Detroit Lions safety Kerby Joseph returns an interception for a touchdown during the first half of an NFL football game against the Green Bay Packers on Nov. 3 in Green Bay, Wis.Morry Gash/The Associated Press
Kerby Joseph scored on a 27-yard interception return and the Detroit Lions converted two fourth downs into touchdowns as they continued one of the best starts in franchise history by beating the Green Bay Packers 24-14 on Sunday.
The NFC North-leading Lions are 7-1 for the first time since 1956. They withstood the second-quarter ejection of safety Brian Banks and won at Lambeau Field for a third successive year, thriving on a rainy and windy day.
Detroit took the lead for good on the first play of the second quarter when Jared Goff hit Amon-Ra St. Brown for a three-yard touchdown on fourth-and-goal. Jahmyr Gibbs capped the opening drive of the second half by rushing for a 15-yard touchdown on fourth-and-one to extend the Lions’ lead to 24-3.
Goff had another efficient day, finishing 18 of 22 for 145 yards.
Green Bay’s Jordan Love went 23 of 39 for 273 yards with an interception, one week after he left in the third quarter of a 30-27 victory at Jacksonville with a groin strain. Jayden Reed had five catches for 113 yards and Josh Jacobs rushed for 95 yards.
The Packers (6-3) outgained the Lions 411 yards to 261. Green Bay drove inside Detroit’s 35-yard line on three possessions without scoring. The Packers’ four trips to the red zone led to one touchdown and two field goals.
This game turned late in the second quarter, with Detroit’s starting safeties playing featured roles.
Green Bay trailed 7-3 when Branch was ejected for a helmet-to-helmet hit on Packers receiver Bo Melton during a pass incompletion near Green Bay’s sideline. Branch also drew an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for gesturing to the Lambeau Field crowd, giving the Packers a first down at the Detroit 32 rather than facing third-and-20 from their own 38.
But the Packers failed to capitalize on the situation. Their drive ended with Brandon McManus sending a 46-yard field-goal attempt wide left. Detroit marched down the field on its next series and extended its lead to 10-3 on Jake Bates’s 27-yard field goal.
Green Bay got the ball back with less than a minute left in the half. Facing second-and-two from Green Bay’s 38, Love rolled right under pressure and threw a ball directly to Joseph, who caught it with arms outstretched and raced down the Lions sideline to the end zone.
Joseph’s pick-six was his sixth interception of the season, tying Green Bay’s Xavier McKinney for the NFL lead. He’s picked off a pass in five of Detroit’s past six games and became the first safety to intercept at least 14 passes through his first three seasons since Hall of Famer Ed Reed did it from 2002-04.
Joseph has four interceptions against the Packers.