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The Green Bay Packers suffered a brutal loss against the Detroit Lions on Thursday Night Football. This is a game that neither team is likely to forget for a long time. The Packers fall to 9-4 with the loss and have lost both games against the Lions in 2024. This gives Detroit a tiebreaker against Green Bay, which for all intents and purposes ends their hopes of winning the NFC North. However, the Packers are very much alive in the NFC playoff picture as a wild card team.
Green Bay made a heroic comeback attempt in the second half. The Packers were down 17-7 at halftime but quickly rallied to a 21-17 lead. They traded blows with the Lions for the rest of the game, but ended up losing on a walk-off field goal from Jake Bates.
The Lions did not give the Packers a chance to possess the ball at the end of the game. Lions coach Dan Campbell made the gutsy choice of going for it on fourth down deep in Packers territory instead of kicking a field goal. This ended up being the difference in a tight primetime game.
But who is ultimately responsible for the Packers losing this important division game?
Below we will discuss three Packers players who are most to blame for the team's Week 14 loss against the Lions on Thursday Night Football.
Jordan Love played a good, not great, game against a depleted Lions defense
Let's be clear — Jordan Love did not have a bad game on Thursday night.
Love went 12-of-20 passing for 206 yards and one touchdown. He also added four carries for 23 yards on the ground. That box score does not make it look like Love had a bad game. However, it is important to consider the context of who he was playing against.
It is no secret that the Lions have the most injured defense in the NFL right now. Detroit is missing 13 defensive players, with many of their injured players already on injured reserve. The Lions were without Aidan Hutchinson, D.J. Reader, Alex Anzalone, and a host of other defensive starters.
With that being the case, it is disappointing that Love and the Packers were unable to capitalize on this opportunity.
Love is far from the only Packers player to blame in this game. But the outcome of this game creates questions about Green Bay's franchise QB who signed a massive contract extension this offseason.
You'd like to see Love be able to win games like these by passing the football.
Christian Watson's first-half fumble derailed Packers offense
The Packers struggled mightily to move the football during the first half. It is impossible to place blame on only one player, but Christian Watson played a significant part in derailing Green Bay's offense.
Watson hauled in a Jordan Love pass on the first play of the second quarter, streaking up the right sideline for an explosive play. However, Lions cornerback Carlton Davis III forced a fumble after Watson leaped over Kerby Joseph. That fumble was recovered by Detroit and erased Green Bay's opportunity to tie up the game. Instead, the Lions ended up scoring a field goal and extending their lead to 10-0.
This play felt like a microcosm of the entire Christian Watson experience. He is a talented young receiver who routinely flashes brilliance, including a long reception during the first drive of the second half. However, he has struggled with turnover issues throughout this career.
You have to give Watson credit for making a big play, likewise to Carlton Davis III for not giving up and forcing a fumble. But ultimately Watson needs to be held accountable for his ball security, especially in a hugely important division game like this one.
Packers could not keep the Lions off the field on defense
The Packers played well on defense on Thursday, particularly when defending the run. Everyone in the NFL knows that Detroit wants to establish the run to set up the rest of their offense. Green Bay knew this as well and showed up with a great plan that worked for most of the game.
Detroit had 34 carries for 111 rushing yards at an average of 3.26 yards per carry. This is a big win for Green Bay, as they forced Detroit to win the game on the right arm of Jared Goff. They even forced a rare Goff interception as a result.
However, the Packers struggled to consistently get the Lions off the field. Detroit was 7-of-15 on third downs, but beefed up those numbers by converting on four fourth-down attempts. As a result, Detroit owned time of possession 36:06 to 23:54.
Green Bay played a good game on defense, but needed one more stop to change the outcome of the game. They just couldn't get it done.
