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| Date | December 3, 2015 | ||||||||||||||||||
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| Stadium | Ford Field,Detroit, Michigan, U.S. | ||||||||||||||||||
| Referee | Carl Cheffers | ||||||||||||||||||
| Attendance | 63,207 | ||||||||||||||||||
| TV in the United States | |||||||||||||||||||
| Network | CBS,NFL Network | ||||||||||||||||||
| Announcers | Jim Nantz,Phil Simms,Tracy Wolfson | ||||||||||||||||||
TheMiracle in Motown was aNational Football League (NFL) game played on December 3, 2015, between theNFC North divisional rivalsGreen Bay Packers andDetroit Lions. The game, which was broadcast on television nationally onThursday Night Football, was contested atFord Field inDetroit, Michigan, during the2015 NFL season. On the final play of regulation, with no time remaining on the game clock and Detroit leading 23–21, Packers quarterbackAaron Rodgers threw a 61-yard (56 m)Hail Mary pass into the end zone that was caught by tight endRichard Rodgers for the game-winningwalk-off touchdown.
The play resulted in a dramatic 27–23 come-from-behind victory for the Packers, who had trailed 20–0 in the second half. The victory was the fourth-largest comeback in franchise history. It was also the start of a three-game winning streak that would help the Packers clinch their seventh consecutive postseason berth. The play won theNFL Play of the Year award for the 2015 season and was named the year's best play in North American sports at the2016 ESPY Awards.
During the2015 NFL season, theGreen Bay Packers andDetroit Lions were scheduled to play each other twice, continuingtheir rivalry that began in 1930.[1][2] In Week 10, the Lions beat the Packers atLambeau Field with a score of 18–16. The victory was the first for the Lions at Lambeau Field in 24 years.[3]
The Packers began the season with a record of 6–0 before losing three straight, including the Week 10 match-up against the Lions.[1] The Packers entered the Week 13 match-up against the Lions atFord Field with a record of 7–4, after a 30–13 victory against theMinnesota Vikings, who the Packers were battling for the division lead.[4] The Lions came into the game following three consecutive victories after a 1–7 start to the season.[5] With a victory in this game, which was broadcast nationally onThursday Night Football, the Lions would achieve their first season sweep of the Packers since 1991.[6] The Packers entered the game as 3-point favorites.[4]
The Packers began the game with a short drive ending in a punt. The Lions started their first drive on their own 32-yard line. After driving 35 yards, the Packers stopped the Lions on third down, forcing a 51-yard field goal attempt, whichMatt Prater converted to put the Lions up 3–0. The Packers again failed to move the ball, going three-and-out and punting again, this time to the Lions 24-yard line. The Lions put together an 8-play, 76-yard touchdown drive, withAmeer Abdullah's 36-yard rush being the longest play of the drive.Matthew Stafford completed a 3-yard touchdown pass toEric Ebron to increase Detroit's lead to 10–0. After the ensuing kickoff, the Packers started their drive at the 20-yard line. After a 2-yard rush byEddie Lacy,Aaron Rodgers threw an interception toGlover Quin at the 41-yard line, who brought the ball back to the 17-yard line. On the first play of the drive, Stafford threw a 17-yard touchdown toCalvin Johnson, putting the Lions up 17–0 right before the end of the first quarter. The Packers had a long drive for the first time on the ensuing possession. A 40-yard defensive pass interference penalty on the Lions brought the ball to mid-field. A. Rodgers completed a 19-yard pass toRichard Rodgers before being sacked on third down. The Packers attempted a field goal, althoughMason Crosby missed the attempt, hitting the left upright. The next seven drives in the first half ended in punts, with neither team gaining more than 20 yards.[7]
The Lions began the second half with an 11-play, 66-yard drive that ended in a 34-yard field goal by Prater. Stafford completed five passes to four different receivers on the drive for 61 yards, with the field goal bringing the Lions lead to 20–0. The Packers started their next drive on the 25-yard line. A. Rodgers completed a 26-yard pass to R. Rodgers on third down to get the Packers to mid-field. After two rushes for four and twelve yards, A. Rodgers completed a 25-yard pass toJames Starks, who was downed at the 8-yard line.[7] Starks received the hand-off on the next play and then proceeded to fumble the ball forward into the end zone, where it was recovered byRandall Cobb for a touchdown.[8] With the score 20–7, the Lions started their next drive at the 20-yard line. On their first play, Stafford was sacked byJulius Peppers and fumbled the ball, which the Packers recovered at the 12-yard line. After two short completions, A. Rodger threw an 8-yard touchdown pass toDavante Adams, bringing the score to 20–14. The Lions and Packers traded punts on a short drive by each before the Lions put together a 13-play, 34 yard drive that ended in a 42-yard field goal by Prater. Detroit's drive was extended by a defensive offsides penalty on the Packers, a fourth down conversion by the Lions, and a 10-yard scramble by Stafford. The Packers regained possession down 23–14, starting at their own 16-yard line. The Packers put together an 11-play, 84-yard drive, which included a 16-yard completion to Cobb to convert on fourth down. On third down, with 17 yards to go, A. Rodgers escaped the pocket and rushed for a 17-yard touchdown run, bringing the score to 23–21 with just over 3 minutes left in the fourth quarter. Stafford completed a 29-yard pass toGolden Tate on third down to extend the Lion's drive, but after three consecutive rushes for a total of -3 yards, the Lions punted the ball 35 yards to the Packers 21-yard line with 30 seconds left in the game. After two incompletions, the Packers were faced with a third down and 10 yards to go with 6 seconds left on the clock.[7]
Nantz: How far can Rodgers throw it?
