GAME RECAP:  Green Bay Packers 45 Detroit Lions 41

SCOREBOARD	Q1	Q2	Q3	Q4	FINAL
PACKERS	10	14	7	14	45
LIONS	9	10	15	7	41

SCORING SUMMARY:

First Quarter  DET - TD Young 8-yard pass from Stafford [Hanson Kick], 13:00.  DET - Safety, 12:59.  GNB - FG Crosby, 22-yards, 5:55.  GNB - TD Nelson 7-yard pass from Flynn [Crosby Kick], 0:16. Second Quarter  DET - TD Johnson 13-yard pass from Stafford [Hanson Kick], 8:18.  GNB - TD Grant 80-yard pass from Flynn [Crosby Kick], 8:00.  DET - FG Hanson, 30-yards, 5:53.  GNB - TD Nelson 36-yard pass from Flynn [Crosby Kick], 3:37. Third Quarter  DET - TD Young 2-yard pass from Stafford [Hanson Kick], 6:39.  GNB - TD Nelson 58-yard pass from Flynn [Crosby Kick], 4:32.  DET - TD Smith 5-yard pass from Stafford [Sheffler 2-pt conversion], 2:07. Fourth Quarter  GNB - TD Driver 35-yard pass from Flynn [Crosby Kick], 8:10.  DET - TD Scheffler 12-yard pass from Stafford [Hanson Kick], 2:39.  GNB - TD Finley 4-yard pass from Flynn [Crosby Kick], 1:10.

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DETROIT LIONS GAME BALLS:

Matt Stafford	Calvin Johnson	Brandon Pettigrew
Pick at the end hurt but 520 passing yards and 5 TDs can't be overlooked	Had team high 11 catches career high 244 yards and scored a TD to give him 16 on the season	Tight end continued to assult Lions record book with seven more catches and 116 yards

TEAM STATISTICS
1st Downs	32	27
Rushing	2	3
Passing	27	20
Penalty	3	4
3rd-Down Conversions	4-11	6-12
4th-Down Conversions	1-2	0-0
Punts-Average	3-47.0	4-44.0
Return Yards	141	45
Punts-Returns	2-8	1-0
Kickoffs-Returns	4-103	3-39
Int.-Returns	1-30	2-6
Penalties-Yards	11-101	6-78
Fumbles-Lost	2-2	1-1
Time Of Pos.	28:20	31:40
Total Net Yards	575	550
Total Plays	76	71
Average Gain	7.6	7.7
Net Yards Rushing	73	81
Rushes	15	24
Avg. Per Rush	4.9	3.4
Net Yards Passing	502	469
Comp.-Att.	36-59	31-44
Yards Per Pass	8.2	10.0
Sacked-Yards Lost	2-18	3-11
Had Intercepted	2	1
Touchdowns	5	6
Rushing	0	0
Passing	5	6
Other	0	0
Extra Points	5-5	6-6
Kicking	4-4	6-6
Passing	1-1	0-0
Field Goals	1-2	1-2
Red Zone Efficiency	5-7-71%	2-3-66%
Goal To Go Efficiency	3-3-100%	2-3-66%
Safeties	1	0

INDIVIDUAL PLAYER STATS:

Passing

Rushing

Receiving

GAME SUMMARY:

This year the Lions got a lot of monkeys off their back but one they can't seem to shake is the losing streak in Lambeau. The 20 year trend continued with a 45-41 loss that pushed the Lions back to the sixth spot and gives them a date with the Saints next week in New Orleans. It was a game in which both offenses looked playoff ready, but the defenses and referee crews did not. Matt Stafford continued his stellar play with a career day that included 520 passing yards, including 244 to Calvin Johnson, and five more touchdown passes. But the day belonged to Packers backup quarterback Matt Flynn who shattered Green Bay passing records with 480 passing yards and six touchdowns while being cheered on by MVP candidate Aaron Rodgers. The Packers picked up win 15 on the season and became the first team to sweep the NFC North during a season.

"Flynn played a great game," Lions quarterback Matt Stafford said. "Their guys were making plays all over the field and scoring points."

The Lions started well scoring the first nine points on a Titus Young touchdown grab on their opening drive followed by a safety on the ensuing kickoff when the return man inexplicably pull the ball back from across the goal line in hopes of a touchback. Green Bay would answer with ten points to round out the first quarter with a Mason Crosby field goal and a Jordy Nelson touchdown in what would turn out to be a huge day for the Packers wideout who had a case to go to Hawaii. The Lions would take back the lead on Calvin Johnson's 16th touchdown of the season, a Lions receiving record surpassing Cloyce Box record that stood for 58-years. The lead would be short lived as Green Bay would have the perfect play call as DeAndre Levy attempted to blitz and Flynn threw a screen where the linebacker would have been resulting in an 80-yard score. Jason Hanson would connect from 30-yards out after the referees blew a Titus Young touchdown grab by calling it out of bounds. Jim Schwartz already had to use the Lions challenges to deal with two prior blown calls, one of which was overturned and the other would have been if a better television angle existed. Jordy Nelson would add a 36-yard touchdown grab with under four minutes to play in the half to round out the scoring.

Rookie receiver Titus Young would open the second half just like the first half, with a touchdown catch. But Jordy Nelson would add his third touchdown of the game from 58-yards out as the game continued to go back-and-fourth. The trading of scores would continue for the rest of the game. With the Lions due next, Kevin Smith would score on a five yard pass from Stafford who would then connect with tight end Tony Scheffler for a two-point conversion to push the Lions lead to three. Veteran Donald Driver would catch a 35-yard pass from Flynn to put Green Bay back up top in the fourth quarter. Matt Stafford, as he has done all season, would lead a Lions comeback in the final quarter as he found Tony Scheffler near the goalline and the tight end rewarded him with a wonderful catch to put Detroit up once again. The Packers would strike last, however, as Flynn would break the Packers single game touchdown record when he threw a four yard touchdown pass to tight end Jermichael Finley. Detroit would have one final chance and were driving down the field before Matt Stafford was intercepted ended the Lions hopes of a trip to New York or Dallas instead of New Orleans.

"We're going to use this as motivation," Stafford said. "We had a chance and didn't get it done, so we've got to get out there and start making it happen. We've got to get on a run here. That's what it's all about in the playoffs, getting hot and hopefully we can get that going."

The Lions haven't won in Wisconsin since 1991. It was another remarkable game for the Lions and both quarterbacks who combined for an NFL record 971 passing yards and became the first opposing quarterbacks in history to both have 400-yards passing and five-plus touchdowns.

It was the Lions first loss in their last four and thankfully a game their first trip to the playoffs since 1999 was riding on.

PHOTO OF THE GAME:

Detroit Lions quarterback Matt Stafford eyes his favorite target Calvin Johnson.

NEXT GAME:

The Detroit Lions go on the road to face the New Orleans Saints in the wild card round of the playoffs.

DISCUSS THE GAME:  In the Jungle - Hard Hitting Lionbacker Forum.

Written by: Paul Donaghy, Senior Writer