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It seemed like a safe bet at the outset. The Green Bay Packers' daunting injury list, combined with a Thanksgiving Day matchup against the NFC North-leading Detroit Lions, didn't exactly scream "upset in the making."
But football isn't played on paper, it's played on the field. And the Packers' first quarter at Ford Field on Thursday ended with a season-high 20 points and a two-touchdown lead over the favored Lions.
Jordan Love completed nine of his 10 passes in the first quarter for 130 yards and two touchdowns, while the Green Bay defense forced two turnovers in a surprising display that could affect Love's future as a Packer.
More first-quarter touchdowns than the previous 10 games combined!
Green Bay's very first play from scrimmage was a 53-yard completion from Love to Christian Watson -- and thatr set the tone for the Packers' explosive first quarter.
Four plays later, Love found rookie receiver Jayden Reed in a tight window for a 10-yard touchdown. After the Lions responded with a touchdown of their own (and a subsequent extra-point miss), Love led a 10-play, 75-yard drive in 5:22 to extend the Green Bay advantage. This time, he found the wide-open Tucker Kraft for a nine-yard touchdown.
The Packers' patience with Love might be paying off. He surpassed the 175-yard mark through the air midway through the second quarter on Thursday, just a few days after throwing for a career-high 322 yards in a win over the Los Angeles Chargers. Green Bay's three first-quarter touchdowns bucked a trend for a team that has often started games slowly in 2023.
Lions' Turkey Day turnovers
Detroit's problems with turnovers have cropped up in recent games. The Lions overcame three giveaways against the Las Vegas Raiders in a 26-14 win on Oct. 30, while they turned the ball over four times against the Chicago Bears last week -- needing a furious fourth-quarter rally to win 31-26.
The Packers exacerbated the issue in the first quarter on Thursday -- and it has to be a major concern moving forward for Detroit head coach Dan Campbell.
With under two-and-a-half minutes to go in the quarter, Green Bay star Rashan Gary hit Jared Goff as the quarterback threw the ball. Jonathan Owens scooped up the loose ball and took it back 27 yards for a touchdown -- the Lions' fifth turnover in as many quarters.
One minute later, defensive end Karl Brooks forced another Goff fumble as the quarterback tried to evade pressure. Brooks recovered this one himself, although the subsequent Green Bay drive ended with a turnover on downs.