Remembering The Lions’ Most Memorable Wins Over The Packers

As far as NFL rivalries go, few can match the intensity seen in matchups between the Detroit Lions and the Green Bay Packers.

The NFC North teams have been battling it out for the better part of a century now, and the Packers have historically been on the winning end of things. However, that does not mean the Lions have not had their moments against one of the most iconic franchises in football.

This article will highlight Detroit's most surprising victories over its divisional opponent.

While this date might not be the most recognizable matchup between these squads, it does stand out as one of the most historically significant. It was a Thanksgiving matchup with massive implications for both teams, with the Packers entering at 10-0 while the Lions were 9-1. The betting line illustrated just how good Green Bay was, as the Packers entered as 6.5-point favorites in a road game against another elite team.

Any bettor who took the Lions was surely delighted with the results. Behind a fantastic defense that constantly harassed Packers quarterback Bart Starr, Detroit jumped to a 23-0 lead in the first half and never looked back. The Lions added only a single field goal in the second half, but they held Green Bay out of the end zone until a 14-point explosion at the end of the game. It was too little, too late, and the Lions emerged victorious over a team that was presumed to be the best in the NFL by a wide margin.

The roles in this game were almost entirely reversed from the 1962 iteration. The Lions marched onto Lambeau Field with a 10-4 record, carrying the franchise's first winning record in eight seasons. Meanwhile, the Packers were in the midst of an agonizing year, going 3-11, with one of those losses taking place in Week 2 against the Lions. The chance to play spoiler to a divisional rival surely provided some reason for optimism, but any hope was quickly extinguished when the game kicked off. 

While Green Bay got on the board first, the Lions quickly tied things up with a first-quarter touchdown from wide receiver Robert Clark. A Packers field goal at the end of the first half pulled Green Bay ahead, a lead the Packers would maintain until the fourth quarter.

Contrary to classic Lions play, Detroit came up clutch in the fourth quarter. Clark caught another touchdown, and the Lions even got a special teams score from Mel Gray on a 78-yard punt return touchdown. The Packers scored at the end of the game to make the box score a little closer, but it was a solid Detroit victory through and through.

Thanksgiving matchups, by virtue of being nationally televised, always carry more weight than the average regular-season game. The Lions capitalized on that expanded publicity in 2013 by putting an all-time beating on the Packers in front of their home fans. 

The fact that the majority of the scoring came at the hands of two Detroit legends only made things sweeter. Quarterback Matthew Stafford, the franchise's all-time leading passer by a wide margin, tossed 330 yards and three touchdowns. One of those touchdowns went to one of the greatest Lions ever, wide receiver Calvin Johnson, who finished with 101 yards and a score on six catches. Detroit wrapped up a massive 40-10 win over the Packers, a victory that would be the last of its season.

There is nothing like late-season divisional drama. The Lions headed to Lambeau Field in the final week of the season, having already been eliminated from the playoffs. Still, the Packers, led by quarterback Aaron Rodgers, would make the postseason with a win over their rivals.

The first half was a field goal fest, with Green Bay heading into the half with a slim 9-6 lead. The game's first touchdown came with eight minutes left in the third quarter, when Lions running back Jamaal Williams punched in a 1-yard score to put Detroit in front, 13-9. Rodgers responded with a touchdown strike for the Packers, moving Green Bay right back in front as the game entered the final period.

After a couple of punts, Detroit quarterback Jared Goff engineered a fantastic 13-play, 75-yard touchdown drive that once again ended in a Williams 1-yard score. It was one of the best possessions of the Lions' season, and it proved to be the dagger in Green Bay's side. Rodgers ran five plays with the Packers offense before taking a deep shot that was intercepted by safety Kerby Joseph. The Lions ended Green Bay's season and Rodgers' career in the city, as that interception to Joseph was the last pass he would ever throw as a Packer.

While the Lions have seldom dominated their matchups with the Packers, they have their fair share of huge wins against their rival. The most recent one on the list stands out as one of the most consequential, as it simultaneously knocked Green Bay out of the playoffs while sending a Packers' franchise great packing when Rodgers left the team.

Moments like that one are sure to keep coming as these teams continue to face each other twice a year.