Clash of the NFC North Titans

From the very second after the Week 9 match ended, I had this date circled on my mental calendar. A chance to make up for that 24-14 loss at Lambeau Field. The Green Bay Packers went to Ford Field to face off against the Detroit Lions, and for us, this was a huge chance to make some noise in the NFC North race--a race that was supposed to be between these two teams, only for the Minnesota Vikings to decide to show out this season.

I had a good feeling about this game, mainly because Jordan Love has a win at Ford Field under his belt from last season. Both teams entered this contest quite banged up. The Packers had Romeo Doubs and Jaire Alexander among the injured, while the Lions defense was injured to all hell. Lions had the ball first, and they needed only five minutes to go all the way and strike first. The Packers couldn't really get anything going, and I found myself asking myself, "We do know this Lions defense is 49ers-level injured, right?"

When we did get a big play, a huge pass to Christian Watson, it's coughed up. Lions ball. They add three more to make it 10-0, but in the second quarter, we finally got on the board. Josh Jacobs made it 10-7, but another Lions touchdown made it 17-7, and that was the score at halftime. Even so, I was not phased. I figured we'd take over the second half. We've done it before. We would have ball to start the third quarter, and in no time flat, and in just a few plays... TOUCHDOWN! Three point game.

As the Lions took over, I was thinking, "The crazy thing is, the Lions don't commit turnovers." Seconds later...

INTERCEPTED!!!

Keisean Nixon intercepted Jared Goff, and let's get one thing straight: that is a big deal when that happens. Goff doesn't throw picks. Yes, Goff had that five interception game against Houston. He just NOW reached 10 picks with that interception. Moments later, Josh Jacobs scores his second touchdown, and just like that, the 10 point deficit is gone, and we just took the lead. It then turned into a tit for tat; Tim Patrick got in the end zone for the Lions to make it 24-21 for the home team, and after the Packers fail, the Lions had the ball again. It's at that moment that we see the Dan Campbell special yet again. Ball at their own 30, 4th down, they go for it, and... stopped! Packers ball, and it takes no time for Jacobs to get the hat trick.

It's 28-24 Packers to start the fourth, but the Lions get that lead back yet again, and it's Patrick with his second. 31-28 Lions. Packers get close, we get in goal to go range and Jacobs scores his fourth... until they call offensive pass interference on Watson. Oh boy. We end up settling for a field goal to tie it. I hope for a stop by our defense, but it took Detroit two plays to get to our side of the field, and the catch on 2nd and 17 by Amon-Ra St. Brown came after he pushed Nixon away. I guess it's not OPI when a Packers' defender is pushed.

So yeah, they're in FG range, but they were short of that first down on that catch. We stop them on 3rd and 1, but 4th and inches sees Goff hand it off to David Montgomery despite tripping, and Montgomery converts. Jake Bates nails the 35-yarder, and the Lions win it 34-31.

So with the victory, the Lions become the first team in the National Football Conference to clinch a spot in this year's playoffs. In addition, the win was their eleventh straight and improved them to 12-1 this season, holy moley. Yeah, these are definitely not the old punching bag Lions who even the Bears could look good against. The momentum they had from the tail end of the 2022 season continues to blossom, it turned into a NFC North crown and an NFC Championship appearance last year, and this year, they look like they could be the best team in the entire league. In short, they're who everyone thinks this year's Chiefs are.

As for the Packers, well, any chances of winning the NFC North are shot. We are not officially eliminated from the division race, but we can be next week. I was down about this, yes, but the way I see it, it changes our focus. We just need to make the playoffs, which we will do; even with this loss, we have a 96% chance of getting in. Just get into the dance and let the field sort it all out. Currently we're 6th in the conference. If you think about it, all three Wild Card positions are sweet spots for us. #5 and #6 means facing off against either the winner of the subpar South or the whacked out West. #7 means facing, more likely, Philly, and that's two good omens. One, we're the only team to win a playoff game at #7, and two, the last time we started a playoff in Philly? 2010. Also, that year, we also started the season against Philly.

So yeah, the division maybe out of reach for us, but Lombardi #5 is not. Let's keep on trucking, Packers fans! On to Seattle!