Jordan Love: Packers Had Lions 'Number. We've Been Waiting for This Game for a While'

Jordan Love had Thursday's game circled.

"We had their number," the Green Bay Packers quarterback told reporters after a 29-22 victory over the division-rival Detroit Lions that moved his team to 5-6 on the season. "We've been waiting for this game for a while."

Green Bay certainly looked ready.

It gained 53 yards on the game's first play from scrimmage on a connection between Love and Christian Watson and was in the end zone four players later for the opening score. It scored a touchdown on its opening two possessions and also returned a Jared Goff fumble for a touchdown on Detroit's first possession.

The visitors had a 20-6 lead before the first quarter ended and never looked back even though the Lions closed the gap on the final score.

Love finished 22-of-32 for 268 yards, three touchdowns and zero interceptions, while the defense forced three turnovers on Goff fumbles. The Lions were also an ugly 1-of-5 on fourth-down attempts, which allowed Green Bay to maintain the advantage after it jumped out to a fast lead.

Things are certainly starting to look up for the Packers.

They started the season 2-5 and seemed well on their way to a playoff-less season. However, they have now won three of four, including Thursday's impressive performance against the NFC North leaders, and are well within striking distance of the NFC's playoff picture.

In fact, they are just one game behind the 6-5 Minnesota Vikings for the No. 7 seed and still have a head-to-head opportunity against their division rivals in Week 17.

There will be plenty at stake in that game as long as Love keeps playing at a high level. There are also winnable contests against the New York Giants, Carolina Panthers and Chicago Bears on the remaining slate, so it isn't difficult to envision Green Bay making a playoff push.