By Canadian Press

Love ties career high with 3 TD passes, leads Packers to 29-22 win over NFC North-leading Lions

Nov 23, 2023 | 3:32 PM

DETROIT (AP) — Jordan Love set the tone with a 53-yard pass to Christian Watson on the first snap and finished with a career-high-tying three touchdowns, leading the Green Bay Packers to a 29-22 win over the NFC North-leading Detroit Lions on Thursday.

The Packers (5-6) were in control of a game they never trailed, taking advantage of Jared Goff’s career-high three fumbles — returning one for a score in the first quarter — and Dan Campbell’s aggressiveness on fourth down.

The Lions (8-3) went for it five times on fourth down and only converted once on the final touchdown drive. One of the failed attempts was a decision to fake a punt with a run from their 23 in the third quarter down by nine points.

Three plays after the failed fake, Love threw a 16-yard touchdown pass to Watson to give Green Bay a 29-14 lead.

Goff pulled Detroit within seven points with a 12-yard touchdown pass to Josh Reynolds and 2-point conversion pass to Sam LaPorta with 41 seconds left, but couldn’t get any closer four days after rallying from a 12-point deficit in the last few minutes in a comeback win over Chicago.

IN THE COMMUNITY

Medicine Hat's Adopt-A-Rink program still seeking volunteers

4h ago

HOLIDAYS

Medicine Hat Kiwanis hosting Christmas dinner

Dec 06, 2024

IN THE COMMUNITY

CHAT News producer makes 'emotional' return to Medicine Hat's old arena

Dec 06, 2024

The Lions were called for an illegal formation when they attempted an onside kick, a fitting end for them on an afternoon that started poorly and didn’t get much better to deflate what was a fired-up crowd.

Love was 22 of 32 for 268 yards with three touchdowns. He had a career-long 37-yard run on a play designed for him to run on third down late in the fourth quarter to seal the win.

Rashan Gary led Green Bay’s dominant performance on defense by forcing a career-high two fumbles, recovering one of them, and tying a career high with three sacks of Goff on the same field where the former Michigan star tore a knee ligament last season.

Goff finished 29 of 44 for 332 yards with two touchdowns, including one on a 7-yard pass to LaPorta on Detroit’s first drive.

INJURIES

Packers: RB Aaron Jones (knee), CB Jaire Alexander (shoulder), LB De’Vondre Campbell (neck), S Rudy Ford (shoulder), Dontayvion Wicks (concussion, knee) TE Josiah Deguara (hip) were inactive.

Lions: Guard Jonah Jackson (wrist) was inactive for the fifth time in six games.

UP NEXT

Packers: host Kansas City on Sunday night, Dec. 3.

Lions: at New Orleans on Dec. 3.

___

Follow Larry Lage at https://twitter.com/LarryLage

___

AP NFL coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL

Larry Lage, The Associated Press