Green Bay defeated Detroit 31-24 in their Week 13 Thanksgiving game on November 27 at Ford Field. Jordan Love threw four touchdowns while Dontayvion Wicks hauled in two of those scores for 94 yards, including a fourth-down grab with 1:55 remaining that ended the game. The win swept the season series and gave the Packers the tiebreaker in a tight NFC North playoff race.
Green Bay improved to 8-3-1 while Detroit dropped to 7-5, falling behind both the Packers and Chicago in the division standings.
Table of Contents
Quarterback Stats
| Quarterback | Comp/Att | Yards | TDs | INTs | Sacks | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jordan Love | 18/30 | 234 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 124.2 |
| Jared Goff | 20/26 | 256 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 132.9 |
Love matched his career high with four touchdowns and became just the second Packers quarterback since Brett Favre to throw four scores on Thanksgiving. Three came on crucial downs: two fourth-down conversions and one after a defensive stop. He went 7-of-11 on third and fourth downs with two touchdowns, converting six of those attempts into first downs.
Goff posted the higher passer rating and completed 76.9% of his throws despite taking three sacks. He started 0-for-3 before rattling off 15 consecutive completions that included both Detroit touchdowns. Micah Parsons disrupted that rhythm at key moments, particularly a third-and-goal sack in the fourth quarter that forced a field goal instead of a potential tying score.
The box score data shows Love faced six total pressures with zero sacks. Goff dealt with six pressures but got dropped three times, all involving Parsons either directly or through double teams that freed other rushers. That protection gap proved decisive.
Running Game
| Player | Team | Carries | Yards | Average | TDs | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Josh Jacobs | GB | 17 | 83 | 4.9 | 0 | 29 |
| Jahmyr Gibbs | DET | 20 | 68 | 3.4 | 0 | 18 |
| David Montgomery | DET | 8 | 32 | 4.0 | 1 | 14 |
Gibbs entered this Week 13 matchup fresh off NFC Offensive Player of the Week honors for his 219-yard performance against the Giants. Green Bay held him to 3.4 yards per carry, the second time this season the Packers contained Detroit’s explosive back. In their September opener, Gibbs managed just 19 yards on nine carries.
Jacobs returned from a knee injury that sidelined him most of Week 12 and ripped off a season-long 29-yard run in the first quarter. He carried 17 times without showing any effects from the injury, averaging 4.9 yards per attempt. The offensive line, featuring first-time starter Anthony Belton at right guard, opened holes that gave Detroit’s defense different problems to solve.
Montgomery scored on a 3-yard Wildcat formation run in the second quarter to cut Green Bay’s lead to 10-7. The direct snap caught the Packers off guard but proved to be Detroit’s only successful ground attack after that score. Montgomery averaged 4.0 yards on eight carries, unable to find consistent lanes against a Packers front seven that won the battle up front.
Pass Catchers
| Player | Team | Catches | Yards | Average | TDs | Targets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jameson Williams | DET | 7 | 144 | 20.6 | 1 | 10 |
| Dontayvion Wicks | GB | 6 | 94 | 15.7 | 2 | 7 |
| Christian Watson | GB | 4 | 80 | 20.0 | 1 | 10 |
| Romeo Doubs | GB | 4 | 20 | 5.0 | 1 | 4 |
Williams took over as the primary receiver when Amon-Ra St. Brown left with an ankle injury nine minutes into the game. He posted career highs with seven catches for 144 yards while averaging 20.6 yards per reception. A 22-yard touchdown before halftime came on a screen pass where he broke Carrington Valentine’s tackle and walked into the end zone, cutting Green Bay’s lead to 17-14.
On fourth-and-3 from the Green Bay 21 in the fourth quarter, Goff’s throw arrived slightly behind Williams and the ball hit the turf. That incompletion on a down that could have set up a potential game-tying drive kept Detroit trailing 31-21 with six minutes remaining.
