GREEN BAY, Wis. — Thanks to a fake field goal and a touchdown pass by kicker Matt Prater, the Detroit Lions thrashed the Green Bay Packers 31-0 in their NFL battle at Lambeau Field on Sunday afternoon.
Detroit brought a 5-10 record into the contest while Green Bay came in at 6-8-1. Sunday’s NFC North Division outing marked the season finale for both teams.
The Packers entered the game as 8-point favorites. The Lions prevailed 31-23 when the two met Oct. 7 at Ford Field in Detroit.
This time the Lions received the opening kickoff and the two teams traded possessions until Detroit struck first when quarterback Matthew Stafford connected with T.J. Jones on a 4-yard scoring strike for a 7-0 advantage with 2:58 left in the opener. That margin stood at the initial break.
After Stafford hit Brandon Powell with a 41-yard toss, the Lions added more on a fake field goal that saw Prater hurl an 8-yard scoring strike to wide-open tight end Levine Toilolo for a 14-0 lead at the 10:36 juncture of the second stanza.
After that score Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers went to the dressing room with an injury and DeShone Kizer came on to call signals. Reports were that Rodgers was being evaluated for a concussion.
Detroit scored again as time wound down until intermission on a 13-yard gallop by Zach Zenner with 1:06 showing on the clock. The 21-0 bulge remained in effect at halftime.
The second half featured more swapping possessions until the Lions went up 24-0 on Prater’s 43-yard field goal with 3:08 left in the third quarter, a count that stood through the final break.
At about that time the Packers confirmed that Rodgers did indeed suffer a concussion.
T.J. Jones then hauled in his second scoring pass of the game, a 23-yarder with 6:53 to play for a 31-0 Detroit advantage. That score remained until the final gun.
Neither team qualified for the playoffs so this is it for both their 2018 campaigns.
EARLIER STORY:
https://fox17online.com/2018/12/30/praters-td-toss-helps-lions-lead-packers-21-0-at-halftime/
