Live updates: Lions outlast Packers to finish season 9-8, knock Packers out of playoffs

The Lions may not have made the playoffs, but they finished the season with a winning record for the first time since 2017 and sent the Packers home with a 20-16 victory. Not a bad consolation.

Aaron Rodgers was picked off by Kerby Joseph *again* late in the fourth quarter, and the offense finished the game off. It wasn’t pretty, but they got the job done.

This rebuild appears to be going quite swimmingly for the Lions. A big offseason is ahead.

Final: Lions 20, Packers 16

-Q4: They got it. Goff to Chark. That's game.

-Q4 1:15: 4th down and 1 at the Packers 15. Dan Campbell is going for it.

Two-minute warning

-Q4 2:26: Amon-Ra St. Brown just caught a pass with his legs. I kid you not. It was a sight to behold.

Kerby Joseph owns Aaron Rodgers

-Q4 3:27: Kerby Joseph picks off Aaron Rodgers for the third time this year. Another sensational play by the rookie.

Williams passes Sanders to give Lions the lead

-Q4 5:55: Williams breaks Sanders' franchise record to give the Lions the lead. 20-16 with less than six minutes to go.

-Q4 Packers' LB Quay Walker just got ejected for shoving a Lions' training staff member.

-Q4 9:06: Lions for it on 4th down on the Packers 26 and get it. They've got a nice drive going.

-Q4 13:51: Lions get the ball back down three.

End of third quarter: Packers lead Lions 16-13

-Q3: Kerby Joseph had a pick, but John Cominsky is called for....wait for it...illegal hands to the face. Brutal swing.

-Q3 2:28: And the Lions go three-and-out. Kind of an inopportune time for that.

Packers retake the lead

-Q3 3:17: Packers respond. A 46-yard bomb from Rodgers to Christian Watson sets up a 13-yard TD pass to Allen Lazard. Packers back up 16-13.

Lions take the lead

-Q3 8:05: Goff chucks it deep to Kalif Raymond, who hauls it in at the 1-yard line. Jamaal Williams punches it in on the next play, 16th rushing TD to tie Barry Sanders for the franchise record. Lions lead 13-9.

-Q3 9:32: Packers have to settle for another field goal, but this time Crosby misses it short, right off the crossbar. Lions still down by just three.

-Q3 13:13: Lions go three-and-out to start the second half. Goff has had a rough night. Many of this throws have been off the mark.

Second half underway

Lions get the ball to start the second half. Last half of the season. Buckle up.

First half stats

Goff: 13-21, 115 yards

Williams: 4 rushes, 15 yards

Swift: 4 catches, 34 yards

St. Brown: 3 catches, 24 yards

Raymond: 3 catches, 23 yards

Halftime: Packers 9, Lions 6

-Q2 Badgley was going to have to hit a 47-yarder, but a strange personal foul on the Packers made it a much easier 32-yarder. It's good, and the Lions are down 9-6 at the half.

Lions recover a fumble

-Q2 1:16: Aaron Jones fumbles and the Lions recover. Forced by John Cominsky, recovered by Will Harris. Huge play toward the end of the half.

Two-minute warning

-Q2 2:30: James Houston jumped on 4th and 6, making it 4th and 1 and an easy conversion for the Packers.

-Q2 6:13: Lions had a nice drive going but it stalls. Then Badgley misses a 46-yarder. Yikes. That holding call on the TD to Jamo really hurts now.

-Q2 Goff found Jameson Williams for a TD on a flea flicker but it was called back on a holding call. Luckily, the Lions picked up the first down on the next play.

Packers kick another field goal

-Q2 12:56: Hutchinson sacks Rodgers again. His second of the night. Packers have to settle for another field goal. 9-3 now.

End of first quarter: Packers lead Lions 6-3

Amon-Ra St. Brown had a first down reception, but the call was overturned on a Green Bay challenge. Sure looked like a catch to me...and pretty much everyone else. But the league so enough to overturn, I guess.

Packers add another field goal

-Q1 1:54: Aidan Hutchinson sacks Aaron Rodgers on third down to give him 8.5 now on the year. Packers settle for another field goal. 6-3.

Lions tie game at 3

-Q1 7:00: The Lions have to settle for a field goal. Badgley's kick from 37 yards is good. Tie game, 3-3.

-Q1 8:32: Packers go for it on 4th down deep in their own end and the Lions stuff them. Huge play early on. Alex Anzalone on the stop.

-Q1 10:27: Lions go three-and-out. Goff had a couple of wobblers on that drive.

Packers strike first with a field goal

-Q1 11:21: The Packers march right down the field , but the Lions' defense holds strong and forces a field goal. A 46-yard pass interference penalty on Jerry Jacobs set the Packers up. Mason Crosby hits the chip shot FG and it's 3-0 Packers.

Kickoff

Lions win the toss and defer. The Packers are up first on offense.

Seahawks win, Lions eliminated

-The Rams lose to the Seahawks, 19-16, in overtime. Thus, the Lions are eliminated from playoff contention. They will be playing the role of spoiler tonight and try to keep the Packers out of the playoffs.

Injury designations

ACTIVE: C Frank Ragnow (foot)

INACTIVE: RB Craig Reynolds, RB Jermar Jefferson, G Kayode Awosika, G Ross Pierschbacher, DE Austin Bryant, DL Michael Brockers, CB Jeff Okudah (elbow)

More:Lions CB Jeff Okudah inactive for season finale with elbow injury

Pregame

With the Seahawks beating the Rams, the Lions will be attempting to play the role of spoiler, where they will try to keep the Green Bay Packers out of the playoffs.

The Lions haven't played a game of this importance in quite some time. The last regular-season game they played that had these kinds of stakes was Week 17 of the 2016 season — against these same Packers — for the NFC North. Of course, Green Bay went on to win that game.

This is it. It's now or never, no matter happens to Seattle.

Follow along here for live updates from Detroit News contributor Matthew Scheidel.