NFC North in Week 15: Detroit Lions’ streak snapped by Buffalo Bills; Green Bay Packers win in Seattle
Dec 15, 2024
Josh Allen ran for two scores in the first quarter and threw two touchdown passes in the second half, leading the Buffalo Bills to a 48-42 victory Sunday that snapped the Detroit Lions’ franchise-record 11-game winning streak.
The AFC East-champion Bills (11-3) have won eight of nine, taking advantage of Allen’s ability to make plays with his right arm and legs.
Allen was 23 of 34 for a season-high 362 yards with touchdown passes to Khalil Shakir and Ray Davis. The dual-threat quarterback ran 11 times for 68 yards and two scores a week after being the first NFL player to throw and run for three touchdowns in a regular-season game.
He extended a league record by throwing for multiple touchdowns and rushing for more than one score in six straight games.
Jared Goff matched a career high by throwing five touchdown passes for the NFC North-leading Lions (12-2), whose loss gives Minnesota a chance to pull into a tie for the division lead with a win against Chicago on Monday night at home.
Buffalo extended its franchise record with 30-plus points in its eighth straight game — becoming the first team since the 2013 Denver Broncos to pull off the feat — and scored the most points against Detroit this season.
Coming off a 44-42 setback against the Los Angeles Rams, the Bills were not as effective on defense.
Goff’s fifth TD pass came with 12 seconds left when he connected with Jameson Williams from 3 yards with 12 seconds left, but the Lions couldn’t recover the onside kick to set up a game-ending Hail Mary try.
The Bills joined the 1966 New York Giants as the only teams in NFL history to score 40-plus points and give up at least 40 points in consecutive games.
Allen’s dazzling talents were the difference in a potential Super Bowl preview.
He threw a 33-yard pass to Ty Johnson on his second snap and converted a third down with another throw to the former Lions running back, picking up another 24 yards, after rolling right and showing patience before passing to set up a 1-yard sneak.
On the first snap of the next drive, Allen started in the shotgun and moved up in the pocket, backed up, rolled left and threw to his right on a 28-yard pass to running back James Cook. He ran untouched on a 4-yard touchdown run around the right side to give the Bills a 14-0 lead.
Detroit answered, pulling within a touchdown on Goff’s 12-yard pass to Tim Patrick, but it couldn’t slow the Bills when they had the ball.
Buffalo coach Sean McDermott chose to go for it on fourth-and-2 from his 49 on the ensuing possession and Allen found Johnson wide open for a 31-yard catch to set up James Cook’s 6-yard touchdown run to restore a two-touchdown lead midway through the second quarter.
Lions coach Dan Campbell was aggressive as usual on the next drive, keeping the offense on the field with a fourth-and-4 from the Bills 46. Goff validated the decision with a 21-yard pass to Amon-Ra. St. Brown.
Goff threw a 9-yard touchdown pass to Dan Skipper five plays later, pulling off a trick play with a throw to an offensive lineman who reported in as eligible to pull within a touchdown.
Just when it looked as though the Lions might get routed in the second half, Goff converted a third-and-17 with a 66-yard touchdown pass to St. Brown.
The Bills, though, kept scoring.
— Larry Lage in Detroit
Green Bay Packers 30, Seattle Seahawks 13
Green Bay Packers’ Josh Jacobs runs against the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Jordan Love threw two touchdown passes to Romeo Doubs and the Green Bay Packers ended Seattle’s four-game winning streak with a 30-13 victory Sunday night over the Seahawks, who lost quarterback Geno Smith to a knee injury.
Josh Jacobs ran for 94 yards and a touchdown for the Packers (10-4), who have won eight of 10. Jacobs finished with 136 yards from scrimmage and Brandon McManus kicked three field goals.
After Doubs made an impressive grab in the back of the end zone late in the fourth quarter for his second TD, Packers fans at Lumen Field chanted, “Go Pack Go!”
Smith was hit low by Packers linebacker Edgerrin Cooper in the third quarter and threw his helmet to the ground after he limped off the field. He was replaced by Sam Howell, who had just one previous snap for the Seahawks (8-6).
Smith completed 15 of 19 passes for 149 yards, and Howell went 5 of 14 for 24 yards and a pick.
The Packers’ two losses over their last 10 have come to NFC North-leading Detroit, including a 34-31 defeat on Dec. 5, meaning the division title is likely out of reach. Green Bay has yet to clinch a playoff spot.
The Seahawks fell into a first-place tie with the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC West, and Smith’s injury could impact their chances of winning the division.
Love finished 20 of 27 for 229 yards, and Doubs had three catches for 40 yards.
Smith was intercepted in the end zone in the first half and the Seahawks trailed 20-3 at the break. Green Bay scored on all four of its first-half possessions.
An unnecessary roughness penalty on Seattle’s Riq Woolen put the Packers on the Seattle 28 on their initial possession. Jacobs’ 1-yard TD run capped the drive.
The Packers went up 14-0 on Love’s 13-yard pass to Doubs, who dragged two defenders with him into the end zone before waving at a television camera.
The Seahawks closed the gap on Jason Myers’ 48-yard field goal, but McManus answered with a 38-yarder for the Packers.
The Seahawks drove to the Green Bay 12, but Smith’s pass intended for Noah Fant was intercepted in the end zone by Carrington Valentine, the first career pick for the second-year defensive back.
It was Smith’s 13th interception this season and fourth in the end zone.
Woolen was flagged for pass interference on Doubs on Green Bay’s final series of the half, but the Packers settled for McManus’ 21-yard field goal.
The Seahawks showed life early in the fourth quarter on Zach Charbonnet’s 24-yard touchdown run that made it 23-13. Three plays later, Doubs put it away with his pretty 22-yard throw to Doubs, who got his elbow down in the back of the end zone.
Green Bay, making its first trip to Lumen Field since 2018, had not won at Seattle since 2008.
— Anne M. Peterson in Seattle