To put it mildly, this Sunday’s NFC North showdown at Lambeau Field pitting the Green Bay Packers and the Detroit Lions is as marquee a match-up as there can be at this stage of the season. The Packers, who are 6-2 through eight games, are one-half game behind the division leading Lions (6-1).
How do we know this is a monumental event? Fox Sports altered the kickoff time from noon to a more visible 3:25pm. Also, the network is dispatching their top broadcasting team, Kevin Burkhardt and Tom Brady, to Green Bay to call the game.
The two rivals will meet for the 188th time on Sunday, November 3, and the Packers hold a 104-76-7 edge over the Lions. However, oddsmakers have made Detroit a 3.5-point favorite despite being the road team.
It is hard to believe that a regular season game between these two historic franchises could be any more important than this one, but that was the case 31 years ago when the 1993 season finale mattered immensely.
Read More: Detroit Lions vs Green Bay Packers Prediction, Odds, Moneyline
Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions Battle for NFC Central Crown in 1993 Finale
Green Bay Press-Gazette
On Sunday, January 2, 1994, Wisconsinites were halfway through a seriously epic football weekend, one that was unprecedented and unparalleled at that time. Just the night before, fans of the Badger state celebrated while watching the Wisconsin Badgers defeat the UCLA Bruins, 21-16, in the Rose Bowl, the first such major bowl appearance for Wisconsin since 1963.
The next day, the Packers could complete an improbable “daily double” by defeating the Detroit Lions at the Silverdome in Pontiac, Michigan; a win would earn the Packers their first division championship since 1972.
One quirky development of this game: Both teams had already qualified for the playoffs. Not only that, but no matter what happened on January 2, the two teams would meet the following weekend in the wild-card round; if the Lions won, the Packers would return to Pontiac, but if Green Bay was victorious, Lambeau Field would be the site of the playoff tilt.
The Green Bay Packers Let One Slip Away and Lose the Battle…
After battling to a 10-10 tie going into the halftime break, the Packers answered a Lions field goal and pulled ahead 17-13 in the third quarter behind running back Edgar Bennett‘s second touchdown of the game. Jason Hanson and Chris Jacke traded field goals to round out the period’s scoring, and the Packers were 15 minutes away from their elusive division championship.
It was not meant to be. The Lions stormed back with two fourth-quarter touchdowns to take the NFC Central, winning 30-20. The Packers turned the ball over five times, four of them were courtesy of errand throws from quarterback Brett Favre.
…But the Packers Won the War
However, the story had a happier ending the following Saturday. As predetermined, the Packers journeyed back to the Silverdome six days later on January 8. After four lead changes throughout the game, Favre and the Packers took over on their own 29 yard line with 2:26 left in the game, trailing 24-21.
Looking to drive into comfortable field-goal range, the Packers used four plays to reach the Lions’ 40-yard line with just over a minute to play. On 2nd down and 4, Favre wanted to use Sterling Sharpe and Mark Clayton on either side of the ball to run quick outs, thereby getting out of bounds after getting the first down.
With both routes jumped by the Lions’ secondary, Sharpe altered his route and chose to drift long. Favre, who was rolling to his left on the play, spotted Sharpe free along the right sideline, turned, and heaved the ball toward the back of the right side of the end zone. Sharpe caught the bomb in stride behind the Detroit defense, and with that, the Packers exacted revenge on their rivals, winning 28-24.
The playoff ride ended one week later when the Packers lost to the eventual Super Bowl champion Dallas Cowboys, 27-17, in the NFC Divisional Round.
The Hype for the 2024 Renewal is Real
Lions’ head coach knows the deal and what Sunday means. Dan Campbell said, “We’re going to Lambeau, it’s grass, nationally-televised game, 3:25 central, for the division — it just doesn’t get any better than this. What else do I need to say?”
Matt LaFleur, head coach for the Packers, also realizes the levity of this game and opponent. On Monday, LaFleur called the Lions “arguably the best team in the NFL.”
“They’re really, really good and we knew that,” the coach added. “We knew that going into the year, and it’s not shocking to me. It’s a team we’re obviously very familiar with, and we’re going to have to play at our best.”
Both teams and fan bases are ready; the rubber meets the road on Lombardi Avenue on Sunday. The nation will be watching, and the rest of the NFL will bear witness to see who will take the inside track to ruling the NFC North.
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