Winners and losers of 'Thursday Night Football': Lions make statement with win at Packers

The Detroit Lions went into Green Bay and exited Lambeau Field with a mighty roar — Lions 34 Packers 20.

The Lions blitzed the Packers in the first half. Detroit jumped out to a 27-3 halftime lead and had Green Bay fans booing the Packers at halftime.

The Packers made the game respectable in the second half, scoring 17 of their 20 points in the final two quarters, but it wasn’t enough to overtake the Lions.

Dan Campbell’s Lions were the more physical team on Thursday night and dominated most of the divisional matchup.

Here are the winners and losers from the NFC North battle:

Winners

Lions on top of NFC North

The Lions (3-1) have now won four in a row versus the Packers. Detroit’s win on Thursday night gave them sole possession of first place in the NFC North.

David Montgomery

After missing Week 3 due to a thigh injury, running back David Montgomery was able to reach paydirt three times in the win.

Montgomery did a good job of following his blockers up front and running through lanes with authority. He fell forward almost every time he was tackled. Per Next Gen Stats, he had a career-high 113 yards after contact.

Montgomery produced 121 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 32 carries.

Lions defense

Detroit put together a dominant performance on defense, especially in the first half.

The Lions sacked Jordan Love four times in the first half alone. The Packers were only able to produce 21 total yards and three first downs in the first half.

Green Bay scored 17 points in the second half and finished with 230 total yards, but the game was never really in doubt.

The Lions forced two takeaways and made Green Bay punt five times.

Six Detroit defenders had at least five tackles.

Jerry Jacobs records two interceptions

Lions cornerback Jerry Jacobs, who came into the game with one career interception, came up with two picks of Jordan Love. Jacobs also added five tackles and four pass deflections.

Jacobs is the first Lions player with two interceptions at Lambeau Field since Dick LeBeau in 1968, per NFL Research.

Jared Goff

After an interception on Detroit’s first series, Goff led the Lions on four straight scoring drives to break the game open. Goff had 163 passing yards, one touchdown and one interception in the first half.

The Lions quarterback didn’t do much in the second half, but he didn’t need to. He finished 19 of 28 passing for 210 yards, with one touchdown and one interception.

The Lions QB was nimble in the pocket and had control of Detroit’s offense in the win.

Losers

Packers offense in first half

Green Bay’s offense was stuck in neutral most of the night. The Packers offense gained a pitiful one yard in the first quarter. In comparison, the Lions tallied 194 yards in the first.

Detroit outgained the Packers 284 to 21 in total yards in the first half.

The Green Bay crowd booed the Packers’ pathetic first-half performance as they went into the locker room at halftime. Packers coach Matt LaFleur called the first-half performance "humbling" and "embarrassing."

The Packers found some life in the second half, but it was too little too late.

Packers QB Jordan Love

Love couldn’t get much going in the loss. The Packers quarterback was intercepted twice and sacked five times. Love was 23 of 36 passing for 246 yards. He had one touchdown and two picks, resulting in a 69.9 passer rating.

David Bakhtiari placed on IR

David Bakhtiari was placed on injured reserve hours before Green Bay’s Thursday night game. The Packers left tackle will miss at least the next three games. Bakhtiari has battled knee injuries since 2020 and has played in just 13 games since the 2021 season.

— Tyler Dragon

Lions vs. Packers highlights

Final: Lions 34, Packers 20

The only scare the Detroit Lions faced from the Green Bay Packers on “Thursday Night Football” was in the first three minutes. Quarterback Jared Goff threw an interception on the third play of the game. The Packers took three points with an early field goal.

It was the final time they led.

The Lions scored 27 unanswered points before halftime and the Packers never made it a one-possession game in the second half.

Lions defensive end Aidan Hutchinson had 1.5 of the team’s five sacks on Green Bay quarterback Jordan Love, who faced constant pressure – left tackle David Bakhtiari was placed on injured reserve earlier in the day – and threw two interceptions. The Packers managed 27 rushing yards.

Detroit, meanwhile, had 210 yards on the ground. David Montgomery carried the ball 32 times for 121 yards and scored three touchdowns. Goff was 19 of 28 passing with a touchdown and 210 yards through the air. Amon-Ra St. Brown caught the Lions’ first score of the game on a slick stop-and-go route in the red zone and finished with five catches for 56 yards.

Romeo Doubs led the Packers with nine catches (13 targets) for 95 yards. — Chris Bumbaca

Historic start for Lions' Sam LaPorta

Detroit rookie Sam LaPorta caught four passes Thursday, giving him 22 on the season. No tight end in league history has snagged so many balls in his first four career games. — Nate Davis

Did you know?

