DETROIT — Aaron Rodgers was on the money when Green Bay needed him most, overcoming one of his worst games this season.
Rodgers threw a short and accurate pass to running back Aaron Jones, whose 31-yard reception set up Mason Crosby’s 33-yard field goal as time expired to lift the Packers to a 23-20 victory against the Lions that earned them a first-round bye.
“We’re going to be a tough team to deal with in the playoffs,” Rodgers said.
The Packers (13-3) fell behind the last-place Lions by two touchdowns in the second quarter and didn’t lead until Crosby made his second game-winning kick against Detroit this season.
Green Bay won a fifth straight game despite Rodgers struggling for much of the afternoon. Rodgers was 27-for-55 for 323 yards with two touchdown passes and an interception. He connected on fewer than half of his attempts for the second time this season and finished with his second-lowest rating of the year.
“Too many missed throws,” Rodgers acknowledged after throwing his highest number of passes in 2019, tying the third-highest total of his career. “I felt good about the throws. That’s the crazy thing. We were just a little bit off at times.
“When we had to make a play, we made it.”
Detroit did not, following a seasonlong trend.
The Lions (3-12-1) closed with nine consecutive losses for their longest losing streak in a season since going 0-16 in 2008.
“This game was in some ways a microcosm of our season,” guard Graham Glasgow said. “We started out well, and we were running the ball, but when it came to the second half and finishing the game, we didn’t pull it out.”
David Blough was 12-for-29 for 122 yards with an interception — and a 19-yard touchdown reception — filling in for Matthew Stafford, who had a season-ending back injury.
Despite playing only for pride, the Lions looked as if they were more motivated to win early in the game against a team with a lot at stake.
“We definitely started flat in every phase,” Packers coach Matt LaFleur acknowledged.
And with nothing to lose, Detroit scored on a trick play midway through the first quarter. Blough handed off to wide receiver Danny Amendola, who threw back across the field to the rookie quarterback for a touchdown.
Kerryon Johnson converted a fourth down with a one-yard touchdown run late in the first half, giving Detroit a 14-0 lead that stunned everyone not on the Lions’ sideline.
“I know to a lot of people there wasn’t much on the line, but to us there is every week,” Lions coach Matt Patricia said. “We’re going to compete.”
Crosby and Matt Prater made field goals in the last 20 seconds of the first half, leaving the Lions with a 17-3 lead.
Rodgers started to make more accurate throws in the second half, including a 20-yard touchdown pass to Davante Adams and a 28-yard pass to Allen Lazard with 5:19 left for another score.
The Packers pulled into a 20-20 tie after linebacker Blake Martinez had a sack and interception on consecutive snaps.
Jones, who overcame having his hand stepped on, finished with 100 yards on 25 carries and had 43 receiving yards. Adams had seven receptions for 93 yards.
“We haven’t always made it easy, and we haven’t always made it pretty, but for the most part, we’ve found a way to win,” Adams said.
There was a long moment of silence before the game for Lions wide receiver Marvin Jones’ 6-month-old son who recently died. Jones, who was on the sideline with his family during the national anthem, went on injured reserve earlier this month.