Despite not having Aaron Rodgers and a good number of their starters playing today, the Green Bay Packers were able to edge out the Detroit Lions 45-41 today from Lambeau. Today’s loss also marks 21 straight season’s in which the Lions have lost in the State of Green Bay.
Green Bay’s Matt Flynn, who started in place of Aaron Rodgers may have some teams looking for a starting QB next season making some serious considerations for the Packers backup.
Flynn threw for a franchise-record 480 yards and six touchdowns in the win.
Detroit QB Matthew Stafford also continued to tear up opposing defenses as he completed 36 of 59 passes for 520 yards and five touchdowns. Stafford finishes the season with more than 5,000 yards passing while one of his number one targets in Calvin Johnson finished today with a career high 244 receiving yards.
Furthermore, Stafford became the first Lions quarterback to top 5,000 yards passing in a season (5,038) and just the fourth quarterback ever. New Orleans’ Drew Brees did it twice while Dan Marino and Tom Brady were the other quarterbacks.
Today’s game also marked the first time in NFL history that opposing quarterbacks each passed for at least 500 yards and five TDs.
Unfortunately for the Lions, today’s loss and Atlanta’s big win over Tampa Bay gave Atlanta the 5th seed in the NFC meaning Detroit will have to play red-hot Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints in the first round of the playoffs. New Orleans buried the Panthers 45-17 in their regular season finale.
Still, aside from what happened today and what may happened next weekend there should be no doubt that 2011 was an extremely successful year for a Lions team that many thought wouldn’t be in the position they are now.
Ref: Detroit News, Detroit Free Press, ESPN.com, AP (image)