The Lions went for it on fourth-and-1 in a tie game with 4:53 left, and Jahmyr Gibbs was stopped for a 2-yard loss. Lions coach Dan Campbell has faced questions about his unconventional decision.
Campbell explained that the Lions had more confidence in their ability to gain 1 yard than risk Jordan Love executing a 4-minute, game-winning touchdown drive. Campbell added that, even if Detroit’s fourth-down gamble failed, the Packers would not be able to run the clock out, leaving the Lions time to respond.
It worked out as D.J. Wonnum blocked the chip-shot field goal of Packers rookie kicker Trey Smack, and the Lions won on a last-play field goal.
Quarterback Jared Goff said he didn’t “even think twice” when he heard the Lions were going for it deep in their own end.
“I think it’s so -- I don’t know the right word — exposing of people who think it’s not the right decision just because it’s in our territory,” Goff said Tuesday on 97.1 The Ticket. “It’s guaranteeing us a chance to win the game no matter what. Whereas, if we punt it, they can do exactly what we did to them on the final drive, and I’m sure they wish they had another chance to touch the ball.
“So it’s funny. I think back to a few years ago where we went for that fourth down against Green Bay in a similar situation, fourth-and-1, and we got it with David Montgomery. There was backlash on that, and we converted. I guess no matter what, there will be backlash, so who really cares at this point, right?”
In 2024, the Lions went for it on fourth-and-1 at the Green Bay 21 with 43 seconds left. David Montgomery ran for 7 yards, and Jake Bates kicked a 35-yard field goal on the final play for a 34-31 win.
“I think when we’re in those situations, we’re so much more comfortable in them than the other teams because we do them more often,” Goff said, “and it is an advantage for us. It’s something that we practice and something that we spend a lot of time on, and we feel very comfortable in those situations.”
The Lions lead the NFL in fourth-down conversions (89) over the past five seasons and rank second in attempts (154), according to 97.1 The Ticket. Their conversion rate of 57.8 percent over that stretch ranks seventh.
The Lions have converted 61.5 percent of their 13 fourth-down attempts this season.
“Again, unfortunately we didn’t convert this one,” said Goff. “We want to get the first down and keep the game moving and finish the game on that drive, but Dan knew that if we were not to get it, OK, they’ll either kick a field goal or they’ll score a touchdown, and then we’ll get the ball back. Now, thankfully, they missed the field goal, and everything was great, but by every measure of everything, it’s the right decision.”
Packers Clips
The Packers’ defense could be getting a major boost.
Linebacker Micah Parsons, who suffered a torn ACL in December 2025, seems to be moving closer to a return.
Parsons remains on the reserve/Physically Unable to Perform list. The Packers can open a three-week practice window at any time. At the end of the three weeks, he must either move to the 53-man roster or return to the PUP list and not play this season.
On Tuesday, coach Matt LaFleur was asked whether Parsons will return to practice next week.
“I sure hope so,” LaFleur said, via Rob Demovsky of ESPN. As Demovsky notes, LaFleur’s previous responses to that question “had been a hard no.”
Parsons tore his ACL on December 14, the same day Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes suffered the same injury. But it’s very different for a quarterback and a front-seven defender. Parsons will be constantly navigating plenty of bodies and limbs, which inevitably will be hitting his legs and knees. He needs to be sure that he’ll have the confidence in the repaired ACL before he takes the field again.
Green Bay could use the boost defensively. At 4-3, they host the Panthers on Thursday night. After that, they face the Patriots and Vikings before the Week 11 bye.
Given the three-week practice window, a return next week could mean that Parsons will return in Week 12, when the Packers visit the Rams in the NFL’s first-ever Thanksgiving Eve game.
Packers linebacker Zaire Franklin will miss another game. It’s not a surprise given the Packers play on Thursday night.
Coach Matt LaFleur announced Tuesday that Franklin will not play against the Panthers.
Franklin missed last week’s game after getting accidentally kicked in Thursday’s practice. He was diagnosed with a hairline fracture in his leg.
The Packers did not place him on injured reserve, believing he can return after missing fewer than four games.
Franklin ranks third on the team in tackles (41) and has two quarterback hits, a forced fumble and a pass breakup.
Ty’Ron Hopper took Franklin’s spot in the lineup on Sunday, and Isaiah McDuffie wore the green dot in Franklin’s stead.
The Sunday Splash! report regarding a potential fire sale in Indy was conditioned on the Colts’ performance in their three remaining games before the trade deadline. After only one game, they tapped the “Everything Must Go” sign in the front yard.
Guard Quenton Nelson, as expected, has been traded to the Seahawks. Defensive tackle DeForest Buckner has been traded back to the 49ers, as expected.
So who’s next? Running back Jonathan Taylor has been the focal point of speculation, with ESPN linking him to the Packers, Seahawks, Broncos, and Vikings.
The Vikings got the ultimate opportunity to scout Taylor on Sunday, when he accounted for 110 of the team’s 218 total offensive yards in a 16-10 Minnesota win. Taylor averaged 5.3 yards per carry and went 38 yards for the Colts’ only touchdown of the day.
There’s an obvious incentive to maximize 2027 draft picks, especially with the Colts’ first-rounder committed to the Jets as the back end of the Sauce Gardner trade. But Taylor is under contract for two more years; they may want to keep him until the offseason, giving the next G.M. the opportunity to decide whether to retain Taylor or trade him in March.
