DETROIT — The Green Bay Packers are working on a perfect season. The Detroit Lions have plenty to work on following a slew of physical and mental mistakes.
Aaron Rodgers threw two touchdown passes and the Packers built a big lead in the third quarter, taking advantage of Ndamukong Suh’s ejection and beating the Detroit Lions 27-15 Thursday.
The defending champion Packers are 11-0 for the first time in franchise history and have won a team-record 17 straight, including the playoffs.
Green Bay easily passed what was expected to be one of its toughest tests toward joining the 2007 New England Patriots as the NFL’s only teams to have 16-0 regular seasons.
The Lions fell to 7-4 - losing a franchise-record eighth straight Thanksgiving game — and added to their misery in ugly fashion.
Suh was tossed for stepping on Evan Dietrich-Smith’s arm in the third quarter and Matthew Stafford (32 of 45, 276 yards) threw three interceptions.
The Packers turned Stafford’s interceptions into two TDs and a field goal, going ahead 24-0 late in the third.
Detroit finally scored when Keiland Williams ran for a 16-yard TD with 13:11 left and added a 2-point conversion pass from Stafford to Titus Young. It also scored an inconsequential TD on Stafford’s 3-yard pass to Calvin Johnson with 11 seconds left.
The Lions raised expectations for their ability to compete and entertain during their annual showcase after losing the previous seven games by three-plus TDs on average.
They kept it close early — in a punt- and penalty-filled first half — then simply couldn’t keep up with Rodgers’ passing attack and failed to stay disciplined.
Rogers was 22 of 32 for 307 yards with two TDs — a 3-yard pass to Greg Jennings with 4:51 left in the first half to make it 7-0 and 65-yard pass to James Jones in the third for a 21-0 lead. He fumbled once, but a teammate recovered the football.
“Second half, we got under center a little bit more, started running some regular offense and just kind of got things going,” Rodgers said. “We had a good bead on what they’re going to do there in the third quarter, and James ran a nice post route and I didn’t underthrow him too bad and he ran in for a touchdown.”
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