GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) – The Green Bay Packers believe they’ve come a long way since they last faced the Detroit Lions nearly a month ago.

They get a chance to prove it Thursday when they visit Detroit to close a stretch of three games in 12 days. The Packers need to win that game – and avenge a 24-14 loss from Nov. 3 – to have any realistic chance of contending for the NFC North title

Although the Packers (9-3) have put themselves in good shape to earn a playoff berth by winning three straight and seven of their last eight, they remain two games behind the Lions (11-1) and a half-game behind Minnesota (9-2) in the NFC North. They also already lost at home to both teams.

That makes Thursday’s game critical.

“With how much the guys are winning on the other side, we´ve got to do everything right from here on out,” running back Josh Jacobs said after the Packers’ 30-17 Thursday night victory over the Miami Dolphins. “That´s what we´re trying to do.”

Packers coach Matt LaFleur acknowledges the challenge the Packers will face in Detroit. He calls the Lions “the premier team in the National Football League.”

But he also believes the Packers are playing their best football of the season. They built a 27-3 lead against Miami four nights after rolling to a 38-10 victory over the San Francisco 49ers.

Those fast starts represent a sharp contrast from their loss to the Lions at Lambeau Field. The Packers allowed the Lions to grab a 24-3 lead in that one.

“The one thing that stands out to me is just we´re being physical in every phase of football, and I think that´s going to do us well,” LaFleur said Thursday night. “I think that gives you a chance each and every week, just, and it shows up all over the tape, whether it´s our linebackers hitting people, whether it´s up front, our receivers blocking.”

Packers center Josh Myers agrees that the Packers are playing better than they were for that last Lions game.

“I feel like we just found our rhythm,” Myers said. “We´ve settled in. That whole time you kept hearing complementary football being thrown around everywhere, I feel like we´re doing that now.”

The Packers avoided committing a turnover for a second straight game. … Green Bay sacked Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa five times and held Miami’s offense to three points over the first 2 1/2 quarters. … After limiting San Francisco to 44 yards on 16 carries, the Packers held Miami to 39 yards on 14 rushes. … The Packers built a big lead early for a second straight game, as they got three touchdowns and two field goals out of their first seven possessions. … The offensive line didn’t allow a sack.

When Tagovailoa had enough time to throw, the Packers had trouble containing him. Tagovailoa threw for 365 yards, the highest total Green Bay had allowed this season. … The Packers had a handful of pre-snap offside or false-start penalties in the first half.

QB Jordan Love has thrown four touchdown passes without an interception over his last two games. … WR Jayden Reed scored two touchdowns to increase his season total to seven (six receiving, one rushing). … TE Tucker Kraft matched a career high with six catches and had a team-high 74 yards receiving. … CB Robert Rochell earned a game ball after recovering a muffed punt to set up the Packers’ first touchdown. … DL Lukas Van Ness has recorded a sack in two straight games. … K Brandon McManus was 3 of 3 on field-goal attempts and is 9 of 10 since joining the Packers.

LG Elgton Jenkins had an unnecessary roughness penalty that turned a potential fourth-and-goal from the 1 into fourth-and-goal from the 15. The Packers settled for a 33-yard field goal from McManus on that drive.

CB Corey Ballentine hurt his knee on the opening kickoff. DL Arron Mosby was evaluated for a concussion. CB Jaire Alexander (knee) and LB Edgerrin Cooper (hamstring) missed their second straight games.

65 – LaFleur improved his regular-season record to 65-30 and moved into sole possession of second place for regular-season wins by a coach in his first six seasons, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. LaFleur had been tied for second place with Bill Cowher, Mike Holmgren and Andy Reid. The record is owned by George Seifert, who had a 75-21 regular-season record from 1989-94 in his first six years as San Francisco’s coach.

The Packers will try to win in Detroit for a second straight season. The road team has won the last four games in this series.

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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL