Packers clinch first-round bye with win over Lions

[December 30, 2019]  Mason Crosby kicked a 33-yard field goal as time expired to give the Green Bay Packers a 23-20 victory over the host Detroit Lions on Sunday.

The winning boot allowed the Packers (13-3) to clinch a first-round bye for the NFC playoffs. San Francisco, which beat Seattle 26-21 on Sunday night, got the No. 1 seed and home-field advantage through the NFC playoffs. The Packers earned the No. 2 seed and will host a divisional-round game on Sunday, Jan. 12.

The Lions (3-12-1) lost their ninth straight game despite holding a 17-3 halftime lead.

Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers overcame a miserable first half to finish 27-of-55 passing for 323 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. Aaron Jones rushed for 100 yards and Davante Adams caught seven passes for 93 yards.
 

Having failed once to get the go-ahead score, Green Bay took possession at its 17-yard line with 1:20 remaining. An unnecessary-roughness penalty on safety Tavon Wilson after a short run by Rodgers and completions of 4 yards to Geronimo Allison and 11 yards to Marquez Valdes-Scantling set up the play of the game.

With Rodgers under pressure, he checked it down to Jones, who broke two tackles en route to a 31-yard gain to the Lions' 20. Four plays later, Crosby, who missed four field goals and one extra point in last year's game at Detroit, connected on the game-winning boot.

The Lions received a combined 160 rushing yards from Ty Johnson, Kerryon Johnson and Bo Scarbrough.

Lions third-string quarterback David Blough was intercepted by linebacker Blake Martinez midway through the fourth quarter to help Green Bay get the tying points. The score came when Rodgers fired a bullet to Allen Lazard for a 28-yard touchdown to tie the score at 20 with 5:19 remaining.

Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (12) throws the ball during the first quarter against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports

The Lions dominated the first half en route to a 17-3 lead. They struck first with a trick play. Receiver Danny Amendola got the ball on an end-around to the left, stopped and threw the ball across the field to Blough for a 19-yard touchdown. Kerryon Johnson plowed in from the 1 on fourth-and-goal to make it 14-0 with 3:13 left in the half.

Rodgers was 6-of-18 passing for 90 yards in the half. He overthrew several receivers, including Jones on what should have been an easy 14-yard touchdown. Instead, Crosby kicked a 32-yard field goal to cut the margin to 14-3 with 20 seconds left in the half. The Lions answered just before half, as running back Ty Johnson broke a tackle and gained 40 yards to set up Matt Prater's 42-yard field goal as time expired.

Green Bay finally got in the end zone late in the third quarter on Rodgers' 20-yard touchdown pass to Adams.

The Packers pulled within 17-13 on a 40-yard field goal by Crosby with 12:07 remaining. Prater answered a minute later with a 56-yard field goal.

--Field Level Media

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