a brief discipline. They took benefit with a four-play landing drive capped by Like to Watson for a 16-yard rating that put the Packers up 29-15.

Promising pattern: Rashan Gary went and not using a sack in 4 straight video games from Weeks 7-10, however he is now has 4 within the final two video games together with three in opposition to the Lions. Gary’s first sack prompted the fumble that Jonathan Owens returned for a landing late within the first quarter. His third sack was additionally a strip-sack and a fumble that he recovered within the fourth quarter. And he did it on the identical discipline the place he tore the ACL in his proper knee final season.

Promising pattern II: Watson went and not using a landing catch in 5 straight video games (Week 5, 7-10) however now has scored in two straight video games. Whereas final week’s landing was a part of a two-catch, 21-yard day, Thursday’s 16-yard landing catch within the third quarter was a part of a a lot greater day. He caught 5 passes for a season-high 94 yards. He got here into the sport catching 43% of his targets, worst of any participant within the league with at the very least 30 targets this season. — Rob Demovsky

Subsequent recreation: vs. Chiefs (8:20 p.m. ET, Dec. 3)

Detroit Lions

It was a nightmarish begin for the Lions as they fell right into a double-digit gap for the second consecutive recreation, trailing by 17 factors at halftime. In contrast to of their comeback in opposition to the Bears, this time they could not recuperate. Regardless of closing because the favorites for the primary time on Thanksgiving since 2016, Detroit fell by a 29-22 depend.

Describe the sport in two phrases: Déjà vu. The Lions have not celebrated a victory on Thanksgiving since 2016, as their vacation shedding streak was prolonged to seven behind one other poor efficiency on this stage. A victory on Nov. 24, 2016, over the Minnesota Vikings was the final time Detroit received on Thanksgiving Day.

Troubling pattern: The secondary stays a priority. Detroit’s protection allowed the Packers to attain a number of occasions within the first quarter for the primary time this season as quarterback Jordan Love picked them aside. His favourite goal was Watson, who had an enormous day one week after Chicago’s Justin Fields and DJ Moore feasted on the Lions protection in the identical method.

QB breakdown: Jared Goff misplaced three fumbles for the primary time in his profession, together with two within the first quarter, which had additionally by no means occurred beforehand. He additionally had three turnovers final week in opposition to the Bears, a recreation Detroit narrowly received 31-26 behind a late surge. Goff went 29 for 44 for 332 yards and two touchdowns in opposition to the Packers, and was sacked 3 times whereas dealing with heavy stress. — Eric Woodyard

Subsequent recreation: at Saints (1 p.m. ET, Dec. 3)