DETROIT — Jared Goff threw three touchdown passes, Jake Bates made a 35-yard field goal as time expired and the Detroit Lions clinched a playoff spot with a 34-31 victory over the Green Bay Packers on Thursday night.
The NFC-best Lions (12-1) broke a franchise record with their 11th straight win — including two over the Packers (9-4) — to stay ahead of the Minnesota Vikings (10-2) in the highly competitive NFC North.
Lions coach Dan Campbell went for it on fourth down five times, including with 1 yard to go at the Packers 21 with 43 seconds left, and his gambles backfired only once.
David Montgomery ran for 7 yards, barely getting a handoff from Goff after the quarterback tripped and was falling toward the turf. That ensured the Lions could try a field goal without giving the Packers the ball back, and Bates hit his third-game winning kick this season.
Up next
Packers: At Seattle in a Sunday night game on Dec. 15.
Lions: Host the Buffalo Bills on Dec. 15.
