DETROIT – The Green Bay Packers couldn’t beat the Detroit Lions. They couldn’t beat their own mistakes. And they couldn’t beat a few controversial calls by the officials.

It all added up to a 20-17 loss at Ford Field, a killer outcome with the Packers blowing opportunities to win a fourth consecutive game and instead falling into last place in the powerful NFC North.

With the score tied at 17, the Packers blew a chance to score a go-ahead touchdown – or at least a go-ahead field goal – after a crucial fourth-down stop. On the second play of the ensuing possession, Jared Goff completed a pass over the middle to tight end Sam LaPorta for 17 yards. Karl Brooks hit Goff instantly but was flagged for roughing the passer.

It was the eighth roughing penalty against the Packers this season; their opponents have been flagged for zero.

8-0 https://t.co/j8Pz6SlSgd

— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) October 25, 2026

On the next play, Jahmyr Gibbs broke a tackle, turning a short gain into a run of 15 yards. The Packers had a chance to stay in the game. On third-and-5 at the 2-minute warning, Brooks jumped offside. So, the Lions bled the clock and kicked a walk-off field goal.

Jordan Love was 27-of-45 passing for 274 yards and two touchdowns. Goff threw for 303 yards, including 153 to Amon-Ra St. Brown, as the Lions overcame two bad fumbles.

Two Unbelievable Sequences

With the game tied at 17, the Lions took the ball at their 22 with 4:50 to go. On second-and-1, Jahmyr Gibbs was stuffed. On third-and-1, Dani Dennis-Sutton made an unbelievable play in the flat on a pass to Gibbs On fourth-and-1, Keisean Nixon blitzed off the edge to bury Gibbs for a turnover on downs.

So, Green Bay took over at Detroit’s 22 with a chance to score a pivotal touchdown. Instead, on third-and-5, Josh Jacobs dropped a pass in the end zone. On fourth down, Trey Smack missed a 38-yard field goal; the ball was tipped by D.J. Wonnum.

So, now it was the Lions turn to go win the game, as they took over at their 25 with 3:21 to play.

Packers Overcame Officials to Tie Score at 17

The Packers trailed 17-14 entering the fourth quarter but were backed up after a key fourth-down stop. On first down from the 19, Jordan Love was flagged for intentional grounding. He obviously was throwing the ball away to avoid a sack, but Tucker Kraft was right in line with the ball. The call, in a word, was horrendous.

And important. The 11-yard penalty led to back-to-back deep balls by Love. Bo Melton failed to make a catch past midfield on the first. Then, on third-and-21, Brian Branch grabbed an arm-punt interception.

The Packers forced a three-and-out, though Evan Williams dropped what should have been an easy interception that probably would have set up the offense on the other side of midfield. Instead, the Packers took possession at their 14 with 13:44 to go.

The Packers marched to the tying field goal. Josh Jacobs had an 8-yard catch on third-and-6 and a 10-yard run; in between, linebacker Derrick Barnes was flagged for unnecessary roughness for clobbering MarShawn Lloyd after he dropped a pass.

Trey Smack, who missed an easy field goal to start the game, booted a 43-yarder to tie the game at 17 with 7:10 remaining.

Brandon Cisse to the Rescue

The Lions were in position to perhaps deliver the knockout. Leading 17-14, they were in the red zone late in the third quarter thanks to two huge calls. First, on third-and-10 early in the drive, Jared Goff’s checkdown landed incomplete but the Lions were bailed out by a dubious roughing-the-passer penalty against Brenton Cox.

Moments later, Brandon Cisse intercepted Goff but was flagged for interference. That was probably a good call; Cisse was awfully physical with Amon-Ra St. Brown at the top of the route. That made it first down at the 11. First, Jahmyr Gibbs broke a tackle by Cox and gained 5. Anthony Campbell batted down a pass on second down and Cisse broke up a pass in the corner of the end zone on third down.

That made it fourth-and-5 at the 6, Goff had time and rifled one into the back of the end zone to Williams, who made the catch but couldn’t get both feet down because he was shoved out of bounds by Cisse.

Packers Take Lead, Lions Take It Back

The Lions led 10-7 at halftime and got the ball to start the second half. Instead of extending their lead, Jared Goff fumbled the snap, with Isaian McDuffie recovering at Detroit’s 42. The Packers scored moments later on a 25-yard touchdown pass to Josh Jacobs, who broke two tackles and somehow kept his balance and his foot off the sideline.

Detroit answered with an 80-yard scoring drive. On third-and-6, Goff hit Isaac TeSlaa for 10, and then Jameson Williams for 30.

Chaos ensued moments later on a short completion to Amon-Ra St. Brown. St. Brown, perhaps thinking he was not down, got up and was tackled. The official got knocked over and threw a flag from his back – on McDuffie. Coach Matt LaFleur blew a gasket on the sideline but it, of course, didn’t matter.

Moments later, Goff hit Williams for a 10-yard touchdown to put Detroit back in front 17-14.

The Packers went three-and-out on the ensuing possession. On second down, Matthew Golden couldn’t control a perfect deep ball from Love, with D.J. Reed jarring it loose. On third down, Golden wanted defensive pass interference against cornerback Khalil Dorsey but no flag was thrown.

Packers Trailed at Halftime

The Lions led 10-7 at halftime. A score like that would suggest a defensive slugfest like in the good old days of the Black and Blue Division. Instead, the quarterbacks combined for 395 passing yards but the offenses just couldn’t seal the deal.

The Lions entered the game ranked 30th in the red zone and didn’t have a single goal-to-go stop. Instead, the Packers had first-and-goal at the 6 on their opening possession but not only failed to score a touchdown but failed to score at all.

Trey Smack kicked a 21-yard field goal but it was nullified by a delay-of-game penalty. It’s an inexcusable blunder but shouldn’t have mattered. After all, the re-do was a 26-yard kick. Instead, Smack missed it wide right.

A blink-of-an-eye later, the Lions led 7-0 on Goff’s touchdown pass to Jameson Williams.

The Packers answered on Jordan Love’s 14-yard touchdown pass to Tucker Kraft. Love hit Josh Jacobs for 10 on third-and-3 and Kraft for 22 on fourth-and-2 before the score to Kraft on third-and-9.

With the Lions up 10-7, the Packers once again wasted a red-zone opportunity. On third-and-4, Love almost threw a boneheaded interception. On fourth-and-4, Love’s completion to Matthew Golden didn’t have a prayer.

The Lions drove right down the field and into position to take a 17-7 halftime lead. Instead, Jahmyr Gibbs collided with lineman Cade Mays for an enormous turnover to keep it a one-score game at the break.

Love was 16-of-26 passing for 191 yards in the first half. The running game even with the addition of Jacobs was horrendous with 11 carries for 25 yards.

Goff was 13-of-17 for 204 yards, with St. Brown destroying the secondary with seven catches for 135 yards.

NFC North Standings

With the Bears beating the Patriots on Thursday and the Vikings rallying past the Colts on Sunday, here are the NFC North standings.

Vikings: 6-0

Bears: 5-2

Lions: 4-2

Packers: 4-3

How should the Packers operate on offense now that running back Josh Jacobs is officially back? My 2 cents. ⬇️https://t.co/MzdtgPoXk4

— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) October 25, 2026