Jamaal Williams scored on two short rushing touchdowns and the Detroit Lions eliminated the host Green Bay Packers from playoff contention with a 20-16 win on Sunday night.
Detroit’s victory handed the Seattle Seahawks the final wild-card spot in the NFC. The Lions were eliminated from the playoff race when Seattle eked out a 19-16 overtime win over the Los Angeles Rams earlier.
Williams, a former Packer, rushed for 72 yards. Jared Goff passed for 224 yards and Kalif Raymond caught four passes for 66 yards for Detroit (9-8).
Aaron Rodgers passed for 205 yards with one touchdown but was intercepted on Green Bay’s final drive. Christian Watson caught five passes for 104 yards for the Packers (8-9).
The first half featured five field goals and ended with Green Bay clinging to a 9-6 lead.
Aided by a pass interference penalty, the Packers scored on their first possession as Mason Crosby kicked a 22-yard field goal.
Green Bay went for it on fourth down in its own territory midway through the first quarter, but Allen Lazard was dropped for a loss. The Lions then settled for a 37-yard Michael Badgley field goal on their next drive.
Crosby made a 49-yard try late in the quarter and a 48-yarder early in the second to make it 9-3.
Badgley missed from 46 yards out with 6:16 left in the first half. He knocked through a 33-yard attempt on the last play of the half after the Packers were whistled for a personal foul.
Crosby had a 53-yard try bang off the crossbar and back toward the field of play early in the second half.
Detroit needed just three plays after the miss to score the game’s first touchdown. A 43-yard pass from Goff to Raymond set up Williams’ 1-yard run, giving Detroit a 13-9 lead.
A 45-yard pass to Watson set up Rodgers’ 13-yard scoring strike to Lazard later in the quarter.
Detroit moved ahead once again on Williams’ second 1-yard scoring run with 5:55 remaining. That completed a 13-play, 75-yard drive.
Kerby Joseph intercepted Rodgers on Green Bay’s final possession. The Lions then ran out the clock by picking up three first downs.
–Field Level Media
