Since the NFL committed to an exclusive lineup of divisional games for the final week of the regular season, the Packers have closed their season against the Lions more than any other divisional opponent. They’ve squared off with the Lions to end their regular season slate seven times counting this year, which will be the sixth time since 2014 they’ve done so.

Surprisingly, a lot of those games have carried some importance. In 2014, the Packers needed a win for seeding purposes, just as they did in 2019. In 2016, the Packers needed a win just to get into the playoffs at all, completing the regular season portion of Aaron Rodgers’ “run the table proclamation.”

But just as often, the Packers and Lions have slogged through a season finale that’s meaningless to one or both teams. This year was the fourth time the teams have met in the final week of the season since 2010 when at least one of the two teams has had nothing to play for. 

And what a game it was! Davante Adams set a record. A wide receiver threw a touchdown pass. Josiah Deguara randomly scored a 62-yard touchdown. All these are hallmarks of a great meaningless game.

But how does it compare to previous meaningless Packers/Lions games? Here’s a quick look at the last three. 

January 1, 2012

The result - Packers: 45 Lions: 41

What happened: Thanks to their 15-1 regular season record in 2011, the Packers had no reason to play anybody. Did that result in a boring game? It categorically did not.

Matt Flynn dueled Matthew Stafford among swirling snow, tossing a combined 103 passes for 1,000 yards and 11 touchdowns, but it was ultimately a couple of Packers role players that made difference-making plays on defense to set the Packers apart. Long-time special teams ace Jarrett Bush picked off Stafford in the red zone and Brad Jones came up with a sack, scuttling two second-half drives for Detroit. After a late touchdown pass to Jermichael Finley, the Packers held on to put the Lions away.

What you might have forgotten: In addition to Bush and Jones, the Packers got some decent contributions from other names that may have slipped your mind. In a game that was all about passing, Brandon Saine still managed to record eight carries, grinding out 28 yards. And former preseason star Vic So’oto also got into the action on defense, recording the lone sack of his NFL career.

December 31, 2017

The result - Lions: 35 Packers: 11

What happened: When Aaron Rodgers broke his collarbone against the Minnesota Vikings early in 2017, it put the entire season on life support. When the Packers couldn’t get a win against the Carolina Panthers in his return to the lineup later that year, it ended any chance of his comeback making a difference. Back to injured reserve he went, and the Packers turned back to Brett Hundley to play out the string of their doomed season.

On the road in Detroit, the Packers played exactly as listlessly as you’d expect a team whose season had been more or less taken from them to play. Hundley was bad, even by the incredibly low standards he’d set that year, completing just 14 of 24 passes for 172 yards, a touchdown, and two interceptions. Worse was the defense, particularly Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, who was repeatedly victimized by Stafford and the Lions.

What you might have forgotten: The Packers lost, but it wasn’t Randall Cobb’s fault. He caught four passes for 45 yards and a touchdown, ran the ball once for four yards, and even completed a pass, connecting with Brett Hundley for 10 yards.

December 30, 2018

The result - Lions: 31 Packers: 0

What happened: As far as ignominious defeats go, this one is right up there. With Mike McCarthy fired and the playoffs no longer a possibility, you’d understand if the Packers’ players had their cars running in the team parking lot prior to kickoff.

If that was the case for Aaron Rodgers, he could have been home by halftime. A concussion sent him to the locker room on the Packers’ final first quarter drive, and DeShone Kizer played out the string in what would be his final meaningful game with the Packers. 

He went down firing, though! Kizer threw 35 passes that day, but managed just 132 yards. He finished as the Packers’ leading rusher, for whatever that matters, carrying four times for 40 yards.

What you might have forgotten: Randall Cobb snagged one pass for 27 yards as he made a temporary final appearance as a member of the Green Bay Packers. Thank goodness he got a do-over on that one!