With 1½ sacks tonight, second-year Lions DE Aidan Hutchinson now has 13 overall in his first 21 NFL games. Most certainly a solid start for the No. 2 pick of the 2022 draft and a player very likely to get his first Pro Bowl nod at season's end.

But Hutch's hot start is nothing compared to former Lions DE Al "Bubba" Baker. The 1978 Defensive Rookie of the Year debuted with what would have been a single-season record 23 sacks ... except for the fact sacks didn't become an official NFL statistic until 1982. But — unofficially — Baker was a madman out of the chute, piling up 65½ sacks in the four seasons before the stat became recognized by the league. — Nate Davis

Lions' Brian Branch exits again

In the fourth quarter, Branch exited for the second time.

Branch came up limping after he was involved in a tackle.

The Lions rookie DB injured his ankle earlier in the game. He has seven tackles and one pass deflections. — Tyler Dragon

Lions capitalize on costly penalty by Packers' Quay Walker

It was a tough sequence for Packers linebacker Quay Walker.

First, his penalty for leaping during a Lions field goal attempt that would have made it 30-17 and given Green Bay the ball back instead gave Detroit a first down in the red zone.

Then on fourth-and-goal, David Montgomery ran right through him at the goal line for the Lions’ fourth touchdown of the game, and Montgomery's third. Detroit led 34-17 with 6:03 remaining.

Packers get away with one after game clock hits zero

On the final play of the third quarter, Jordan Love found Jayden Reed for a 44-yard completion down the right side. The Packers would begin the final quarter on the Lions’ 9-yard line, trailing 27-11.

But after Love scored on a keeper on the second play of the quarter, and his two-point conversion rush was stopped short, Prime Video rules analyst Terry McAulay said the officials should have blown the third quarter dead before Love snapped the ball.

The replay showed that the clock had hit double-zero prior to the snap. McAulay said the quarter should have ended right there, and that a “beat” is not granted, as some referees do with the play clock. The game clock is a hard stop, McAulay explained.

But, the play is not reviewable.

Packers keep getting closer...

Green Bay scored the third quarter’s only touchdown and then ended the third period with a controversial 44-yard catch by wide receiver Jayden Reed, which put the Packers inside the 10-yard line.

The Packers snapped the football with no time remaining in the third quarter, but the refs didn’t call the play dead. The play ran and Reed ended up with the catch that put the Packers back in business.

A couple plays into the fourth quarter, Packers QB Jordan Love scrambled up the middle for a 9-yard touchdown.

The Packers still trail, 27-17, in the fourth quarter.

Lions' Brian Branch returns to action

Lions rookie defensive back Brian Branch got his ankle taped and checked back into the game in the fourth quarter.

Branch has five tackles and one pass deflection in the contest.

Lions 27, Packers 11: Packers starting another comeback?

Four days after scoring 18 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to beat the New Orleans Saints at Lambeau, maybe the Pack are starting to mount another second-half comeback?

Jordan Love lofted a 1-yard TD pass to wide-open WR Christian Watson at the left pylon midway through the third quarter for Green Bay's first TD of the night and then hooked up with Jayden Reed for a two-point conversion to cut Detroit's advantage to two scores. Thursday marks Watson's 2023 debut after a hamstring injury kept him out of the Pack's first three games.

Green Bay's initial possession of the second half covered 86 yards on 12 plays. — Nate Davis

Talented rookies injured: Lions' Brian Branch carted to locker room, Packers' Luke Musgrave ruled out

Lions rookie defensive back Brian Branch was carted to the locker room in the third quarter. Detroit announced that Branch is questionable to return with an ankle injury. He was later shown back on the sideline getting taped up.

Branch had a team-high five tackles at the time of his exit.

The Packers had an injured rookie as well. Tight end Luke Musgrave was ruled out because of a concussion. Musgrave left with just one catch for one yard. — Tyler Dragon

Lions looking for fourth straight win vs. Packers. The last time...

... the Lions beat the Packers four times in a row — a streak they will reach if tonight's score holds up — probably occurred more recently than you'd imagine. Detroit swept Green Bay in both the 2017 and '18 seasons, though it must be noted then-Packers QB Aaron Rodgers only played one full game during that stretch. — Nate Davis

Packers hear boos with Lions up big at the break

The first half was dominated by Detroit.

Jared Goff had an early interception that led to a Green Bay field goal, but everything went the Lions’ way after that.

The Lions scored on four straight possessions to roar to a 24-3 second quarter lead. Detroit added a field goal on its final series of the second quarter to go into halftime with a big 27-3 advantage.

Detroit produced 284 total yards in the first half. Goff threw for 164 passing yards, with one TD and one interception. Lions running back David Montgomery had 53 rushing yards and two rushing TDs in the first half.

