Packers denied playoff spot by Lions as Williams breaks franchise record
The result means the Seattle Seahawks will go into the Wild Card round as the seventh seed in the NFC where they will face the San Francisco 49ers.
Seattle's overtime win over the Los Angeles Rams shortly prior to kickoff meant the Lions were out of postseason contention but the Packers had a simple win-and-in scenario yet they could not complete the job.
The Packers, who had won four straight games coming in, miss the playoffs for the first time under head coach Matt LaFleur.
Veteran Packers QB Aaron Rodgers threw a fourth-quarter interception to Kerby Joseph after the Lions had re-taken the lead from Williams' second rushing TD. Lions quarterback Jared Goff sealed the win on a fourth-and-one with 1:15 remaining when he found D.J. Chark for first down.
Rodgers finished the game with one touchdown pass and one interception, completing 17 of 27 passes for 205 yards, while Goff threw for 224 yards on 23-of-34 passing.
Williams' game-winning touchdown, which was his 17th rushing TD for the season to surpass Barry Sanders' franchise record, came after Quay Walker was inexplicably ejected after pushing a Lions training staff member attending to the injured De'Andre Swift. It was the second time Walker has been ejected this season.
Lions running back Williams, who ran for 72 yards on 16 carries, had put the Lions ahead with a third quarter TD after Goff found Kalif Raymond for 43 yards, before Rodgers found Allen Lazard on a 13-yard TD pass to immediately re-claim the lead. Rodgers had linked up with Christian Watson for a 45-yard pass two plays prior, with the rookie having 104 yards from five receptions for the game.
The Packers were left to rue Rodgers' interception, Walker's disqualification and a second-quarter Aaron Jones' fumble.