(Detroit) Jared Goff threw three touchdown passes, Jake Bates made a 35-yard field goal on the final play of the game and the Detroit Lions defeated the Green Bay Packers 34-31 on Thursday night.
Posted at 12:09 a.m.
Larry Lage
Associated Press
The Lions (12-1), who thus assured their place in the playoffs, established a team record with an 11e consecutive victory, including two against the Packers (9-4).
Lions head coach Dan Campbell decided to leave his offense on the field five times on fourth down, including once with 43 seconds left, successfully, to leave no time for the dial after Bates’ placement.
Goff threw two touchdown passes on fourth down, including one to Tim Patrick, who scored two touchdowns. He was also intercepted in the third quarter, leading to one of Josh Jacobs’ three rushing touchdowns.
Goff connected with Jahymr Gibbs for two yards into the end zone on a fourth down with 11 seconds left in the first quarter, giving the Lions a 17-7 lead.
Goff found Patrick for the second time, for a yard, in the fourth quarter.
The Packers stopped the Lions only once on a fourth down and Jacobs took the opportunity to score his third touchdown of the game, on three yards, during the following sequence.
Brandon McManus made a 32-yard field goal to tie the game 31-31 with 3:38 left in the fourth quarter.
The Lions’ final offensive sequence began with a 19-yard pass from Goff to Jameson Williams. He also connected with Amon-Ra St. Brown for 16 yards.
The Lions quarterback finished the game with 32 of 41 completions for 283 yards. Six players on the Detroit roster caught the ball at least five times.
Jordan Love, for his part, completed 12 of his 20 passes for 206 yards and a touchdown pass to Tucker Kraft at the start of the third quarter.
