GREEN BAY – No playoff berths were on the line Sunday for the Lions or Packers at Lambeau Field, just pride, and one last chance to end the season feeling good about themselves heading into 2019.
Credit the Lions for coming into Green Bay and outplaying the Packers in all three phases to secure an overwhelming 31-0 victory, which ends a disappointing season (6-10) on a good note.
It's Detroit's second consecutive win at Lambeau Field, their third in their last four there, and Detroit's fourth straight win over the Packers. The Lions have scored more than 30 points in all four of those games.
Detroit's offense hadn't scored more than 17 points or gained more than 333 total yards in any of their last five games. Detroit moved up and down the field utilizing both the pass and run game to the tune of 402 total yards.
Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers was knocked out of the game (concussion) in the first half and the Green Bay offense never got on track. Detroit's defense held Green Bay to a season-low 175 yards of total offense with three sacks and an interception.
TJ Jones caught two touchdowns (23, 5) and Levine Toilolo (8) had another for the Lions. Zach Zenner scored on a 13-yard run and finished with 93 yards rushing on 21 attempts.
Prater first: The Lions' special teams went deep into the trick-play book in the second quarter.
After an incomplete pass on 3rd and 3 at the Packers' eight-yard line, the Lions lined up for a chip-shot Prater field-goal attempt.
Before snapping the ball, tight end Levine Toilolo faked like he was coming off the field, but stopped short of the sideline. No defender ran over to him, so the Lions snapped the ball directly to Prater and he threw a strike to Toilolo for an eight-yard touchdown.
It was Prater's first ever touchdown pass.
QB comparison: Matthew Stafford pushed the ball down the field early and often – credit Detroit's offensive line too – and broke out of his funk from the last five games.
Stafford finished 20-of-32 passing for 266 yards and threw multiple touchdowns (2) for the first time in a month and a half. He finished with a passer rating of 109.6.
Rodgers completed three of his five passing attempts for 26 yards before leaving with a concussion.
DeShone Kizer filled in for Rodgers the rest of the way and was 16-of-35 passing for 132 yards with an interception (Quandre Diggs) and a passer rating of 44.0.
Injury report: Running back Theo Riddick left the game in the third quarter and with a groin injury and did not return.
Cornerback Mike Ford suffered a shoulder injury early in the fourth quarter and also did not return to the contest.
