NFL Week 12 Game Recap: Green Bay Packers 29, Detroit Lions 22

The Green Bay Packers defeated the Detroit Lions 29-22 on the road to kick off the Thanksgiving slate.

The Packers marched right down the field on their opening drive, scoring on a 10-yard pass from Jordan Love to rookie wide receiver Jayden Reed. The Lions answered right back, with Jared Goff finding Sam LaPorta from seven yards out.

It was the Packers' defense on the board next, with Rashan Gary forcing a fumble from quarterback Jared Goff and Jonathan Owens returning it 27 yards for the touchdown before a 43-yard Anders Carlson field goal rounded out the scoring in the first half.

The Lions started the second half hot, with David Montgomery finishing the opening drive with a six-yard touchdown run before adding the two-point conversion to make it 23-14.

After a failed fake punt by the Lions, the Packers got on the board again, with Jordan Love hitting Christian Watson for a 16-yard touchdown. The Lions would score late on a pass from Goff to Josh Reynolds, but that’s as close as they would get.

Offensive spotlight: Jordan Love is in the middle of the best stretch of his career — and today might have been his best game yet. Love’s ability to make every throw was on display early and often, with the 2020 first-round draft pick going 22-for-32 for 268 yards and three touchdowns. He also added 39 yards on three carries.

On the other side of the field, two first-half fumbles from Jared Goff were critical to the Lions' offensive failures. They did get the ball moving in the second half, with Goff finishing the game 29-for-44 for 332 yards, but the damage was done in the first quarter.

Defensive spotlight: Rashan Gary was devastating off the edge for the Packers this afternoon, making multiple game-defining plays. He was the player who sacked Goff in the first quarter before the Jonathan Owens fumble return for a touchdown, and he added another two sacks later in the game, including one that shut down a Lions fourth-down attempt.

Rookie spotlight: It was a big day for Christian Watson in the passing game, but rookie Jayden Reed looked very good, too. He led the team with eight targets, turning them into four catches for 34 yards and the game’s opening touchdown. He also added a 16-yard run and recovered the onside kick that sealed the game.

Box Score

Passing

Rushing

Receiving