Montgomery leads Lions to dominant 34-20 win over Packers at Lambeau Field
GREEN BAY, WISCONSIN - SEPTEMBER 28: David Montgomery #5 of the Detroit Lions runs the ball against the Green Bay Packers during the first quarter in the game at Lambeau Field on September 28, 2023 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Photo by Patrick McDermott
FOX 2 (WJBK) - The Detroit Lions beat the Packers 34-20 took possession of first place in the NFC North and looked impressive doing it before a national audience as seen on FOX 2 Thursday night.
David Montgomery never beat the Green Bay Packers during his four seasons with the Chicago Bears, but helped the Lions take early command of the division at Lambeau Fiield.
"It just felt real different coming in with the group of guys that I’m with," said Montgomery, who rushed for 121 yards and three touchdowns. "I’m blessed to come out here with these guys and get the ‘dub.’ That’s big for me. I can tell my son that I beat the Packers, so I’m excited to say that and excited to be a part of this team."
Montgomery carried the ball 32 times after sitting out the Lions’ victory over the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday with a thigh bruise. He became the first Lion to rush for three touchdowns at Green Bay and the first Detroit player to top 100 yards rushing with three TDs since James Stewart in 2000.
"He was balling," Lions receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown said. "We can count on him whenever. Give him the ball, he’s going to make something happen."
The Lions (3-1) beat the Packers (2-2) for a fourth straight time, a streak that also includes the final game of last season, when Detroit denied Green Bay a playoff spot in Aaron Rodgers’ last game with the Packers.
Detroit has built on the momentum from that season-ending victory by getting off to a fast start this year that now includes road victories over the Packers and the reigning Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs.
"Send us anywhere, line us up against anyone and we feel like we can go in there and beat them," said Lions quarterback Jared Goff, who went 19 of 28 for 210 yards with a touchdown and an interception. "That’s a good feeling to have."
Rodgers’ replacement, Jordan Love, threw for a touchdown and ran for another as he tried to rally the Packers in the second half. He finished 23 of 36 for 246 yards and had two passes intercepted by Jerry Jacobs.
GREEN BAY, WISCONSIN - SEPTEMBER 28: Corey Ballentine #35 of the Green Bay Packers tackles Amon-Ra St. Brown #14 of the Detroit Lions during the second quarter in the game at Lambeau Field on September 28, 2023 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Photo by Stac
Detroit led 27-3 at halftime and had outgained Green Bay 284 yards to 21 as the half ended with boos from the crowd. It was the Lions’ highest-scoring first half against the Packers in the series’ 188-game history.
Green Bay faced a halftime deficit of at least 17 points in back-to-back weeks for the first time in franchise history. This time, it was too much to overcome.
Love got the Packers within 10 points. His 1-yard touchdown pass to Christian Watson capped a season-long 86-yard drive to open the second half.
Jayden Reed ended the third quarter with a 44-yard catch that set up Love’s 9-yard touchdown run with 14:52 left in the game to make it 27-17.
Detroit responded with a 14-play, 75-yard drive, capped by Montgomery’s 1-yard touchdown run on fourth-and-goal, that took nearly nine minutes off the clock and put the game away.
The Lions were prepared to settle for a 30-yard field goal that would have kept it as a two-score game, but they got a first down when Green Bay’s Quay Walker received an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for running forward and leaping across the line in an attempt to block the kick.
"I was just in the moment, but I’ve got to be aware," Walker said. "That’s on me."
---The Associated Press contributed to this report