Detriot Lions Clinch play-off spot with last second field goal against Packers to extend winning record

Jake Bates’ last-second 35-yard field goal helped the Detroit Lions clinch a playoff spot with a 34-31 victory over the Green Bay Packers on Thursday night.

The Lions (12-1) broke a franchise record with their 11th straight win – including two over the Packers (9-4) – to stay ahead of Minnesota (10-2) in the highly-competitive NFC North.

Jared Goff passed for 283 yards and three touchdowns (two to Tim Patrick), while David Montgomery had 84 combined yards rushing and receiving and scored a touchdown.

“This will be one of those you’ll never forget,” Detroit coach Dan Campbell said, whose side went for it on fourth down five times, including with one yard to go at the Green Bay 21 with 43 seconds left.

Montgomery ran for 7 yards, barely getting a handoff from Goff after the quarterback got his feet tangled up.

That ensured the Lions could try a field goal without giving the Packers the ball back, and Bates nailed 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.”

Detroit scored on their first possession of the game, with Montgomery finishing off the 11-play, 70-yard march with a three-yard scoring run.

Jordan Love’s second completion of the game was fumbled by Christian Watson on the first play of the second quarter.

The Lions recovered the ball at their own 46-yard line and turned the giveaway into three points, as Bates kicked a 43-yard field goal. Jacobs’ one-yard scoring run with 5:35 left in the half put the Packers on the board.

However, the Lions re-established the lead in the closing seconds of the half on fourth-and-goal. Goff hit running back Jahmyr Gibbs over the middle on a two-yard pass to complete the 70-yard drive.

Love’s 59-yard completion to Watson during the opening possession of the second half set up his 12-yard scoring pass to tight end Tucker Kraft. That cut Detroit’s lead to 17-14.

Keisean Nixon picked off a Goff pass moments later, giving the Packers the ball at the Lions’ 16-yard line. Green Bay took the lead on Jacobs’ six-yard run with 11:15 remaining in the quarter.

Goff and the Lions responded with a 13-play drive. Goff found Patrick on fourth-and-goal from the three-yard line, providing Detroit with a 24-21 lead.

After forcing a punt, Detroit gambled on fourth-and-1 from their own 31 but it backfired as Gibbs was thrown for a loss. Jacobs scored from four yards out in the opening minute of the fourth quarter as the Packers regained the lead.

The Lions roared right back with a 10-play drive, completed by Goff’s one-yard pass to Patrick with 8:39 to play. The Packers tied it at 31-apiece with 3:38 left on Brandon McManus’ 32-yard field goal.

Detroit ran out the clock on its ensuing possession. A 16-yard pass from Goff to Amon-Ra St. Brown and Montgomery’s seven-yard run on fourth down – with Goff falling to the ground as he handed the ball off – with less than a minute left put Bates in position to make the game-winning kick.

Breaking: Just In Detroit Lions Cut With Another Huge Blow As Three Key Players Suffers Season Ending Injury.

The Detroit Lions, the NFL’s class of 2024, have won ten straight games and have the ability to guarantee a postseason berth with one more victory, making them real Super Bowl contenders for the first time in literally decades. However, both clubs have stated that they would be missing a number of important players as they continue to get ready for their game against the Green Bay Packers on Thursday night.

Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports that the Packers will not have Romeo Doubs and Jaire Alexander, while the Lions will be without Josh Paschal, Levi Onwurzurike, Taylor Decker, and D.J. Reader.This season’s biggest injury to the Lions was the loss of Aidan Hutchinson, who broke his tibia against the Dallas Cowboys and was out for the rest of the season.

Due to injuries that could terminate their seasons, the Lions have also lost Marcus Davenport, Kyle Peko, and Mekhi Wingo. That’s on top of Derrick Barnes, Alex Anzalone, and John Cominski. However, if the Lions win Thursday’s game, they can secure a second consecutive postseason berth, as they have won ten games in a row. According to WXYZ, Lions head coach Dan Campbell believes that the team is practically in postseason preparation already.”We are currently playing football in the playoffs,” Campbell stated. “This is the kind of material that you thrive on and that prepares you for the competition.”

Saints’ Cameron Jordan sends strong message after Rams loss: “Whatever we’ve been doing has not been enough”

Saints defensive lineman Cameron Jordan has been in New Orleans a long time. He was their first-round pick in 2011 and has been with them since, playing in 209 regular-season games and 11 postseason games with the team. Only Drew Brees has played more games for the Saints in franchise history.

But the Saints have missed the playoffs three straight seasons, and Jordan says that should let everyone know it’s time for a change.

“The name of the game is whatever we’ve been doing has not been enough, so we have to be able to do more. If you’re not willing to embrace that, beat it,” Jordan said, via the Saints’ website.

For Jordan, doing more meant losing 14 pounds this offseason, going from 290 at the end of last season to 276 now.

“I slimmed down for me,” he said. “At some point, I feel like I faced mortality last year with the injury. I was like, let’s be the best version of me and so I came in how I came in. Conditioning has never been an issue for me, being able to play 17 games hasn’t been an issue and so now I just want to be the best version of me. So, whatever that takes. It’s a season of more. Whatever it takes to give more.”

At age 35, Jordan doesn’t have many training camps left in his career. He’s putting his all into this one.