NFL: Detroit Lions beat Green Bay Packers with Reggie Bush touchdown

The Detroit Lions managed to smother Green Bay’s offence to bag a crucial divisional victory over the Packers with a 17-9 success at Ford Field.

It was the first time the Lions had managed to beat a Green Bay team led by quarterback Aaron Rodgers when the triggerman had completed a game without injury – he was 9-1 overall before Sunday’s game.

Don Carey returned an Eddie Lacy fumble 40 yards for the Lions on what was Green Bay’s first offensive snap of the game, setting the tone for a menacing performance from Detroit's defence.

Rodgers managed to respond right at the end of the quarter when he hit tight end Andrew Quarless for a 10-yard TD strike to level, but that was about as good as it would get.

Detroit held the powerful Packers without a further score through three quarters, despite a number of injuries in the secondary, with the defensive line outmuscling their opposition and putting Rodgers under constant pressure.

Sacked

Rodgers was sacked twice and threw for only 162 yards and one touchdown; Green Bay could amass just 223 yards of offence overall on the night.

The Lions went ahead again in the second quarter as Lacy was stuffed trying to run the ball out of the end zone with DeAndre Levy forcing the safety.

Nate Freese booted a 30-yard field goal, and Reggie Bush produced a sparkling 26-yard TD run to increase the lead in the fourth quarter in what proved to be the final score of the game.

Bush finished with 61 yards on 12 carries and added a further 38 yards on six receptions as he showed some of the sparkle of last season.

Matt Stafford threw for 246 yards without a touchdown and was also intercepted twice, as the Packers forced three turnovers by also recovering a fumble.

Yet it was Detroit’s defence that decided the game, and they move to 2-1 with a vital NFC North win over the Packers, who slip to 1-2 for the season having lost on opening night to the Seattle Seahawks on the road.