Green Bay’s Fourth-Down Conversions
Wicks delivered the two biggest receptions. A 22-yard fourth-down touchdown in the second quarter required perfect footwork to keep both feet in bounds while absorbing contact. The score gave Green Bay a 10-0 lead and forced Detroit to chase the rest of the afternoon.
Facing fourth-and-3 at the Detroit 45 with 1:55 left, Love threw into tight coverage. Wicks leaped over Brian Branch and secured the ball for a 16-yard gain. Two kneel-downs ended the game seconds later. After struggling with drops throughout 2024, Wicks became Love’s most reliable target in pressure situations.
Watson hauled in a 51-yard touchdown on the first play after Detroit failed on fourth down early in the third quarter. The deep strike gave Green Bay a 24-14 lead and stopped Detroit’s momentum. Watson ran an out-and-up route that fooled Amik Robertson, and Love dropped the ball 45 yards downfield into his hands in stride.
Tom Kennedy contributed four catches for 36 yards after being added to the active roster Wednesday night. He hadn’t recorded a reception in nearly three seasons despite multiple stints with the team. Rookie Isaac TeSlaa caught a 17-yard touchdown and finished with two grabs for 35 yards.
Defense
Green Bay
| Player | Position | Tackles | Sacks | TFL | QB Hits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Isaiah McDuffie | LB | 12 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Evan Williams | S | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Micah Parsons | DE | 8 | 2.5 | 3 | 4 |
| Edgerrin Cooper | LB | 8 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Detroit
| Player | Position | Tackles | Sacks | TFL | QB Hits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brian Branch | S | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Alex Anzalone | LB | 9 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Jack Campbell | LB | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Aidan Hutchinson | DE | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Parsons made history with his 2.5 sacks, becoming the first player to record 12 or more sacks in each of his first five NFL seasons. He finished with 12.5 on the year after Green Bay acquired him from Dallas in August. His fourth-quarter dominance kept Detroit from tying the game, particularly his third-down sack from the 4-yard line that forced a field goal.
According to Next Gen Stats tracking data, Parsons generated 10 quarterback pressures, more than the rest of Green Bay’s defense combined. His 38.5% pressure rate was his highest in a game since his rookie season. The trade acquisition has transformed the Packers’ pass rush and given them an elite closer for late-game situations.
Detroit’s pass rush produced zero sacks for the second straight game. Hutchinson, who leads the team with 7.5 sacks, couldn’t generate consistent pressure against Green Bay’s offensive line. Without disrupting Love’s timing, the Packers quarterback had space to scan the field and deliver accurate throws on key downs.
McDuffie finished with a game-high 12 tackles and added two stops behind the line. He combined with Parsons on the fourth-and-3 stop early in the third quarter, stuffing Gibbs for a 2-yard loss. Two plays later, Watson scored on the 51-yard bomb that extended Green Bay’s lead to 10 points.
Branch finished with 10 tackles for Detroit but got beat on Wicks’ catch late in the fourth quarter. He had tight coverage but Wicks out-jumped him for the ball. Branch defended two passes and played well at safety throughout the afternoon.
Fourth Down Execution Decided the Game
Green Bay won the fourth-down battle decisively. The Packers converted all three attempts while Detroit failed both times they went for it.
The Packers’ first touchdown came on fourth-and-3 from the Detroit 22 in the second quarter. Love threw a perfect ball to Wicks along the left sideline for a 22-yard score. Matt LaFleur bypassed a field goal attempt to go for the touchdown, building a 10-0 lead instead of 6-0.
Later in the quarter, Green Bay faced fourth-and-1 from the 2-yard line after the Lions had cut the deficit to 10-7. LaFleur called timeout following Anthony Belton’s false start, then dialed up a fade to Doubs in the right corner. The 2-yard touchdown made it 17-7.
Those aggressive calls represented an 8-point swing compared to settling for field goals. Love explained after the game that the fourth-down mentality was discussed all week during the short turnaround: “We had to go out there on fourth down and execute and make some big time plays. That was the difference in the game right there.”
