The Lions and Packers were playing for nothing other than pride, and the Lions showed more of it than the Packers.
Detroit took a 20-3 lead into halftime and cruised through the second half, ultimately winning 35-11.
For the Lions, it completed the first season sweep of the Packers since 1991. That also happens to be the last year the Lions won a playoff game. They won’t be back in the playoffs this year, but they did end the season with a bang. Matthew Stafford threw for more than 300 yards and wide receivers Golden Tate, Marvin Jones and Kenny Golladay all had touchdown catches. Darius Slay picked up two more interceptions and is the league leader for the season. (He appeared to mimic shooting a gun after one of those picks, which could result in a fine from the league.)
For the Packers, it was yet another disappointing performance from quarterback Brett Hundley, who simply hasn’t had what it takes after Aaron Rodgers got hurt. Packers coach Mike McCarthy insisted that Hundley was the right man for the backup job, but there’s little doubt that Green Bay needs a better quarterback behind Rodgers in 2018.
Lions coach Jim Caldwell is expected to be fired after the season, but he will go down as a rare Lions coach who finished with three winning seasons. And the first Lions coach since Wayne Fontes to sweep the Packers.