Of course, Taylor would have more value now to a team that hopes to augment its roster for a playoff push. Although the Vikings were burned 37 years ago this month by the Herschel Walker trade, it would take much less than the ridiculous haul of picks and players (which became more picks after the Cowboys cut them) to get Taylor.
Taylor could make a huge difference for a team premised on a stout defense. While Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason have proven to be capable options at tailback, Taylor is among the best in the league. He has the power and speed to move the chains and, when given an opening, go the distance.
Whatever happens with Taylor, it’s clear the Colts aren’t waiting to see what happens over the next two weekends. In a deadline-driven business, the timeline for the Colts isn’t being driven by the deadline. It’s being determined by getting deals done now and moving on.
The Panthers have the worst run defense in the NFL, and head coach Dave Canales knows what that means for opposing teams game planning against them.
Up next for the Panthers is a game on Thursday night against the Packers, who have the most pass-heavy offense in the NFL. Canales said today that after giving up 258 rushing yards on Sunday against the Buccaneers, he knows that the Packers will be excited by the opportunity to play against them. That means both trying to run the ball with Josh Jacobs, and trying to have Jordan Love beat them deep if the Panthers overcompensate for their run defense struggles by stacking the box.
“Collectively, as a group, we have to be locked in to what they’re going to try to do and how they’re going to attack us,” Canales said. “I’m sure they’re watching the game and they’re seeing 250 yards on the ground, and that’s got to be appealing. For me, as an offensive-minded coach, I think about that and say, ‘We can set some things up down the field by making sure we have a run game going.’ That would be my approach, so I do expect them to run the ball, and we do expect Jordan to heave the ball down the field just like he does, and challenge the back half of our defense as well.”
The Packers, who have only had Jacobs for one game this season, have not run the ball well. Having the Panthers’ defense come to town could be just the thing to fix that.
The Packers turned in their second estimated injury report of the week on Tuesday and it showed no change in status for wide receiver Matthew Golden.
Golden was listed as out of practice for the second straight day. He is dealing with shoulder and foot injuries as the Packers move toward Thursday night’s game against the Panthers.
Golden leads the Packers with 36 catches and is second on the team with 540 receiving yards.
Linebacker Zaire Franklin (shin), offensive lineman Travis Glover (knee), and center Sean Rhyan (ankle) were also listed as out of practice for the second straight day. Defensive tackles Anthony Campbell (ankle) and Devonte Wyatt (ankle) were bumped up to limited participation.
Defensive end Brenton Cox (quad) and guard Aaron Banks (knee, toe) were also listed as limited while cornerback Benjamin St-Juste (hamstring) was listed as a full participant.
The Panthers held another walk-through practice on Tuesday.
They estimated two changes to their practice report, but four players are still listed as non-participants.
Outside linebacker Jaelan Phillips (hamstring), guards Damien Lewis (knee ) Torricelli Simpkins III (ankle) and cornerback Akayleb (triceps/knee) were listed as not practicing.
Defensive tackle Bobby Brown III, listed as a non-participant on Monday with a hand injury, returned to full participation on Tuesday.
Wide receiver Jalen Coker (shoulder) was also a full participant after being limited Monday.
Quarterback Bryce Young (knee) was a full participant again.
The team will release its final report of the week with game statuses on Wednesday.
The Packers had quarterback Jordan Love and wide receiver Christian Watson on their injury report last week.
Watson was limited in all three practices last week, while Love was limited on Wednesday and a full participant the rest of the week. Love played all 67 snaps in the loss to the Lions on Sunday, and Watson played 54 snaps.
Both players are off Monday’s estimated report.
That’s good news for the Packers, who have a quick turnaround with a game against the Panthers on Thursday night.
The Packers estimate defensive tackle Anthony Campbell (ankle), linebacker Zaire Franklin (shin), offensive lineman Travis Glover (knee), wide receiver Matthew Golden (shoulder/foot), center Sean Rhyan (ankle) and defensive tackle Devonte Wyatt (ankle) as non-participants.
Offensive guard Aaron Banks (knee/toe) was listed as limited.
Cornerback Benjamin St-Juste (hamstring) was a full participant.
The Panthers did not practice on Monday, but they still had to submit an injury report for Thursday night’s game.
They estimate five players out of practice.
Defensive tackle Bobby Brown (hand), cornerback Akayeb Evans (triceps/knee), offensive guard Damien Lewis (knee), outside linebacker Jaelan Phillips (hamstring) and offensive lineman Torricelli Simpkins III (ankle) were listed as DNP. Brown, Evans, Lewis and Phillips are starters.
Wide receiver Jalen Coker (shoulder) was limited.
Quarterback Bryce Young (knee) was listed as a full participant again. This is the third week he has been on the report, but Young has fully participated in every practice.
The Packers had a couple of offensive linemen go down with injuries in Sunday’s loss to the Lions and they moved one of them to injured reserve on Monday.
Jacob Monk injured his quad after replacing starting center Sean Rhyan in the first quarter of the game. He will now miss at least four games as a result of being shifted to injured reserve.
The Packers filled his roster spot by signing veteran guard Mekhi Becton off of their practice squad. Becton signed with the team late last month.
Becton started 14 games for the Chargers in 2025, but was released in March. He started 15 games while helping the Eagles to a Super Bowl win in 2024 and spent his first four seasons with the Jets.
Rhyan is believed to have a high-ankle sprain, which could also make him an injured reserve candidate. John Williams finished out Sunday’s game at center for Green Bay.
