The Detroit Lions cleared numerous hurdles to reach their annual Thanksgiving Day home game in full control of the NFC North.
On Thursday, Detroit will look to snap its six-game losing streak on the holiday when it hosts the Green Bay Packers.
“We’re trying to turn over a new leaf here,” coach Dan Campbell said. “We’re trying to do something different and find a way to do some things that haven’t been done in awhile. This is another one of those opportunities for us.”
The Lions are 8-2, their best 10-game start since the 1962 season, and have won seven consecutive division games for the first time since the AFL-NFL merger. Aiming for their first division title since 1993, Detroit would be the No. 2 seed in the NFC if the playoffs began this week. The Lions are currently 2 1/2 games ahead of second-place Minnesota in the division.
Riding a three-game winning streak, the last two victories haven’t come easy. The Lions needed a last-second field goal to defeat the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 10, then rallied from a 12-point, fourth-quarter deficit to beat Chicago 31-26 on Sunday.
Quarterback Jared Goff threw a season-high three interceptions but bounced back to lead two late touchdown drives to stun the Bears.
“Certainly we’re not playing the best all across the board. But you can’t put a price on finding a way to win tough games when things don’t go your way,” Campbell said.
All but one of the Lions’ Thanksgiving games during the past six years have been decided by one possession.
“I still think it’s something special. I believe that … it’s a privilege to be able to play on Thanksgiving Day,” Campbell said. “It’s a privilege for our guys and everybody’s watching. All your families, all your friends. This is the type of game where somebody you went to school with in the second grade is texting you. … It’s kind of cool like that.”
Green Bay (4-6) used to own the division — and the Lions — but Detroit has a four-game winning streak against the Packers. That includes the Lions’ 34-20 victory at Lambeau Field earlier this season. Detroit led 27-3 at halftime and rode David Montgomery (121 rushing yards, three touchdowns) to victory.
Packers quarterback Jordan Love threw two interceptions and was sacked five times, but caught the attention of Campbell. Green Bay was limited to 27 rushing yards, but Campbell said he saw plenty of promise from Love.
Love would like to see a lot less of the Lions’ front four in the rematch.
“They’re a solid defense. We’ve just got to start fast,” Love said of the rematch. “We got ourselves in a hole first time we played them and tried crawling out of that.”
The Packers had lost five of six games before Love threw for 322 yards and two touchdowns in a 23-20 win over the Chargers last week.
“It was a great game all around the board, just from an execution standpoint,” Love said. “It was one of our most consistent games, for sure.”
Green Bay will likely be without running back Aaron Jones on Thursday. He reportedly suffered an MCL sprain on Sunday. AJ Dillon will take over the bulk of the running back duties.
“I’m ready for a haul. I’ve done this,” Dillon said. “I’ve been in every situation these last four years — I’ve started games, I’ve had to fill in at times. It’s nothing new.”
Green Bay held a walkthrough Tuesday and estimated participation, including no practice for linebacker De’Vondre Campbell (neck), tight end Luke Musgrave (abdomen) and wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks (concussion, knee).
Lions guard Jonah Jackson (wrist), who didn’t play against Chicago, was the lone DNP for Detroit.
–Field Level Media