The Lions defense forced the Packers to punt four times. Green Bay was only able to manage three first downs and 21 total yards.

Packers fans booed the team’s performance as they went into the locker room for halftime. — Tyler Dragon

Prime-time Jordan Love?

The last time the Packers started a season with a quarterback other than Brett Favre or Aaron Rodgers was 1992, when Don Majkowski was QB1. Jordan Love joins a proud lineage and was on the winning side of two of this first three starts, including his first at Lambeau Field in Week 3. Thursday night marks his starting debut under the lights, though he did play quite well (6-for-9, 113 yards, TD) in relief of an injured Rodgers in a Sunday night game last November in Philadelphia.

Favre and Rodgers both won their first prime-time starts, so Love has a lot of work to do in order to match them. — Nate Davis

Nothing going right for Packers as Lions take 21-point lead

The Packers are having an awful start.

Down 17-3 early in the second quarter, Packers QB Jordan Love had his pass intercepted by Lions CB Jerry Jacobs. Jacobs was able to return his interception 20 yards to the Green Bay 7-yard line.

Lions running back David Montgomery scored two plays later on a 2-yard touchdown run. Montgomery’s run extended Detroit’s lead to 24-3 with 13:19 in the second quarter.

The Lions have 206 total yards. Green Bay has just one. — Tyler Dragon

What does 'WCF' mean on the Lions' jersey?

The Lions bear the initials "WCF" on their left shoulder stripe in honor of William Clay Ford Sr. who became the franchise's controlling owner in 1963. The letters were added to the shoulder in 2017, three years after Ford's death, after the team had worn a "WCF" patch above the numbers to initially commemorate him.

The tribute mimics the "GSH" the Chicago Bears have on their uniform sleeves to honor franchise patriarch George S. Halas. — Nate Davis

Lil Wayne, Packers fan, leads team out of tunnel 

Weezy in the building got this … game off to a bad start for the Packers?

Green Bay superfan Lil Wayne, wearing his trademark sunglasses and beanie, led the Packers out of the tunnel for the game.

Wayne (government name: Dwayne Carter Jr.) has been a passionate Packers fan dating back to the 1990s. He released an anthem for the team titled “Green & Yellow” in 2021. — Chris Bumbaca

Beer me: Packers fan dumps beer on Lions' Amon-Ra St. Brown

Try a Lambeau leap at your own peril, you NFL players not donning green and gold. Lions Pro Bowl WR Amon-Ra St. Brown gave it a try after scoring Thursday night's first TD (24-yard reception) and was drenched in suds for his trouble. — Nate Davis

Lions extend lead, score 14 unanswered points

The early first-quarter turnover hasn’t impacted the Lions offense too much.

Since Jared Goff’s interception, the Lions have scored touchdowns on back-to-back possessions.

After the Packers were forced to punt deep in their own territory, Detroit’s offense went on an eight-play, 55-yard touchdown drive that lasted just over four minutes. Running back David Montgomery ended Detroit’s drive with a 3-yard touchdown run.

The Lions have 128 total yards. Green Bay has -6 with 2:50 remaining in the first quarter. — Tyler Dragon

A brief history of the NFC North: Can Lions finally break through?

The division was formed in 2002, when the NFL last expanded, and all of its current members used to belong to the old NFC Central (which also included the Buccaneers for most of their early existence). Preemptive favorites in most quarters entering the 2023 season, the Lions have actually never won the NFC North, their last division crown coming when they ruled the NFC Central in 1993.

Meanwhile, since 2002, the Packers have won the NFC North 12 times. — Nate Davis

Jared Goff responds after early interception, leads Lions TD drive

Goff led the Lions on a seven-play, 75-yard touchdown drive to give Detroit a 7-3 lead. The drive was highlighted by tight end Sam LaPorta’s 35-yard catch and one play later Goff found wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown wide open for a 24-yard touchdown.

Goff’s started 4 of 5 passing for 60 yards. His lone incompletion was the interception. — Tyler Dragon

Aidan Hutchinson is strong

The Packers could not do much with the field position Goff’s gaffe gave them.

From the Detroit 16-yard line, Jordan Love and the Green Bay offense went three-and-out. On second down, Lions defensive end Aidan Hutchinson rushed through the middle of the Packers offensive line and sacked Love with one hand. A completion on third down made it more manageable for Anders Carlson to knock through his 34-yard field goal for the game’s first score. The Packers lead 3-0 with 11:59 to go in the first quarter.

Jared Goff throws interception on Lions' first series

Nothing went right on Detroit’s first possession. Lions QB Jared Goff threw an interception three plays into the game. He tried to force a pass into tight coverage and it was picked off by Packers safety Rudy Ford.

