Detroit Lions vs. Green Bay Packers live score updates, highlights and more

The rivalry between the Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions is here and as strong as ever. It’s been a one-sided affair for a long time, but for the last two seasons both teams have been in the NFL’s upper echelon.

In fact, the rivalry appears to be going in the Lions’ favor for the first time in decades. Detroit has won five of the six games between the teams, including three in a row in Green Bay.

But Thursday’s game is at Ford Field, where the Lions last lost to the Packers on Thanksgiving. In this game, despite the relatively close 29-22 score, they were handled decisively by the Packers. Detroit will no doubt try to right the wrong, but there’s a bigger story behind it for the Lions.

Injuries have ripped through the Lions’ defensive squad. It’s so bad that Detroit has four players on its active roster who joined the team less than a week ago: Jamal Adams, Myles Adams, Jonah Williams and Kwon Alexander. Coach Dan Campbell said he wouldn’t be surprised if all four players contributed Thursday night, and in fact all four were active.

That’s because the Lions are missing a dozen players on defense, most of whom are in the starting seven. Specifically, the Lions will be without Aidan Hutchinson, Marcus Davenport, DJ Reader, Josh Paschal, Levi Onwuzurike, Alex Anzalone, Derrick Barnes and Malcolm Rodriguez. That’s a difficult injury list to overcome, but if the Lions somehow pull it off, they’ll establish themselves as NFC North favorites and maintain their spot atop the entire conference. Given that there are only four weeks of regular season football left to play, that would be a huge accomplishment.

Can they do it?

We will provide live updates from Ford Field on Thursday evening here in this post. Just come back at kickoff (around 8:15 p.m. ET) and refresh the page as the game continues. We add drive-by-drive analysis, review summaries, highlights and more.

Until kick-off!

First quarter

The Packers won the toss and put the ball back, giving Jared Goff and the offense a chance to get down the field first. Detroit converted an early third-and-2 with a 4-yard pass to Amon-Ra St. Brown. David Montgomery then fended off a pair of tackles for 13 yards, entering Packers territory. On third-and-3, Jared Goff passed to Jameson Williams for 28 yards to the Packers’ 10-yard line.

At first it looked like the drive would stall after a first-down tackle by Dan Skipper, but on third-and-goal from the 7-yard line, the Packers called an illegal contact penalty, giving Detroit a new series from Downs. On the very next play, David Montgomery came in for a 3-yard touchdown. 7:0 Lions.

Then the Lions’ patchwork defense took the field and immediately got a sack from Za’Darius Smith.

But Green Bay was bailed out on third down by a pass interference call on Brian Branch. On the next piece Alim McNeill – the last remaining part of the starting defensive line – went into the blue medical tent and was checked for a concussion. He would miss one series but return in the second quarter. However, Detroit left the field after a long shot from Jordan Love fell incomplete.

The Lions were unable to build on their initial offensive drive and quickly went three-pointers. On the third and fifth plays, Goff was sacked.

The Packers started at midfield and had a chance to get on the scoreboard, but the Lions’ pressure forced Love into another incompletion on third down. And for the second time in as many trips, Green Bay stumbled.

Detroit was only able to gain a single first down on the ensuing drive. Jahmyr Gibbs suffered a big defeat in the third and fifth rounds. Right defenseman Kevin Zeitler missed a series on that drive after heading to the medical tent, but returned to the sideline.