Jordan Love Shines on Thanksgiving, Takes Down Division Rival Lions

The latest installment in the divisional rivalry between the Lions and Packers took place on Thanksgiving this past Thursday.

Packer Quarterback Jordan Love led his team into Detroit and played a tremendous game where he threw for 263 yards and three touchdown passes. With Aaron Jones out, Love and Aj Dillon were the main contributors on the ground. The two combined for 82 of the team's 109 rushing yards on the day, getting help from Jayden Reed and Patrick Taylor. Second-year Wide Receiver Christian Watson had his best game of the year with five catches, 94 yards, and a touchdown. Watson's success is a pleasant sight, as the young WR has shown plenty of potential to be a legitimate threat. If Watson and Love continue to build on this week's performance, they could be a fierce tandem moving forward.

Outside Linebacker Rashawn Gary was an absolute force on the defensive side of the ball for Green Bay. Gary logged three sacks and seven total tackles while forcing two fumbles and recovering one of the three mentioned Goff fumbles. Another of which was returned for a touchdown by Safety Johnathon Owens. Led by Gary's three QB hits, the Packers' defense registered 12 in total, constantly getting in on Goff. Forcing Detroit to go 1-5 on fourth down, the Packer defense shined brightest when it mattered most. 

For Detroit, those three turnovers ruined their chances of winning this game. Fumbling on back-to-back drives in the first quarter put them in a 20-6 hole early, and they never recovered. David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs both had success on the field, which has been a common path to victory for Detroit this year. That being said, the multiple turnovers and the failed conversion attempts effectively took the run out of the game for the Lions.

Defensively, the Lions held up well, considering they were frequently on the field throughout the game. A reasonable collective effort stopping the run led to a modest game on the ground for Green Bay. Chunk plays, usually a strong suit of this defense, proved to be a struggle that caused most wounds. Plays of 50 and 20 yards to Christian Watson and Aj Dillon, in particular, put the Packers in a favorable position to score. The Lions sit at 8-3 after this loss and should look to rebound against the Saints this Sunday.