By Sunday 
Thanksgiving at Ford Field is supposed to feel like tradition, pride, and a little bit of swagger. But this year? The Packers came ready to flip the script. From their opening-drive touchdown to the final whistle, Detroit never quite found its rhythm — and Green Bay never loosened its grip.
And when Amon-Ra St. Brown left the game in the first quarter with an ankle injury, the mood across Ford Field dropped harder than a frozen turkey on a Detroit driveway.
A Tough Start That Set the Tone
The warning signs came early. The Packers marched straight down the field to open the game and, as the broadcast repeated more than once, “never looked back.”
Jordan Love was operating with the calm of a quarterback settling into a long holiday nap — and he carved Detroit up with four touchdown passes, matching a career high. He also delivered two dagger TDs on fourth down in the first half, which is the kind of thing that makes a defensive coordinator want to walk straight into the Lake Michigan wind just to cool off.
Meanwhile, the Lions offense was doing just enough to tease hope but not enough to flip momentum. Jared Goff actually had a strong statistical night — 20-of-26 for 256 yards and two touchdowns — but Detroit’s biggest moments fizzled on fourth downs.
Two failed drives on fourth down.
Two missed chances to tilt the game.
Two gut punches on a day when the Lions desperately needed a spark.
The Turning Point… and the Gut Punch
If Detroit fans had to circle a single moment where the game truly slipped, it came early in the third quarter. The Lions gambled on fourth-and-short near midfield and were stuffed. Two plays later, Love uncorked a 51-yard bomb to Christian Watson, stretching Green Bay’s lead and stretching Detroit’s patience even more.
It wasn’t that Detroit wasn’t moving the ball — Jameson Williams was shining, setting career highs with seven receptions and 144 yards — but the key plays kept slipping through the Lions’ fingers. Literally. Williams also dropped a crucial fourth-down pass in the fourth quarter when the Lions were still within reach.
Gibbs? He fought for every yard but had no space to work with. Twenty carries, 68 yards — a grind that never broke open.
Amon-Ra’s Injury Casts a Long Shadow
It’s one thing to lose on Thanksgiving.
It’s another to lose Amon-Ra St. Brown in the process.
The heart of the offense exited early with an ankle injury, and Detroit never looked the same. Even when they moved the ball, even when Goff found TeSlaa for a third-quarter touchdown, you could feel the missing spark — the guy who usually turns third downs into celebrations.
His absence loomed over every stalled drive.
Detroit’s Defense Fought, But Not Enough
Micah Parsons had a big night for Green Bay with 2.5 sacks, and the Packers’ offense kept finding life on critical downs. Love converted third-and-5 to Watson late, then a fourth-and-3 to Dontayvion Wicks to seal the game — the kind of clutch moments the Lions usually deliver at home.
But this time? The defense simply couldn’t get the stop they needed.
Where Things Stand Now
This wasn’t just a holiday loss — it was a standings shakeup.
- The Packers improved to 8-3-1 and now hold the season sweep for a crucial tiebreaker.
- Detroit fell to 7-5, dropping to third place in the NFC North and sliding further behind in the playoff chase.
- With Dallas up next on December 4, the schedule isn’t doing the Lions any favors.
The good news? Dan Campbell teams don’t fold. They adjust, they battle, and they tend to use frustration as fuel. But Detroit’s margin for error is shrinking fast.
Final Thought
Thanksgiving was supposed to be a celebration — a chance for Detroit to reclaim momentum and serve up some payback. Instead, the Packers crashed the dinner table, scooped up the stuffing, and walked out with the leftovers.
Now the Lions have to regroup, get healthy, and find the version of themselves that does look back — not at the loss, but at what corrections need to be made before Dallas rolls into town.
Detroit still has a path. But after this one, it’s a little steeper.