Story of the Game

After winning four straight games and receiving plenty of help from other teams, the Packers (8-9) had control of their postseason fate heading into the final game of the NFL regular season. But they fell short against the Lions (9-8), who had been eliminated from the playoffs earlier Sunday when the Seattle Seahawks (9-8) beat the Los Angeles Rams 19-16 in overtime.

Seattle instead earned the NFC's final playoff spot and will play at San Francisco (13-4) in the opening round. The Packers missed the playoffs for the first time in Matt LaFleur's four seasons as coach.

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Jamaal Williams, a former Packer, scored both Lions touchdowns and rushed for 72 yards, while Jared Goff passed for 224 yards and Kalif Raymond caught four passes for 66 yards.

Rodgers passed for 205 yards with one touchdown but was intercepted on Green Bay's final drive. Christian Watson caught five passes for 104 yards for the Packers.

The first half featured five field goals and ended with Green Bay clinging to a 9-6 lead.

Aided by a pass interference penalty, the Packers scored on their first possession as Mason Crosby kicked a 22-yard field goal.

Green Bay went for it on fourth down in its own territory midway through the first quarter, but Allen Lazard was dropped for a loss. The Lions then settled for a 37-yard Michael Badgley field goal on their next drive.

Crosby made a 49-yard try late in the quarter and a 48-yarder early in the second to make it 9-3.

Badgley missed from 46 yards out with 6:16 left in the first half. He knocked through a 33-yard attempt on the last play of the half after the Packers were whistled for a personal foul.

Crosby had a 53-yard try bang off the crossbar and back toward the field of play early in the second half.

Detroit needed just three plays after the miss to score the game's first touchdown. A 43-yard pass from Goff to Raymond set up Williams' 1-yard run, giving Detroit a 13-9 lead.

A 45-yard pass to Watson set up Rodgers' 13-yard scoring strike to Lazard later in the quarter.

Detroit moved ahead once again on Williams' second 1-yard scoring run with 5:55 remaining. That completed a 13-play, 75-yard drive.

Kerby Joseph intercepted Rodgers on Green Bay's final possession. The Lions then ran out the clock by picking up three first downs.

Stats leaders

Lions

• Passing: Jared Goff, 23/34, 224 yards
• Rushing: Jamaal Williams, 16 carries, 72 yards, 2 TD
• Receiving: Kalif Raymond, four catches, 66 yards

Packers

• Passing: Aaron Rodgers, 17/27, 205 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT
• Rushing: Aaron Jones, 12 carries, 48 yards
• Receiving: Christian Watson, five catches, 103 yards
• Allen Lazard, four catches, 41 yards, 1 TD

Rodgers needs to 'get away' before decision on his future

Packers quarterback, Aaron Rodgers: "It's a little raw right now. I want to take the emotion out of it and have the conversation and see where the organisation is at and see how I feel after some time has passed.

"At some point, the carousel comes to a stop and it's time to get off, and I think you kind of know when that is. And that's what needs to be contemplated.

"Do I feel like I have anything left to prove to myself? Do I want to go back and gear up for another grind? Or is it time? Is it time to step away? Is it time for another voice to be leading this team?

"The competitive fire is always going to be there. I don't think that ever goes away.

"I feel good about what I've accomplished in this league and wouldn't have any regrets walking away. But I've got to see what it feels like once I get away from this."

"I'm also a realist, and I understand where we're at as a team. We're a young team; there could be some changes with some of the older guys, and it could be time to step away. But I could take some time and say 'hell no, man, I need to get back out there and go on another run'.

[On the possibility of playing for another team]: "I don't like saying never.

"To assume it's a foregone conclusion [that the Packers want him back] would be probably slightly egotistical, so I'm going to be a realist here and understand there are a lot of different parts to this."

Lions head coach, Dan Campbell: "We found out in pre-game warm-up [Seattle had won, eliminating Detroit], and I'm telling you, we were unfazed.

"We knew what we were coming in here for, and it was to gain some respect and show what were capable of no matter what happened. We knew the only way to do that is to win. So our guys were locked in.

"The hard part of this is that it's over for this season, because it is a special group. But, hey, if you've got to go down on that one, what better way to go out than that for 2022."

What's next?

Sunday night's game at Lambeau Field completed the NFL regular season, and set the line-up for Wild Card Weekend.

The Seahawks have earned a match-up with the red-hot San Francisco 49ers, who dominated the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday to end the regular season on a 10-game winning streak.

That game will kick off Wild Card Weekend on Saturday evening at 9:30pm, with the Jaguars and Chargers meeting later at 1:15am.

On Sunday evening the Bills host the Dolphins (6pm), the Vikings welcome the Giants (9:30pm) and the Bengals host the Ravens (1:15am), before the action concludes on Monday night with Cowboys travelling to Tampa to take on the Buccaneers (1:15am).

The following weekend will see the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles join the action, after both teams secured opening-round byes by taking the top seedings.

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