Jordan Love threw for four touchdowns as the Green Bay Packers spoiled an Eminem-featured Motown Thanksgiving with a 31-24 victory over the Detroit Lions on Thursday. Â
Green Bay's quarterback finished 18 of 30 for 234 yards and scoring strikes to Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs and Dontayvion Wicks, who twice found the end zone either side of Jack White and Eminem's half-time show.
Jameson Williams led Detroit with seven catches for 144 yards and one touchdown after the hosts lost star wide receiver Amon-Ra St Brown to an ankle injury in the first quarter.
Defeat means the Lions have now won just seven of their 26 Thanksgiving Day games since the turn of the century while the result saw them fall to 7-5 in a wide-open NFC North race.
Micah Parsons spearheaded a rampant Packers defense with 2.5 sacks, three tackles for loss and four quarterback hits as the Packers improved to 8-3-1.
Stats leaders:
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A dose of Williams magic had pulled Detroit to within three at 17-14 in the final minute of the first half when he spiralled beyond one tackle attempt before high-stepping into the end zone for a 22-yard catch-and-run in the final minute of the half.
He had ignited the drive with a 25-yard catch to propel Detroit into the Packers half while thriving in an expanded role amid the absence of the injured St Brown, who limped off in the first quarter after rolling his ankle.
Watson, so often billed as Green Bay's top vertical threat, delivered as advertised after the break when he collected Love's perfect moon-ball for a 51-yard touchdown and a 24-14 Packers lead.
Goff orchestrated an immediate reply with a 17-yard touchdown strike to Isaac TeSlaa to move back within three and cap a drive in which the Lions quarterback himself had scrambled for 24 yards followed by a combined 30 rushing yards for David Montgomery across three plays.
Back came the Packers, though, through Wicks' one-yard touchdown having delivered a 30-yard catch earlier on during the nine-play 72-yard drive.
The Lions toiled by way of Williams in their pursuit of a fourth-quarter turnaround as the former Alabama wideout turned a leaping grab over the middle of the field into a 44-yard catch-and-run inside the 20.
Goff led his side as close as the four-yard line only to be sacked by Parsons for a loss of nine on third-and-goal, bringing out Jake Bates for a 31-yard field goal to make it 31-24 with 2.59 left.
With the game on the line, it would fittingly be Wicks to seal the deal with a spectacular leaping catch for the icing first down on fourth-and-three.
He had also offered a moment of artistry early in the second quarter to hand Green Bay a 10-point lead when he hauled in a stunning 22-yard catch on the edge of the end zone while knowing a bruising hit was inbound. Despite initial doubts, a replay ruled he did in fact have full control of the ball while managing to get both feet grounded in albeit awkward fashion.
David Montgomery punched in a three-yard touchdown run out of wildcat formation on the ensuing possession to make it 10-7 at the end of a 10-play 65-yard drive in which Williams had starred with a 22-yard pickup before the lesser-known Tom Kennedy marked his 15th career catch since 2019 with a gain of 23.
The Packers stretched their advantage minutes later through Romeo Doubs' two-yard catch on fourth-and-one, Green Bay perhaps fortunate to avoid punishment for a false start when Matt LaFleur, controversially, was ruled to have called a timeout before the fourth-down play.
Detroit are at home against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 14, while the Packers welcome the Chicago Bears to Lambeau Field in a potential division-decider.
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