A bold fourth-down decision by coach Dan Campbell led to the Detroit Lions’ second victory over the Green Bay Packers this season, as kicker Jake Bates secured the win with a 35-yard field goal.
Despite this being their final regular-season matchup, three-time Pro Bowler Kenny Clark of the Packers is confident his team will return to Ford Field for a playoff rematch against the Lions.
“We’ll definitely be back here, and we’ll be ready to face them again when we do,” Clark told the team’s website after the loss. “It’s tough, but we’ll learn from this and improve moving forward.”
The loss effectively ended Green Bay’s NFC North title aspirations, but according to The New York Times playoff simulator, the Packers still have a 98 percent chance of reaching the postseason.
Before a potential third meeting with Detroit, the Packers must first navigate the playoff gauntlet. If the postseason started now, Green Bay would face the Seattle Seahawks and potentially the winner of the Eagles-Commanders divisional matchup. Currently, a Packers-Lions rematch could only occur in the NFC Championship Game.
If Clark’s prediction holds true and a rematch happens, fans could witness another thriller like Thursday’s clash, which saw four lead changes in the second half and ended with a dramatic game-winning field goal.
