By LARRY LAGE | AP Sports Writer
DETROIT — Dan Campbell’s gambles paid off.
The Detroit Lions went for it on fourth down for a fifth time to set up Jake Bates’ 35-yard field goal as time expired, Jared Goff threw three touchdown passes and the Lions clinched a playoff spot with a 34-31 victory over the Green Bay Packers on Thursday night.
Campbell has been perhaps the NFL’s most aggressive coach since taking over what was a league laughingstock in 2021, but he turned it up a notch against the Packers with a short-handed defense that he wanted to keep off the field.
“That was how I wanted to play that team with where we are at,” Campbell said.
The NFC-best Lions (12-1) broke a franchise record with their 11th consecutive win – including two over the Packers (9-4) – to stay ahead of Minnesota (10-2) in the highly competitive NFC North.
“This will be one of those you’ll never forget,” Campbell said.
Campbell kept his offense on the field on a fourth-and-1 at the Green Bay 21-yard line with 43 seconds left. David Montgomery ran for 7 yards, barely getting a handoff from Goff after the quarterback got his feet tangled up and was falling toward the turf.
“It’s a bad feeling,” Goff said.
The play ensured the Lions could try a field goal without giving Green Bay the ball back, and Bates hit his third-game winning kick this season.
“I just felt like we needed to end it on offense,” Campbell said. “I did not want to give the ball back and I believed we could convert. I trust the O-line. I trust David.”
Goff threw two touchdown passes on fourth-and-goal, one to Tim Patrick, who had two TD catches. He also threw an interception in the third quarter to set up one of Josh Jacobs’ career-high matching three touchdown runs.
Goff found Jahymr Gibbs open in the end zone for a 2-yard pass on a fourth down with 11 seconds left in the first half to put Detroit ahead, 17-7. Goff later connected with Patrick on a go-ahead, 1-yard touchdown pass midway through the fourth quarter.
Green Bay took advantage of the only time Campbell’s aggressiveness didn’t pan out, denying Gibbs on a fourth-down run late in the third quarter from the Detroit 31.
Jacobs scored for a third time on a 3-yard run on the ensuing drive.
“The risk was there,” Campbell said.
Brandon McManus made a 32-yard field goal with 3:38 left to pull the Packers into a 31-all tie in a game that included four lead changes earlier in the second half.
“That’s exactly the kind of game we expected,” Green Bay coach Matt LaFleur said. “It was tough and it went back and forth. There were just a couple plays that didn’t go our way.”
The Lions’ final drive began with Goff’s 19-yard pass to Jameson Williams. He also connected with Amon-Ra St. Brown for 16 yards on the decisive possession. Goff finished 32 of 41 for 283 yards, and six Lions had at least five receptions, the first time that’s happened in NFL history, according to OptaSTATS.
“They have great playmakers and they just get them the ball,” LaFleur said. “Jared Goff is an excellent quarterback and we gave him time to throw.”
Jordan Love was 12 of 20 for 206 yards with a touchdown pass to Tucker Kraft early in the third quarter.
“They have a really good offense, but so do we,” Love said. “I don’t think there was any extra pressure on us. We just got off to a slow start.”
LaFleur lamented that someone holding the American flag during the national anthem ended up shouting at the Packers and had to be separated from them by officials before the game.
“He was yelling at our players and giving the throat-slash gesture,” LaFleur said. “I’ve never seen anything like that. I would just like security to step in there and get him off the field.”
Packers: Safety Evan Williams (concussion), safety Javon Bullard (ankle) and defensive end Lukas Van Ness (thumb) were hurt during the game. Cornerback Jaire Alexander (knee), linebacker Edgerrin Cooper (hamstring), cornerback Corey Ballentine (knee) and wide receiver Romeo Doubs (concussion) were inactive.
Lions: Defensive lineman Alim McNeill left with a head injury after he was evaluated for a concussion and returned to play briefly. Offensive tackle Taylor Decker (shoulder), defensive tackle DJ Reader (shoulder), defensive end Josh Paschal (knee) and defensive lineman Levi Onwuzurike (hamstring) were inactive.
The Packers play at NFC West-leading Seattle in a Sunday night game on Dec. 15.
The Lions host AFC East-leading Buffalo on Dec. 15.
