Packers face Lions in Thanksgiving game reminiscent of 1962

Thanksgiving this year had the Green Bay Packers facing up the Lions in a game reminiscent of the game back in 1962.

As the Packers, 10-0, went into Detroit to defend an NFL championship, Jerry Kramer believed that the team, under the coaching of Mike McCarthy, would not face the challenge that the Packers did under Vince Lombardi close to half a century ago.

The three-time Pro Bowl selection who was also a mainstay at the legendary offensive line of Lombardi's Packers realized about three to four weeks ago that the team was playing their 11th game on Thanksgiving Day in Detroit, just like they had. He thought it would be "a bloodbath" the way it had been those many years ago.

Still, he corrected himself with the fact that the Lions now did not have a vendetta like the team of 1962 did against the Packers.

"But it will be emotional," he said with certainty.

McCarthy's team goes into the Thanksgiving game against the Lions without a spot on its record. Detroit, meanwhile, holds a record of 7-3, tied with Chicago for the NFC North division second place.

If Detroit loses, they would lose their chances of winning the division as well as their opportunity to make the playoffs for once since 1999. They would also compromise their first winning season since 2000.

Meanwhile, the Packers are simply on the way to keeping their championship for the Super Bowl XLV, as well as a possibly perfect 16-0 season, although there was not much pressure for a win.

Donald Driver, veteran receiver of the Packers, said that their championship was last year. This year, which he described as a new year, they were definitely going to fight just like any other team in the NFL.

He said that the other teams were fighting to get to where the Packers were, while the Packer were fighting to get back to where they came from.

During the 1962 Thanksgiving game, the Packers came off their first championship led by Lombardi and got rid of rivals in what fans call a methodical way. The only nail-biter had been a 9-7 win over the Lions during the fourth week of the season.

The Packers entered the 1962 game at Tiger Stadium full of confidence under Lombardi. The team was well respected as well as well-trained, keeping a record of 10-0 versus Detroit's 8-2.

In contrast to the charged emotions today, during that time, there was not much attention paid to the team's chances of finishing a perfect 14-0. In fact, newspaper accounts during that season give indication that Lombardi was not comfortable with the idea of keeping a perfect record, as he did not want the focus to be diverted.

Back then, the Packers were expectant of a major fight from the Lions after they had defeated them in Green Bay. After all, the Lions had led the game at 7-6, and only needed to finish up the clock. But Packers Herb Adderley intercepted a pass thrown by Lions quarterback Milt Plum, which set up a field goal that won the game for Green Bay.

Kram shared that the Lions had been so furious at Plum that he could hear them throwing garbage cans, screaming, and swearing in the locker room after the loss.