DETROIT (AP) — With a 34-31 victory over the Green Bay Packers on Thursday night, the Detroit Lions secured a postseason berth thanks to three touchdown passes from Jared Goff, a 35-yard field goal from Jake Bates as time ran out, and more. With their 11th consecutive victory, including two over the Packers (9-4), the NFC-best Lions (12-1) broke a franchise record and maintained their lead over Minnesota (10-2) in the fiercely competitive NFC North. Only once did Detroit coach Dan Campbell’s gambles backfire, despite going for it on fourth down five times, including with one yard remaining at the Green Bay 21 with forty-three seconds remaining.
Goff slipped and fell towards the turf, and David Montgomery raced for seven yards, hardly receiving a handoff. As a result, Bates made his third game-winning kick of the season and the Lions were able to attempt a field goal without handing the Packers the ball back. On fourth-and-goal, Goff threw two touchdown passes, including one to Tim Patrick, who caught two of them. Additionally, he set up one of Josh Jacobs’ career-high matching three touchdown runs in the third quarter with an interception.
With 11 seconds remaining in the first half, Goff put Detroit ahead 17–7 when he found Jahymr Gibbs free in the end zone for a 2-yard throw on a fourth down.
Later in the fourth quarter, Goff and Patrick connected on a game-winning, one-yard touchdown pass.
The only time Campbell’s aggression didn’t work out was when Green Bay stopped Gibbs on a fourth-down run from the Detroit 31 late in the third quarter.