Detroit’s first failure came on the opening drive of the third quarter. Trailing 17-14 and facing fourth-and-3 from the Green Bay 47, they handed off to Gibbs. Parsons and McDuffie met him in the backfield for a 2-yard loss. Green Bay scored two plays later to go up 24-14.
The second miss came with 10:55 left in the fourth quarter. Detroit faced fourth-and-3 from the Green Bay 21, trailing 31-21. Goff rolled right under pressure and threw for Williams, but the pass came in behind the receiver and fell incomplete. A conversion there would have set up first-and-goal with a chance to cut the lead to three points.
Green Bay ended the game with their final fourth-down conversion. Facing fourth-and-3 from the Detroit 45 with 1:55 left, Love threw into coverage for Wicks, who made the leaping catch over Branch. The first down allowed Green Bay to kneel out the final 1:09.
Special Teams
Brandon McManus hit a 45-yard field goal on Green Bay’s opening drive and converted all four extra points. Jake Bates connected on a 31-yarder in the fourth quarter to cut Detroit’s deficit to 31-24 with 2:59 remaining and converted all three extra points.
Daniel Whelan’s 72-yard punt in the fourth quarter pinned Detroit deep, bouncing twice inside the five-yard line before rolling into the end zone. That field position flip helped Green Bay’s defense force another stop. Bo Melton averaged 23.8 yards on four kickoff returns while Tom Kennedy averaged 27.0 yards on three kickoffs and returned one punt for 21 yards.
Playoff Picture After Ford Field
This result shifted the entire NFC North standings. Green Bay moved into second place at 8-3-1 while Detroit fell to third at 7-5. Chicago led the division at 8-3 entering their Friday game against Philadelphia.
The season sweep gives Green Bay the head-to-head tiebreaker. If both teams finish with identical records, the Packers advance based on the 2-0 series advantage. That tiebreaker could determine wild card seeding or a division title.
St. Brown’s ankle injury timeline would dictate Detroit’s offensive capabilities over the final five weeks. Dan Campbell said after the loss that he doesn’t think it’s long-term, estimating a week or two if they’re fortunate. Missing even two games would force Williams into a larger role and limit Detroit’s possession passing game that relies on St. Brown’s short-to-intermediate consistency.
Love played through a left shoulder injury sustained in Week 11 against the Giants. He modified his handoffs to use only his right hand regardless of play direction but showed no limitations throwing the ball. His performance on a short week suggested the injury wouldn’t prevent him from playing the rest of the season.
Detroit’s remaining schedule presented major challenges. They hosted Dallas on short rest in Week 14, then traveled to face the Rams before hosting Pittsburgh. Their season finale at Chicago could determine playoff seeding if both teams remained in contention. Four of their final five opponents held winning records at the time.
Green Bay hosted Chicago in Week 14 in a potential division title showdown. The Packers then faced a brutal stretch: at Denver, at Chicago again, and home against Baltimore. Their remaining schedule ranked as the toughest in the NFL based on opponent winning percentage.
What It Means
Green Bay’s defense held eight of 12 opponents to 20 points or fewer this season. Only Baltimore had a longer active streak entering Week 13. The unit ranked fifth in the NFL in points allowed per game and fourth in total defense at the time. Parsons, acquired from Dallas in August, gave them an elite edge rusher who consistently drew double teams.
Detroit’s pass rush struggled to finish. Zero sacks in back-to-back games against the Giants and Packers gave Love and Jameis Winston clean pockets. The defense ranked eighth in total pressures but couldn’t convert them into takedowns. Without consistent pressure from the front four, blitz packages lost their effectiveness.
Fourth-down conversions became Detroit’s weakness. After building a reputation for aggressive situational football under Campbell, the Lions failed to convert in consecutive games. Opponents may have identified tendencies in their fourth-down play calling.
For comprehensive NFL coverage and player statistics across all games, visit The Sportie for updated performance data and game breakdowns.
Green Bay converted all three fourth-down attempts while Detroit failed both times, and that difference determined the outcome between two evenly matched division rivals.
