Jordan Love Outduels Jared Goff To Vault Packers Into Tie For NFC North Lead

The NFC North is supposed to be about physical football and harkening back to the old Black and Blue division of yesteryear. But that's not been the case for a couple of years now, because it's really all about which team has the best quarterback play.

DETROIT, MICHIGAN - NOVEMBER 27: Jordan Love #10 of the Green Bay Packers calls a play at the line of scrimmage during the first quarter of an NFL football game against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on November 27, 2025 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images)

NFC North About QBs

We saw that last year when Jordan Love had the third-best passer rating and third-most TD passes of the division's QBs and the Packers finished third. Sam Darnold had the second-highest passer rating and second-most TD passes and the Minnesota Vikings finished second.

And Jared Goff threw the most TD passes of any QB in the division and had the highest passer rating in the division and, sure enough, the Lions won the division.

Which brings me to Thursday's Thanksgiving Day matchup between the Lions and visiting Packers … Let me cut to the chase:

Goff played well.

But Love played better. 

So guess what? The Packers won the game, 31-24. 

DETROIT, MICHIGAN - NOVEMBER 27: Colby Wooden #96 of the Green Bay Packers reacts with Micah Parsons #1 during the fourth quarter against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on November 27, 2025 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Nic Antaya/Getty Images)

Micah Parsons Showed Up Bigtime

And this is where the tape-watchers will insist the Packers generally controlled the line of scrimmage better and had superior run fits and Micah Parsons collected 2.5 sacks. 

(Parsons, by the way, is now the first player to collect 12-plus sacks in each of his first five seasons.)

All of this matters and played a role in this game's outcome. But none of it overshadows the fact Love outplayed Goff.

Goff was good in throwing 2 TD passes and delivering a 132.9 passer rating. But Love was better.

Love threw 4 TD passes. 

"The whole day, the guys were making plays," Love said afterward. "It's not just me, it's everybody."

DETROIT, MICHIGAN - NOVEMBER 27: Jordan Love #10 of the Green Bay Packers scrambles during the second quarter against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on November 27, 2025 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Nic Antaya/Getty Images)

Parsons: Love On Fire

It was Love, folks. His four touchdown passes is a season high and tied for the most by a Packers quarterback on Thanksgiving since 1994 when Brett Favre also did it.

"Jordan was on fire all night," Parsons said afterward.

And with the game on the line, and the Packers leading by one score with 1:55 to play, Love completed a fourth-down pass 16 yards that sealed the game.

Packers coach Matt LaFleur put the ball in his quarterback's hands with the game on the line rather than punt and ask Parsons and the defense to bring the win home. 

That's not a lack of confidence in his defense. That's supreme confidence in his quarterback.

For the first time since Tucker Kraft was injured weeks ago, the Packers passing game was efficient. Love completed his 18 passes to six different receivers.

DETROIT, MICHIGAN - NOVEMBER 27: Dontayvion Wicks #13 of the Green Bay Packers scores a touchdown against Terrion Arnold #6 of the Detroit Lions during the third quarter at Ford Field on November 27, 2025 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Nic Antaya/Getty Images)

Lions On Outside Looking In

The result of this game comes with a cause and a consequence.

"Very big," Love said. "We knew what was at stake with this game and every division game we have. The NFC North is a tight race. There's a lot of good football teams in our division, and we have to handle our business every time we get the [opportunity]."

The Lions are now tied with the Chicago Bears for first place in the division. Both have an 8-3 record and will play each other twice in December.

The Lions were outside the playoff picture when the day began. And now their 1-3 record in the division makes a wildcard berth that much more difficult for them to achieve unless they rally in the final five games.

And, in typical NFC North fashion, that will definitely require great play from Goff.