The NFL’s bountiful slate of compelling Thanksgiving games began in Detroit with a timeout controversy and a meaningful victory over a division rival for the Green Bay Packers.
It was an intriguing start to a holiday overflowing with matchups featuring major playoff implications.
The Packers solidified their status as an NFC contender. They beat the Lions, 31-24, in the early-afternoon game at Ford Field on the strength of their fourth-down bravado, the passing of quarterback Jordan Love and the pass rushing of Micah Parsons — perhaps with an assist from the officials on a timeout called by Coach Matt LaFleur.
Love threw four touchdown passes and had no interceptions in an 18-for-30, 234-yard performance. Wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks had two touchdown catches, and fellow wideouts Romeo Doubs and Christian Watson had one each.
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The Packers have not been the overpowering team that many expected them to be after they traded for Parsons before the season. They have had their issues on offense in particular. But they won their third straight game to improve to 8-3-1, pushing the Chicago Bears for first place in the NFC North. The Bears must win Friday in Philadelphia to retain the division lead.
Love threw a pair of first-half touchdown passes on fourth down. The second came immediately after the Packers were awarded a timeout that nullified what would have been a false-start penalty. It was not immediately clear whether the timeout was awarded improperly.
The confusing episode occurred as the Packers lined up for fourth and one at the Detroit 2-yard line late in the second quarter. One of their linemen moved before the snap, which would have resulted in a five-yard penalty to leave them with fourth and six from the 7. LaFleur may have opted for a field goal at that point.
A look at this Packers timeout. pic.twitter.com/J8zlU6sxGl
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LaFleur, however, had signaled for a timeout on the Green Bay sideline. The on-field officials discussed the timing of his request and ruled the timeout occurred before the false start. The Packers remained at the 2-yard line and scored on Love’s fourth-down pass to Doubs.
A Fox replay showed LaFleur’s timeout signal came after the penalty, suggesting the false start should have been enforced. There was no way to discern from the replay, though, whether LaFleur may have verbally requested a timeout before the illegal movement on the field. On the other sideline, Lions Coach Dan Campbell offered a disgusted reaction to the call.
Dan Campbell’s reaction to the timeout given to the Packers
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The Packers ran out the clock at game’s end after Wicks made a leaping catch for a 16-yard gain on a fourth-and-three gamble by LaFleur from the Detroit 45-yard line with 1:55 remaining.
“The whole day, guys were making plays,” Love told Fox afterward. “And that’s what we needed. We knew coming into it what kind of matchup it was going to be. It was going to be man coverage, all up in your grill. You’ve got to win. And guys made plays today.”
The Lions had their top wide receiver, Amon-Ra St. Brown, exit the game with an ankle injury. They had issues blocking Parsons, who had 2.5 sacks, and they did not convert either of their fourth-down attempts on offense. Quarterback Jared Goff provided two touchdown passes, but the Lions lost for the second time in three games to drop to 7-5. They’re a game out of the seventh and final wild-card spot in the NFC as the stretch run arrives.
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