The Green Bay Packers (12-4) captured a fourth straight division title and the No. 2 seed in the NFC with a 30-20 win over the visiting Detroit Lions (11-5) Sunday at Lambeau Field. 

It was over when…

…Lions running Joique Bell was ruled down short of the goal line on Detroit’s two-point try with 1:45 left in the fourth quarter. The review and eventual decision kept the score at 30-20, giving the Packers a two-score cushion and eliminating the possibility of a nervy finish. 

Game Balls

• Aaron Rodgers: Eddie Lacy ran for 100 hard fought and well earned yards, but it was Rodgers’ early work and late heroics after returning from injury that turned the game. The Packers went up 14-0 on Rodgers’ first half touchdown pass, but the game was tied and slipping away by the time he returned. He then calmly led Green Bay on two scoring drives in the second half, including the final touchdown in which he snuck in the score himself. Playing with just one healthy leg for most of the contest, Rodgers averaged 10.3 yards on 22 attempts and finished with a 139.6 passer rating. The Packers don’t win if Matt Flynn plays the entire second half. 
• Clay Matthews: His early sack was a perfect example of why Matthews is a special player. He dropped into coverage, took away Matthew Stafford’s first read and then closed for the sack in an instant once Stafford began his scramble. The Packers took a risk on moving Matthews inside but it’s really paid off. He later helped stop Bell short of the goal line to seal the game. Morgan Burnett was considered here, but he had an ugly missed tackle in the first half. The Lions also struggled to stay in front of Mike Daniels, and Casey Hayward was active from the slot. 
• Micah Hyde: His 55-yard punt return for a touchdown helped erase the momentum loss of Detroit’s early goal line stand. Hyde has two punt returns for scores in 2014 and three overall in his short career. The touchdown made up for another forgettable day of special teams from Shawn Slocum’s unit.

Stat of the Game 

152: The Packers rushed for 152 yards, the most allowed by the Lions defense this season. Lacy, with 100 yards on 26 carries, became the first individual running back to crack the century mark against Detroit in 2014. Green Bay called 36 designed runs, while Lacy and backup James Starks carried 31 times and averaged 4.1 per attempt. Both cracked runs of over 20 yards. 

Other Notes

-- The best quarterback among the qualifying playoff teams is generally a sure-fire MVP formula. Aaron Rodgers is that quarterback in 2014. He threw 38 touchdowns and five interceptions, finished with a 112.2 passer rating and had his MVP moment in returning from injury Sunday and leading the Packers to a division title. J.J. Watt and his ridiculous season should (and will) stress voters. In a perfect world, Rodgers and Watt would split the title. Both are worthy. More than likely, Rodgers is going to edge a defensive player on a non-playoff team to win his second MVP.

-- The final tallies are in: Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb combined to catch 189 passes for 2,806 yards and 25 touchdowns. Video game numbers for two receivers on the same team. Throw in Eddie Lacy and his nearly 1,600 total yards and 13 touchdowns and the Packers just put together the kind of 16-game season you probably struggled to produce on rookie mode in Madden. Rodgers, Lacy, Nelson and Cobb are about as good as it gets in terms of a quartet of offensive producers. 

-- The Packers offensive line proved it is Super Bowl caliber. The offense rushed for 152 yards, and the only sack allowed came against the pocket-clueless Matt Flynn. The Lions were credited with just two quarterback hits. T.J. Lang was especially impressive. In just the last month, the Packers have won battles with the Bills and Lions at the line of scrimmage. No defensive front should legitimately scare Green Bay in the postseason. 

-- The Green Bay defense and special teams are both still “never know what you’re going to get” thrill rides. The Lions weren’t especially efficient on offense, but there were also numerous unforced errors and missed opportunities that good offenses will convert. Detroit finished with 23 first downs. To be fair, the Packers typically delivered pressure on Matthew Stafford when it mattered most. The special teams gave Green Bay an early lead but then did everything in its power to make it a game. A seventh blocked kick, a misplayed safety punt and a nearly botched onside recovery were just a few of the lowlights. It’s probably safe to assume that the Packers will have to overcome poor special teams to make a deep run into the postseason. 

-- It’s very difficult to give Ndamukong Suh any benefit of the doubt on his “step” incident. The first foot can be excused. But once you step on something that is clearly a leg and not turf, you don’t step a second time without some kind of malicious intent. And he appeared to put plenty of weight on the second step. It will be very, very interesting to see how the league handles the situation. Dirty players do dirty things. 

-- The Packers will get a well deserved week off before welcoming either the Dallas Cowboys, Carolina Panthers or Arizona Cardinals to Lambeau Field on Sunday, Jan. 11 for the Divisional round. Kickoff is at noon on Fox. 

Zach Kruse contributes to Cheesehead TV. He is also the Lead Writer for the NFC North at Bleacher Report. You can reach him on Twitter @zachkruse2 or by email at [email protected].