The Packers had a nice start, forcing a three-and-out on the first drive of the game and went on a long drive on their first possession. The first seven plays of the drive were runs and gained a total of 61 yards, with Eddie Lacy gaining 38 on four carries. This was against one of the top run defenses in the league. However, once the Packers moved down to the Detroit 1, the Lions defense formed a brick wall. Green Bay had a 1st-and-Goal from the 1 and the Packers did not gain one yard in four chances and had to turn the ball over on downs. Lacy got the ball on the fourth down play and was stuffed. The only good news is that the Motor City Kitties were pinned down at their own 1 to start the drive.
Detroit was able to move the chains once, but then had to punt from its own 10. With Lions punter Sam Martin standing in his own end zone, he got off a punt to Micah Hyde. The former Hawkeyes standout caught the punt at his own 45 and made one cut and turned up field through a hole. He veered to his left and outraced everyone to the pylon for the touchdown. It gave the Packers a 7-0 lead and gave Green Bay a much-needed fast start.
Green Bay looked at increasing the lead on the following drive, as the Packers were able to move deep into Lions territory. Unfortunately, the Green and Gold were turned away again as Lacy had a nice run on first down to move into the red zone, but would fumble and the Lions recovered. Green Bay had two trips into the red zone and came away with no points. If the Packers would have lost, people would look at these two possessions as reasons why.
Following the fumble, Detroit made its way into Green Bay territory. However, Stafford threw incomplete on 4th-and-10 at the Packers 31, so the Green and Gold took over on downs. Lacy got the call on the first three plays and gained 18 yards, but it was Rodgers who was the big-time performer on the drive. On a 3rd-and-8, he would gain 13 yards and followed that up with a 34-yard pass to Randall Cobb for a first down at the 9. Following a defensive holding, he would find Cobb again for the touchdown to give the Packers the 14-0 lead. On the play Rodgers tried to roll out and his calf gave out and threw it just as he would fall to the ground. Rodgers would need help getting off the field and went immediately to the locker room.
Detroit would score just before halftime when Stafford hooked up with Packers killer Calvin Johnson for a 20-yard touchdown. That cut it to 14-7 and gave the Lions with much-needed confidence going into the half. With Rodgers out, Detroit had new life and played like it. The biggest play of the drive outside of the touchdown was the snap immediately preceeding the score. On a 3rd-and-13, Stafford through an incompletion, but Packers linebacker Brad Jones was whistled for roughing the passer. That gave the Lions a first down and a fresh set of downs, which set up the touchdown by Megatron.
Detroit could not have scripted a better start to the second half. Without Rodgers, Detroit forced the Packers offense into a three-and-out and the Lions would then proceed to drive 51 yards to tie the game up. Johnson was the touchdown recipient once again and the score was even. At this point, people thought the game was over if Rodgers could not come back in and play the remainder of the game.
Of course then Rodgers comes strolling out of the locker room and to the sideline. He returned just in time for the Packers. After three runs picked up a first down, Mike McCarthy decided to put the ball in the air. Rodgers threw a short pass to Cobb and he ran for 29 yards down to the Lions 19. Three plays later Rodgers passed to an open Cobb once again over the middle and the former Kentucky star went into the end zone from 13 yards to put the Packers in front 21-14. It would be that way into the fourth quarter.
The Packers had a chance to go up by two scores early in the fourth quarter, but Mason Crosby’s field goal attempt was blocked. But on the first play after the blocked field goal, Stafford fumbled and Green Bay recovered. That would lead to the Packers putting the clinching points on the board. The Green and Gold drove 42 yards in nine plays to give the Packers a 28-14 lead. The touchdown was scored by Rodgers on a quarterback sneak on a 2nd-and-Goal.
Green Bay would tack on a safety to make it 30-14, but on the free kick, Cobb muffed it and Detroit recovered with two and a half minutes remaining. The Motor City Kitties would travel 44 yards in six plays to cut it to 30-20. All three pass completions for Stafford on the drive went to Theo Riddick, including the touchdown. The three passes to Riddick went for a total of 34 yards and the touchdown was from six yards out. The two-point attempt was successful on a run by Joique Bell, but it was reviewed and overturned after the replay showed he was down before the ball crossed the goal line.
The Packers were able to basically run out the clock and Green Bay secured a much-needed first round bye. Due to his great play in 2015 and his Curt Schilling-esque performance, Rodgers wrapped up the NFL Most Valuable Player award. The Packers would use that bye well, as they defeated the Dallas Cowboys (who were 8-0 on the road in 2015) in the divisional round before falling in Seattle the following week.
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