Dan Campbell’s 4th down bets help Lions beat Packers 34-31 and win playoffs
DETROIT — Dan Campbell’s bets paid off.
Detroit went for it on fourth down for a fifth time to prepare Jake Bates’ 35-yard field goal as time expiredJared Goff threw three touchdown passes and the Lions clinched a playoff spot with a 34-31 victory over the Green Bay Packers on Thursday night.
Campbell may be the most aggressive coach in the NFL since taking over what was the laughing stock of the league in 2021, but he took it up a notch against the Packers with a shorthanded defense that he wanted to keep it off the field.
“That’s how I wanted to play against this team where we’re at,” Campbell said.
The NFC’s top-ranked Lions (12-1) broke a franchise record with their 11th straight victory – including two against the Packers (9-4) – to stay ahead of Minnesota (10-2) in the highly competitive NFC North .
“It’ll be one of the ones you’ll never forget,” Campbell said.
Campbell kept his offense on the field with a fourth-and-1 at the Green Bay 21 with 43 seconds left. David Montgomery ran for 7 yards, I barely received a transfer from Goff after the quarterback tangled his feet and fell toward the turf.
“It’s a bad feeling,” Goff said.
The play allowed the Lions to attempt a field goal without giving the ball back to Green Bay, and Bates made his third game-winning kick this season.
“I just felt like we had to end it on offense,” Campbell said. “I didn’t want to give the ball away and I thought we could convert. I trust the O-line. I trust David.
Goff threw two touchdown passes on fourth-and-goal, one to Tim Patrick, who had two touchdown catches. He also threw an interception in the third quarter to set up one of Josh Jacobs’ career-high three touchdown runs.
Goff found Jahymr Gibbs open in the end zone for a 2-yard pass on fourth down with 11 seconds left in the first half to put Detroit ahead 17-7. Goff then connected with Patrick on a 1-yard touchdown pass midway through the fourth quarter.
Green Bay took advantage of the one moment when Campbell’s aggression didn’t work, denying Gibbs a fourth down late in the third quarter against Detroit’s 31.
Jacobs scored for the third time on a 3-yard run on the ensuing drive.
“The risk was there,” Campbell said.
Brandon McManus kicked a 32-yard field goal with 3:38 left to bring the Packers tied at 31 in a game that had four lead changes earlier in the second half.
“It’s exactly the kind of game we expected,” Green Bay coach Matt LaFleur said. “It was tough and it went back and forth. There were just a few plays that didn’t go our way.
The Lions’ final drive began with Goff’s 19-yard pass to Jameson Williams. He also connected with Amon-Ra St. Brown for 16 yards on the deciding possession. Goff finished 32 of 41 for 283 yards, and six Lions had at least five receptions, the first time it happened in NFL history, according to OptaSTATS.
“They have great playmakers and they just feed them the ball,” LaFleur said. “Jared Goff is a great quarterback and we gave him time to throw.”
Jordan Love was 12 of 20 for 206 yards with a touchdown pass to Tucker Kraft early in the third quarter.
“They have a really good offense, but so do we,” Love said. “I don’t think there was any extra pressure on us. We just got off to a slow start.
LaFleur lamented that a person holding the American flag during the national anthem ended up yelling at the Packers and had to be separated from them by officials before the game.
“He was yelling at our players and making a throat-slitting gesture,” LaFleur said. “I’ve never seen anything like it. I just wish security would step in and take him off the field.
Packers: S Evan Williams (concussion), S Javon Bullard (ankle), DE Lukas Van Ness (thumb) were injured during the game. CB Jaire Alexander (knee), LB Edgerrin Cooper (hamstring), CB Corey Ballentine (knee) and WR Romeo Doubs (concussion) were inactive.
Lions: DL Alim McNeill left with a head injury after being evaluated for a concussion and returned to play briefly. OT Taylor Decker (shoulder), DT DJ Reader (shoulder), DE Josh Paschal (knee) and DL Levi Onwuzurike (hamstring) were inactive.
Packers: at NFC West leader Seattle in a Sunday night game, December 15.
Lions: Host AFC East-leading Buffalo on Dec. 15.
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