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Jared Goff celebrates the Detroit Lions’ victory against the Green Bay Packers.
CNN
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The Detroit Lions set a milestone for their season with a resounding victory against the Green Bay Packers on Thursday night.
Lions running back David Montgomery rushed for 121 yards and three touchdowns as Detroit convincingly beat its division rivals 34-20 at Lambeau Field.
Montgomery’s performance was notable in a comprehensive victory for the Lions team and one that shows the team’s playoff aspirations to the rest of the NFL.
With already a road victory against the defending champions, the Kansas City Chiefs, the Lions have shown the qualities to travel in difficult environments and achieve impressive victories. And Thursday’s win in Green Bay is another example.
“Send us anywhere. We’ll be ready,” Lions quarterback Jared Goff said after the win, according to detroitlions.com. “That’s how we’re built.”
For Montgomery personally, Thursday’s win and his performance meant more than it did for many of his teammates.
Drafted into the NFL by the Chicago Bears in 2019, the 26-year-old had lost his seven games against the Packers with the Bears.
However, in his first year with the Lions, he banished those demons with a career-best performance with three touchdowns.
“It definitely felt different coming in,” Montgomery said after the win, according to NFL.com “With the group of guys I’m with, like I said, ‘I’m blessed.’
“To come here with these guys and do the dubbing, it’s big for me. I could tell my son I beat the Packers. So, I’m excited to say that. I’m really excited to be part of this team.
The Lions improve to 3-1 on the season and host the Carolina Panthers in Week 5.
For the Packers, it was a return to reality after an overall positive start to the 2023 season.
In the organization’s first year without Aaron Rodgers at quarterback since 2008, new starting quarterback Jordan Love showed signs of promise, but also plenty of room for growth.
And with a young team and a highly regarded head coach in Matt LaFleur, the team showed it had reason for hope.
But Thursday’s performance was worrisome for both Packers coaches and fans, with the team entering halftime at home down 27-3 and only able to muster 21 yards of offense compared to Detroit’s 284.
LaFleur called the performance “embarrassing” at halftime, and he wasn’t much more positive afterward despite two second-half touchdowns that helped restore a fraction of Green Bay’s dignity.
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Love reacts during the third quarter of the game against the Lions.
Love finished with a touchdown and two interceptions while constantly under pressure from the Lions defense. Green Bay’s star running back Aaron Jones finished with just five carries for 18 yards rushing.
In his postgame media appearance, LaFleur said the performance was “very humiliating,” adding that the Lions “manhandled us, really every phase.”
The Packers fall to 2-2 on the season and will travel to face the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 5.