Packers get first-round bye by rallying vs. Lions

DETROIT – Aaron Rodgers was on the money when the Green Bay Packers needed him most, overcoming one of his worst games this season.

Rodgers threw a short and accurate pass to 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 over the Detroit 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 14 points in the second quarter and didn't lead until Crosby's final kick.

The Lions lost both games to Green Bay this season on Crosby field goals with no time remaining. Detroit never trailed at any other point in either game.

Green Bay won its fifth in a row despite Rodgers struggling for much of the day. He completed only 27 of 55 passes for 323 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. He connected on less than half his attempts for the second time this season and finished with his second-lowest rating of the year.

"Too many missed throws," Rodgers said after throwing the most passes he has 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.

Detroit did not, following a season-long 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."

Playing with nothing to lose, Detroit scored on a trick play in the first quarter, with Danny Amendola throwing a TD pass to quarterback David Blough. Kerryon Johnson made it 14-0 with a run on fourth-and-goal from the 1, and the Lions led 17-3 at halftime.

Rodgers started to make more accurate passes in the second half, such as 20-yard TD pass to Davante Adams and a 28-yard pass to Allen Lazard with 5:19 left for another score. The Packers made it 20-20 after linebacker Blake Martinez had a sack and interception on consecutive snaps.

"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," said Adams, who had seven receptions for 93 yards.