Getty Packers quarterback Jordan Love
It was only two months ago that the Lions went to Green Bay and, from the beginning, pretty much dismantled the Packers. Jordan Love certainly remembered it. And when the Packers went to Detroit on Thanksgiving, he wanted to let the NFC North leaders know that things were different.
Much different. In fact, Love said the Packers had the Lions’ “number” this time around after a 29-22 win.
“We knew exactly what type of game this was gonna be. We knew what happened the first game, the first time we played them,” Love told reporters after the game. “We had their number. We’ve been waiting for this game for a while. To be able to go out there and be able to do the performance we had today, was something we were definitely looking forward to.”
If anyone had reason for some postgame swagger on Thursday, it was Love, who had his best game as a pro, completing 22 of his 32 passes for 268 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions or sacks. He added 39 yards rushing, including an impressive 37-yard scramble, and had a career-best 125.5 passer rating.
Jordan Love Was Aggressive vs. Lions
The most impressive aspect of Jordan Love’s Thanksgiving performance was how aggressive he was from the get-go, part of the Packers’ game plan. On the first play from scrimmage, Love took a shot over the middle to wide receiver Christian Watson. The pass was actually underthrown but Watson did a brilliant job controlling his body and making the play for a 53-yard gain. That set a tone for the afternoon.
JORDAN LOVE AIRS IT OUT TO CHRISTIAN WATSON FOR 53 YARDS ON THE FIRST PLAY OF THE GAME
Watson over 43.5 receiving yards ✅
“Receivers were balling out today,” Love said. “That’s that confidence, we’re going to keep on building that and they’re going up there and making plays, it’s huge. Obviously, it is not gonna be perfect but I love the way they’re going out there and competing, making those tough catches right now.”
The play was especially sweet for Watson, who has been under fire for underperforming this season. Watson averages just 36.7 yards per game and throws going his way have been successful just 40.5% of the time. Those are hardly the numbers that instill confidence in the notion that Watson can be a No. 1 receiver going forward.
On Thursday, though, he had five catches on seven targets, with 94 yards and a touchdown.
Packers Stay in Playoff Picture, Win Was ‘Huge’
The win moves the Packers to 5-6, and perhaps adds some extra sting to the misses opportunities in earlier losses to teams like the Falcons, Raiders and Broncos—the Packers could very well be in control of their own destiny if they’d managed even one win in that group.
But the Packers have now won three of their last four games heading into a difficult matchup against the Chiefs next week, with a long slate of rest ahead. The Seahawks’ loss to the 49ers on Thursday night leaves the Packers just a game out of the NFC’s playoff mix.
And, hey, they’re only three games in back of the Lions. Beating Detroit is a big deal for Jordan Love and the Packers.
“It’s huge,” Love said. “Obviously, this is a big game, a conference game, against a really good Lions team, so it is huge to be able to come up here and put up the performance we did, and finish this game off. Obviously we all know what happened the first time we played them. So, being able to bounce back, find a way to win this game and have a good performance in all three phases, it’s huge.”