Simms: He can make it to the end zone if he gets out of the pocket, gets a little running start, but then can – can the receivers get far enough down the field?
Nantz: ...Rodgers, in trouble...
Simms: It's gonna get there.
Nantz: He turned 32 yesterday, does he have a vintage moment in him? In the end zone... it is caught for the win! Richard Rodgers with a walk-off touchdown! A game-ender for the Packers! Total disbelief at Ford Field. The Packers, saved by the face mask call, given one last chance, and Aaron Rodgers heaves it as far as he can, and Richard Rodgers II, boxing out in the end zone for the touchdown.
On the third down play, the Packers attempted to throw the ball short and thenlateral the ball to their teammates (similar to ahook and ladder play). A. Rodgers completed the pass down the left side of the field toJames Jones, who proceeded to lateral the ball back R. Rodgers. R. Rodgers then threw the ball back to A. Rodgers, who was trailing the play.[6] A. Rodgers was tackled at his 24-yard line byDevin Taylor, with the game clock having gone to zero during the play.[7] However, two officials threw flags on the play, with a 15-yardface mask penalty ultimately being assessed on Taylor.[10][7] NFL rules stated that a game cannot end on a defensive penalty, so the Packers were given anuntimed play at their own 39-yard line after the penalty was assessed.[11][7]
On the untimed play, all Packers receivers ran towards the end zone and A. Rodgers broke to his left before changing direction and scrambling to his right, escaping the Detroit defenders in the process, which provided time for the receivers to reach the end zone.[6] A. Rodgers then threw a 61-yard (56 m) Hail Mary pass into the end zone.[8] R. Rodgers, who was the last player to reach the end zone and whose job on the play was to box out defenders and try to catch a tip, leapt high in the air and brought the ball down for the score. The touchdown resulted in the Packers winning 27–23 in walk-off fashion.[12]
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Packers | 0 | 0 | 14 | 13 | 27 |
| Lions | 17 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 23 |
atFord Field inDetroit, Michigan
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The Packers 20-point comeback was the fourth-largest in franchise history.[15] Aaron Rodgers's throw on the Hail Mary was lauded for its arc and distance.[8][6][16] According to a number of estimations, the pass traveled 66–68 yards (60–62 m) in the air before reaching the hands of Richard Rodgers. The throw was also high enough to nearly hit the rafters at Ford Field.[17] He was also recognized for his scramble before the pass, which provided his receivers enough time to reach the end zone and provided him enough space to step into the throw to attain the necessary distance to reach his receivers.[6]Mike McCarthy broke down the throw by saying "When you throw it with that arch [sic] you have a chance, because it gives guys a chance to fight for position. That's the whole design of it, and there's a design to where you try to get to and the triangle that you're trying to form (with teammates) down there. Richard is the perfect guy for that type of situation, big body and his ability to go up—you see his old basketball skills—and high-point the football".[16] The 61-yard completion was the longest touchdown pass to end and win a game in NFL history up to that point.[6]
The face mask penalty against Detroit that led to the winning play by Green Bay generated controversy, since replays appeared to show Taylor not grabbing Rodgers's facemask.[18][12]Dean Blandino, NFL Vice President of Officiating, responded to the call onTwitter moments after the game by affirming the call. Blandino noted that "hand up to the mask, quick grab with finger and the head gets turned. At full speed, official is going to make that call almost every time".[19] During a visit by NFL officials to a Lions training camp in 2016,Carl Cheffers, the official who threw the flag, was asked about the penalty; he said "I think it was an illegal tackle. Horse-collar, facemask, I think it was an illegal tackle. I'm very comfortable with it."[10]
The win snapped a three-game losing streak for the Packers and was credited as saving the team's season.[20] It also helped the Packers maintain pace with the Vikings for the NFC North title, however the Vikings would ultimately win the division, ending the Packers 4-year streak of division titles.[21] The Packers would still make theplayoffs as awild card team after finishing with a record of 10–6.[1] In the playoffs, the Packers would defeat theWashington Redskins 35–18 in theWild Card Round before falling to theArizona Cardinals in theDivisional Round 20–26 (the game went into overtime after Rodgers completed another successful Hail Mary pass, this time toJeff Janis, only for Arizona to win on their opening drive of the extra period largely through the efforts ofLarry Fitzgerald).[22][23] The loss effectively eliminated Detroit from playoff contention and after going 3–1 in their final four games, the Lions would finish the season in 3rd place in NFC North with a 7–9 record.[24][25]
The nickname for the play, "Miracle in Motown", was first used by Jim Nantz during the nationally broadcastThursday Night Football postgame show.[26] Thealliterative name alludes to its improbability ("miracle") and its location in Detroit, which ismetonymously known as "Motown". Motown—which as aportmanteau of "motor" and "town" references Detroit's other nickname as the "Motor City"—is the name of a distinct musical style associated with Black musicians andsoul music in the Detroit-area since the 1950s.[27]
The play marked the first of three successful Hail Marys in the span of 13 months for Aaron Rodgers.[28] After theHail Murray play in 2020, Rodgers was interviewed onThe Pat McAfee Show to discuss the dynamics of throwing a good Hail Mary pass based on his previous successes.[29] The play also contributed to an unlikely legacy for Richard Rodgers, whose fatherRichard Rodgers Sr. was part of "The Play", a famous college football game that ended on a five-lateral play for a touchdown.[24] Considered one of the best of the year, the pass won theNFL Play of the Year award for the 2015 season and was named the year's best play in North American sports at the2016 ESPY Awards.[30][31]