Week 14 Thursday Night Football Statistical Review: Lions stave off Packers, win 11th straight
2YT36GN Detroit Lions linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin (42) celebrates with teammates after recovering a fumble against the Green Bay Packers during the first half of an NFL football game in Detroit, Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)
By
• Packers nearly edge the red-hot Lions: PFF’s noise-canceled score metric indicates the game was indeed close, but the Lions ultimately earned the win.
• Amon-Ra St. Brown goes quiet, but others step up: Jameson Williams and Sam LaPorta combined for 134 yards on 15 targets, and Tim Patrick added two touchdown receptions.
• Unlock your edge with a PFF+ subscription: Get full access to all our in-season fantasy tools, including weekly rankings, WR/CB matchup charts, weekly projections, the Start-Sit Optimizer and more. Sign up now!
Estimated Reading Time: 3 minutes
The Detroit Lions clinched a playoff spot but, most importantly, took a huge step toward the No. 1 seed in the NFC, winning 34-31 against the Green Bay Packers on Thursday Night Football.
Game Summary
According to PFF’s noise-canceled score metric, the teams indeed played each other as close as the final score indicates. At the end of the day, the Lions deservedly won because they moved the ball well in both halves, while the Packers struggled just a bit in the first half before exploding in the second half.
Passing Summary
Both passing offenses were very efficient. Even an interception from Jared Goff couldn’t bring down the Lions’ numbers too much.
Receiving Summary
Amon-Ra St. Brown had a crucial catch late in the fourth quarter was generally quiet. As is often the case for the Lions this season, others stepped up instead, as Jameson Williams and Sam LaPorta combined for 134 yards on 15 targets and Tim Patrick added two touchdown receptions.
Christian Watson was by far the most efficient and productive Packers receiver, but his fumble in the first half blemished his stellar performance.
Rushing Summary
The Packers moved the ball well on the ground, especially in the red zone. It is scary for the rest of the NFL that the Lions’ offense was very efficient on a day when their rushing offense — usually one of the best in the league — struggled a bit, particularly on third down. Of course, they picked up the game-winning fourth down on the ground at the end of the game, though.
