The Lions–Packers rivalry is an NFL rivalry between the Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers. They first met in 1930 when the Lions were known as the Portsmouth Spartans and based in Portsmouth, Ohio. The team eventually moved to Detroit for the 1934 season. The Lions and Packers have been division rivals since 1933 and have always met at least twice a season since 1932, without any cancelled games between both rivals (as of today). This is therefore the longest continuously-running rivalry in the NFL.
Notable moments and games
Packers 50, Lions 7 (November 24, 1940) – In the most lopsided game in the rivalry's history the Packers raced out to a 43–0 lead and would eventually prevail 50–7. The win moved the Packers to 6-4 and dropped the Lions to 5–5–1.[1]
Lions 26, Packers 14 (November 22, 1962) – The Packers entered the game 10–0 and in first place in the Western Conference. The Lions were second at 8–2. The Lions jumped out to a 23–0 halftime lead and would extend the lead to 26–0 before the Packers would score two late touchdowns. The Lions defense pounded Packers quarterback Bart Starr with 10 sacks. The game was played in Detroit on Thanksgiving and would pull the Lions within one game with one week left in the season. However, the following week the Lions lost to the Chicago Bears while the Packers would defeat the Los Angeles Rams en route to a 14–1 season and their eighth NFL championship.[2]
Lions 21, Packers 17 (December 15, 1991) – The Lions staved off a last minute comeback attempt by the Packers offense led by quarterback Mike Tomczak to wrap up a four-point victory over the Packers at Lambeau Field. The game was the last time the Lions defeated the Packers in the state of Wisconsin until 2015, as the Packers held a 24-game home winning streak in the series.
Packers 28, Lions 24 (January 8, 1994) – This was the first ever playoff meeting between these two teams. In week 17 the Lions defeated the Packers 30–20 giving them home field advantage for this game. With Green Bay trailing 24–21 late in the game Brett Favre hit Sterling Sharpe for a 40 yard touchdown pass with 55 seconds left, giving Green Bay the lead and ultimately the win. This was the first time the Lions have ever lost a home playoff game, and remains their last home playoff game to date.[3]
Packers 16, Lions 12 (December 31, 1994) – For the second consecutive season the Packers and Lions met in the playoffs, this time at Lambeau Field. The Packers held Barry Sanders to -1 yards rushing and the Lions to -4 yards rushing overall. The Packers would never trail as they led 10–0 at half time and would only allow 10 points in the second half before intentionally committing a safety on the last play of the game to run out the clock. This was the Packers' first victory at Lambeau Field against the Lions since 1985, and the Lions had lost every game at Lambeau until 2015.[4]
Packers 31, Lions 21 (December 28, 2008) – The Packers defeated the Lions in week 17 and sent them to the first 0–16 season in NFL history.[5]
Lions 7, Packers 3 (December 12, 2010) – Aaron Rodgers was knocked out of the game before the half and would miss the rest of the game as well as the Packers next game against the Patriots. Matt Flynn led the Packers to a field goal that would give them a 3–0 lead in the 3rd quarter. The Lions would score a touchdown in the 4th and go on to win 7–3. This would force the Packers to need to win their final two games of the season to make the playoffs. They would do so and go on to win Super Bowl XLV.[6]
Packers 45, Lions 41 (January 1, 2012) – With the Packers having already clinched home field advantage in the playoffs, backup quarterback Matt Flynn started in place of Aaron Rodgers and went on to throw a team record six touchdown passes in a shootout victory over the Lions at Lambeau Field. This would be the highest scoring game between both rivals at 86 points, and the first time both teams met after each one accumulated at least 10 regular season victories.
Packers 30, Lions 20 (December 28, 2014) - The Packers and Lions entered this Week 17 match up with identical 11–4 records. Therefore, this game was for the 2014 NFC North Division Championship. Green Bay jumped out to a 14–0 lead before Aaron Rodgers would leave the game after re-injuring his calf. Rodgers would return in the second half after the Lions had tied the game at 14. The Packers would end up scoring a pair of touchdowns and forcing a Safety before the Lions would score a late touchdown. Both teams would make the playoffs as the win gave the Packers their fourth straight division championship while the Lions ended up as a Wild Card team.
Packers home winning streak (1992–2014) – The Lions had not beaten the Packers in a road game from 1992–2014. With Green Bay's 30–20 win over Detroit on December 28, 2014, the Packers had defeated the Lions in the state of Wisconsin 24 straight times, including a Wild Card Playoff game on December 31, 1994. The last Lions victory before the streak began in Wisconsin was a 21–17 win on December 15, 1991. The Lions ended the streak with a 18–16 victory on November 15, 2015.
Lions 18, Packers 16 (November 15, 2015) – Matt Prater missed two extra-point attempts, including one late in the fourth quarter. With Green Bay trailing 18–10 late in the fourth quarter, the Packers scored a touchdown on the ensuing drive, to trim the Lions lead to 18–16, and failed on the two-point conversion, but then recovered the onside kick when Calvin Johnson couldn't secure the ball with 31 seconds left. Mason Crosby's 52-yard attempt on the game's final play was muffed, giving Detroit their first win in the state of Wisconsin since 1991.[7]
Packers 27, Lions 23 (December 3, 2015) – In the largest comeback in series history, the Packers overcame a 20-point deficit to win the game 27–23. The final play, shortly after coined as Miracle in Motown, came after time had expired on the clock due to a controversial defensive penalty on the part of the Lions (NFL games cannot end on a defensive penalty even if time has expired on the clock; the offense always gets one more snap after a defensive penalty). On the final untimed play of the game, Aaron Rodgers completed a 61-yard Hail Mary pass to Richard Rodgers. The Packers took a knee on the extra point to clinch the game and avoid their first series sweep by the Lions since 1991. This was the longest game-winning, game-ending Hail Mary in NFL history.[8][9]