The Lions defense was able to hold the Packers to a field goal after the turnover. — Tyler Dragon

Rookies could have big impact on 'Thursday Night Football'

The Lions had three picks in the top 34 selections of April’s draft and selected two offensive players: running back Jahmyr Gibbs (No. 12 overall) and tight end Sam LaPorta (No. 34). Together, they have combined for the most yards from scrimmage among rookie teammates through three weeks; Gibbs has 198 total yards and LaPorta has 186 receiving yards. LaPorta had eight catches for 84 yards, including his first career touchdown, in the Lions’ victory over the Falcons last Sunday.

Right behind Detroit’s precocious youngsters a pair of Green Bay rookies have also been shining. Receiver Jayden Reed, who has two touchdowns already and 146 total yards, and tight end Luke Musgrave (124) are next on the list of rookie teammates with the most yards from scrimmage. — Chris Bumbaca

Christian Watson, Aaron Jones active for Packers' TNF game vs. Lions 

The Packers are getting back two of their biggest weapons.

Running back Aaron Jones (hamstring) and receiver Christian Watson (hamstring) are both active for the Packers’ “Thursday Night Football” matchup against the Detroit Lions at Lambeau Field.

Jones returns to the field for the first time since Week 1, when he injured his hamstring after exploding for 127 rushing and receiving yards in the Packers' win over the Chicago Bears. This will mark Watson’s season debut after missing the team’s first three games due to injury. — Cydney Henderson

Packers LT David Bakhtiari placed on injured reserve

Tackle David Bakhtiari was placed on injured reserve due to a knee injury, the Packers announced Thursday. The oft-injured tackle will miss Thursday’s tilt and at least the next three games. Bakhtiari has battled knee injuries since the 2020 season.  — Tyler Dragon

Packers, Lions announce inactives for 'Thursday Night Football'

The Packers announced that WR Malik Heath , CB Jaire Alexander , S Anthony Johnson Jr. , S Zayne Anderson , LB Brenton Cox Jr. , LB De'Vondre Campbell and OL Elgton Jenkins are inactive Thursday night against Detroit.

RB Zonovan Knight, FB Jason Cabinda, G Halapoulivaati Vaitai, DT Brodric Martin, CB Emmanuel Moseley and S Kerby Joseph are inactive for the Lions. — Tyler Dragon

What time does Lions vs. Packers kick off on 'Thursday Night Football'?

Detroit and Green Bay are set to start things off at 8:15 p.m. ET on Sept. 28.

How can I watch or stream Lions vs. Packers on 'Thursday Night Football'?

Lions at Packers will be streaming exclusively on Amazon Prime Video and will be broadcast in local markets only.

Lions vs. Packers predictions

Lorenzo Reyes: Packers 23, Lions 21

This is quite a tough call here, essentially a pick ‘em, but I’m giving the Packers the slight edge because they should get a couple of their key contributors back from injury in running back Aaron Jones and receiver Christian Watson. Still, watch their status and that of left tackle David Bakhtiari, as game time approaches.

Tyler Dragon: Lions 26, Packers 21

The Lions sent the Aaron Rodgers-led Packers home for the season the last time they were in Green Bay. Detroit has defeated the Packers three straight times. The Jordan Love era has gotten off to a promising start and Green Bay is getting some playmakers back this week, but the Lions extend their win streak over the Packers.

Victoria Hernandez: Lions 23, Packers 20

The Lions won both matchups last season when the Packers had Aaron Rodgers. Both teams also faced the Atlanta Falcons already this season. Detroit won, Green Bay lost. I think Jared Goff’s hiccup in Week 2 was just that — a hiccup.

Jordan Mendoza: Lions 23, Packers 21

Both of the teams have looked pretty good to start the season and this game could go either way. This game will hinge on whether Aaron Jones can return for Green Bay because they'll face a rejuvenated Detroit defense. I like the Lions make it four straight wins against the Packers.

More staff predictions here.

Lions vs. Packers odds

Highlighting Thursday Night Football odds, the Green Bay Packers are among the best bets for NFL Week 4 in their primetime game against the visiting Detroit Lions. The Packers are 2.5-point home underdogs, according to the BetMGM NFL odds. Looking to wager? Check out the best mobile sports betting apps offering NFL betting promos in 2023.

According to the top NFL betting apps, neither team's QB is among those with the best NFL MVP betting odds. However, Jared Goff (+4000) is a narrow favorite over Jordan Love (+5000). Neither team is in the running for the best early Super Bowl betting odds.

The Lions, meanwhile, are among the most popular NFL future bets after a successful 2022 campaign. Detroit is -105 favorites to win the NFC North.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Lions vs. Packers winners and losers, highlights, score, top plays