GAME RECAP:  Green Bay Packers 24 Detroit Lions 20

SCOREBOARD	Q1	Q2	Q3	Q4	FINAL
PACKERS	0	7	7	10	24
LIONS	3	7	7	3	20

SCORING SUMMARY:

First Quarter  DET - Jason Hanson makes a 30 yard kick @ 4:24. Second Quarter  GNB - Jermichael Finley catches a 20 yard pass from Aaron Rodgers (Mason Crosby kick is good) @ 13:56. Drive: 11 plays, 81 yards in 5:28.  DET - Mikel Leshoure runs for 1 yard (Jason Hanson kick is good) @ 8:06. Drive: 10 plays, 74 yards in 5:50. Third Quarter  GNB - M.D. Jennings makes a 72 yard interception return (Mason Crosby kick is good) @ 8:31.  DET - Calvin Johnson catches a 25 yard pass from Matthew Stafford (Jason Hanson kick is good) @ 3:01. Drive: 10 plays, 83 yards in 5:30. Fourth Quarter  DET - Jason Hanson makes a 27 yard kick @ 4:25. Drive: 9 plays, 63 yards in 4:12.  GNB - Randall Cobb catches a 22 yard pass from Aaron Rodgers (Mason Crosby kick is good) @ 1:55. Drive: 6 plays, 82 yards in 2:30.  GNB - Mason Crosby makes a 39 yard kick. Drive: 4 plays, -1 yards in 1:00 @ 0:19.

NFL.com Game Links:    Game Center    Game Info    Drive Chart    Highlights

DETROIT LIONS GAME BALLS:

Nick Fairley	Reiley Rieff	Calvin Johnson
7 tackles, 2 sacks and a forced fumbled for big 2nd year DT	With Backus out the rookie holds own at left tackle	Good statistical day but still had a number of drops throughout

TEAM STATISTICS	PACKERS	LIONS
1st Downs	16	19
Rushing	5	6
Passing	10	9
Penalty	1	4
3rd-Down Conversions	6-13	6-15
4th-Down Conversions	0-1	0-1
Punts-Average	4-44.0	3-39.3
Return Yards	163	74
Punts-Returns	0-0	1-0
Kickoffs-Returns	4-71	4-64
Int.-Returns	2-92	1-10
Penalties-Yards	9-80	7-50
Fumbles-Lost	2-0	3-2
Time Of Pos.	30:18	29:42
">Total Net Yards	314	362
Total Plays	59	68
Average Gain	5.3	5.3
Net Yards Rushing	95	110
Rushes	29	24
Avg. Per Rush	3.3	4.6
Net Yards Passing	219	252
Comp.-Att.	19-27	17-39
Yards Per Pass	7.3	5.7
Sacked-Yards Lost	3-17	5-14
Had Intercepted	1	2
Touchdowns	3	2
Rushing	0	1
Passing	2	1
Other	1	0
Extra Points	3-3	2-2
Kicking	3-3	2-2
Field Goals	1-3	2-2
Red Zone Efficiency	0-0-0%	2-4-50%
Goal To Go Efficiency	0-0-0%	1-3-33%
Safeties	0	0

INDIVIDUAL PLAYER STATS:

Passing

Rushing

GAME SUMMARY:

The Lions have the same number of losses this season as they did in 2011 but with less than half the number of wins after a 24-20 loss to the Packers at Ford Field. The Lions were virtually in a must win at home against the Packers and seemed to be in control at times but came up short at the end. Detroit would hold the lead at the end of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd quarter but not when it really matters as they fell to 4-6 heading into their annual Thanksgiving Day game. The Lions would fall to 0-4 in the NFC North division with very little hopes of reaching the playoffs as crawling out of the division basement even looks daunting. It was the fifth straight win for the Packers who improved to 7-3 to keep pressure on the division front running Bears. It was the second straight loss for the Lions would had fought back to .500 just two weeks ago with the season still in the balance.

Detroit would get off to it's typical slow start with a three-and-out on their first two drives. The Packers wouldn't score on their drives however. The Lions would get on the board first with a Jason Hanson field goal on their third drive for what would be the only score of the first quarter. It would take long for the Packers to strike back and take the lead on a Rodgers 20-yard pass to tight end Jermichael Finley early in the second quarter. Detroit would respond with a touchdown drive of their own as Mikel LeShoure would punch it in from one-yard out to put the Lions back up three. The Lions would drive the next time they would get the ball but a Stafford to Young pass would be intercepted. Jacob Lacey would return the favor two plays later as he picked off Aaron Rodgers. The half would end with the Lions up 10-3, just the second time this season they would lead at the break.

Stafford would get picked off for the second time on the Lions first drive of the second half on a pass intended for tight end Tony Scheffler. This time the interception would be returned 72-yards for a touchdown to give the Packers the lead. The Lions would respond again as Stafford would connect with Calvin Johnson for a 25-yard touchdown on their next drive to reclaim the lead. That is how things would look heading into the final quarter. After Mason Crosby missed his second field goal attempt of the game Jason Hanson would knock it through to extend the Lions lead to six. Randall Cobb would put Green Bay back in the lead shortly after with a 22-yard touchdown grab. Needing to drive into field goal range for the win, Stafford would miss badly on four straight pass attempts. The Packers would add a short Crosby field goal after getting the ball back deep in Lions territory to push the lead to four with 19 seconds left. A couple more incomplete's followed by a Calvin Johnson fumbled attempt at a lateral on their last attempt would end the game.

The Lion outplayed the Packers for the most part with more first downs (19-16) and total yardage (362-314). But it wasn't enough in the end, story of the season.

PHOTO OF THE GAME:

Nick Fairley strips Aaron Rodgers of the ball in the second half.

NEXT GAME:

The Detroit Lions annual Thanksgiving game returns to Ford Field next week on Thursday as the Lions face the Houston Texans at 12:00 PM.

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

Written by: Paul Donaghy, Senior Writer