Detroit, MI

It wasn't easy, but the Green Bay Packers keep finding a way to win.

Aaron Rodgers passed for two touchdowns and the Green Bay Packers remained undefeated at 11-0 with a 27-15 win over the Detroit Lions Thursday at Ford Field.

The Lions, who started out the season 5-0, are now 7-4.

Detroit actually had a 409-349 advantage in total yards. But the Lions had three critical turnovers compared to none for Green Bay. A critical penalty on Detroit lineman Nkamukong Suh led to a game ejection, plus a critical score for Green Bay.

"It was a tough game for us," said Green Bay cornerback Charles Woodson. "It was hard coming off that short week and coming in and playing at 12:30, so it came around pretty early but we gutted it out. We had some key guys going down and had some guys come in and step up so that is what you got to do with a team looking to do the things we are trying to do. So it was a good win for us."

The Packers, who gained only 53 yards on the ground, played most of the way without running back James Starks because of an ankle injury. They also had to deal with injuries to Desmond Bishop, A.J. Hawke and Josh Sitton.

"I felt it was an excellent character win for our football team, something we talked about at halftime," said Packer coach Mike McCarthy. "There were a lot of injuries throughout the game but both teams had to play with players and different personnel (groups) and so forth."

Leading 7-0 at halftime, the Packers scored on a 1-yard plunge by fullback John Kuhn to cap off a 77-yard drive to open the second half.

The play was set up on a personal foul call against Detroit lineman Ndamukong Suh, who stepped on another player and was also ejected from the game.

"I don't do bad things and I have no intention to hurt somebody," Suh said. "If I want to hurt him, I'm going to hit his quarterback as I did throughout the game."

On the next drive, the very first play, Rodgers passed to James Jones 65 yards for the touchdown and a 21-0 lead.

Detroit's Matthew Stafford had two passes intercepted in the third quarter. The second one set up a 35-yard field goal by Mason Crosby.

Keiland Williams scored Detroit's first points early in the fourth on a 16-yard run. Stafford passed to Titus Young for the 2-point conversion to make it 24-8.

On Green Bay's next drive, Crosby kicked a 32-yard field goal for a 19-point lead. Stafford passed to Calvin Johnson for a 3-yard touchdown with 11 seconds to play.

"When we cross the 50, we've got to do a better job of getting points on the board," Stafford said. "We knocked ourselves out of field goal range a couple of times, had some chances to get first downs deep into their territory and didn't get them."

Rodgers was 22-of-32 for 307 yards and no interceptions. Stafford was 32-of-45 for 276 yards and three interceptions.

"In a rivalry game like today, it's going to be a hard-fought game but I'm proud of our guys with the way we played and played between the whistle and you know, it was a tough game for us, physical and I'm glad we got the win," Rodgers said. "Rodgers passed to Greg Jennings for a 3-yard touchdown late in the second quarter to give the Packers a 7-0 halftime lead..

The two teams played to a scoreless first quarter.

Clay Matthews intercepted a Stafford pass tipped by Ryan Pickett at the Detroit 13. After a pass interference call against Detroit's Brandon McDonald, the Packers scored on a 3-yard touchdown pass from Rodgers to Jennings for a 7-0 lead.

The Lions, usually saddled with poor field position, were moving the ball but were unable to sustain a drive. Jason Hanson's 47-yard field attempt with a minute left in the half was wide to the left.

Detroit running back Kevin Smith suffered a lower leg injury in the first half and did not return. Smith rushed for 140 yards and two touchdowns and caught four passes for 61 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 49-35 win over Carolina.

This marked the 72nd Thanksgiving Day game in Detroit and the 20th time Green Bay has played the Lions on the holiday. Detroit is 33-37-2 on Thanksgiving and 11-8-1 against the Packers.

 

 

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