When the Detroit Lions got done beating themselves on Sunday, Oct. 25, they got around to beating the Green Bay Packers in Ford Field, 20-17.
No, it wasn’t pretty.
Yes, he Lions fumbled the ball. Not once, but twice.
No, it wasn’t clean or crisp. The Lions failed on fourth down. Not once, but twice.
Yes, it made you scream at your TV: No! Don’t go for it on fourth down there! Punt the ball! Are you crazy!
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But you don’t get style points in the NFL and this win was humongous for the Lions, pulling out a victory against a an NFC North rival
that swept them in 2025. All because the Packers, somehow, unbelievably, made more mistakes than the Lions, missing two field goals and making some crucial penalties.
And yes, that was hard to do on this day.
But in the end, after all that ugliness, after all those mistakes, the Lions came up with the play of the game. On third-and-6 from the Packers’ 11, Jahmyr Gibbs picked up the first down and took a knee, instead of plunging into the end zone. After an ugly game, it was such a smart play – a game-winning play – that allowed the Lions to hold the ball the rest of the game.
Keeping the Packers on the sideline.
Jack Bates kicked the field go for the win, as time expired.
Whew!
Weathering their mistakes
Considering the state of the Lions defense, you figured this game was a gonna be a wild shootout. But somehow, the Lions flipped it around: they kept shooting themselves in the foot.
The Lions had a great chance to end first half with a score and capture all of the momentum. But Gibbs fumbled that chance away.
Then, the Lions started the second half with the ball, but quarterback Jared Goff fumbled the snap.
Back and forth it went. Both teams trading mistakes.
And then Gamblin’ Dan Campbell turned into Reckless Dan. It was fourth-and-1 from the Lions' own 24. Tie game. 17-17. Fourth quarter.
You punt the ball, right? You have to punt it!
But the Lions tried to run up the middle, in a slow-developing play. It was so slow that Green Bay cornerback Keisean Nixon chased Gibbs down from behind and tackled him for the loss.
I mean, what the heck!
That was the game, right? It was a Lions' loss.
I mean, it should have been.
But not on this day.
Because the Packers couldn’t take advantage when Trey Smack missed a chipshot field goal, his second miss of the day.
So, in the end, the Lions were given one last chance.
One last drive to win it.
And that’s what they did.
Aided, of course, by a Packers penalty.
Because the Packers made more mistakes than the Lions. Which was hard to do on this day.
Lions D made a few huge plays
Now, a word here about the Lions defense.
Yes, it was infuriating, watching the Packers convert their first three fourth-down attempts. And it wasn’t just converting them. It just looked so easy. The Packers would pull out a play that seemed to befuddle the Lions, leaving a receiver wide open.
But you know what?
The Lions got just enough stops. They made just enough plays.
Here came Brian Branch, back in action, snagging an interception.
Here came Aidan Hutchinson getting a sack, stopping one drive.
Here came a goal line stand and a missed Green Bay field goal.
And finally, the Lions got a huge stop late in the second quarter.
Let me set the scene.
At that point, the Packers had converted three straight fourth-down plays.
So, naturally, the Packers went for it on fourth-and-4 from the Lions' 7.
Jordan Love found Matthew Golden. But here came D.J. Reed, who grabbed him around the waist.
Now, a cycnic might have had the thought: This is where he slips away.
But Reed hung on and brought him down.
Turnover on downs.
The Lions had a little more than 4 minutes. The goal was simple: Eat clock while marching downfield. Try to keep the Packers offense on the sideline.
It was a thing of beauty as the Lions devoured the seconds while marching into the red zone.
Score a touchdown and the Lions would be up 17-7.
Then, Gibbs fumbled it away.
Needless to say, this was not a thing of beauty.
But it was a Lions win.
And that's all that counts, really.
Contact Jeff Seidel: jseidel@freepress.com. Follow him on X @seideljeff.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Forget style points; win over Packers huge for Detroit Lions
