Game story
In Week 15 of the 2023 NFL season on 2023-12-16, the Detroit Lions took care of business against the Denver Broncos, pulling away with a 42–17 final that controlled the game from start to finish.
The highest-scoring period was Q4 with 27 combined points — the stretch that most shaped the final margin.
J. Goff (Detroit Lions) paced the passing game, with +16.20 total EPA, and +8.1% completion percentage over expected.
On the individual side, J. Goff (Detroit Lions) delivered the top overall EPA impact at +16.20 — the clearest player-of-the-game signal on the analytics sheet.
The momentum swing (-23.7% win probability) landed in the opening quarter when Denver Broncos changed the game: (11:49) 3-R.Wilson sacked at DET 29 for -9 yards (6-I.Melifonwu). FUMBLES (6-I.Melifonwu) [6-I.Melifonwu], RECOVERED by DET-96-I.Buggs at DET 30. 96-I.Buggs to DEN 37 for 33 yards (77-Q.Meinerz).
Line score
Final score and points by quarter.
| Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | — | — | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denver Broncos | 0 | 10 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 17 |
| Detroit Lions | 21 | 7 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 42 |
Stars of the game
Top performers by total expected points added (EPA) across passing, rushing, and receiving.
- 1 J. Goff · Detroit Lions · Passing · +16.20 total EPA · 37 snaps · +0.44 EPA/play
- 2 S. LaPorta · Detroit Lions · Receiving · +10.55 total EPA · 6 snaps · +1.76 EPA/play
- 3 A.St. Brown · Detroit Lions · Receiving · +9.73 total EPA · 9 snaps · +1.08 EPA/play
- 4 C. Sutton · Denver Broncos · Receiving · +5.83 total EPA · 6 snaps · +0.97 EPA/play
- 5 L. Humphrey · Denver Broncos · Receiving · +3.52 total EPA · 4 snaps · +0.88 EPA/play
- 6 J. Gibbs · Detroit Lions · Rushing · +3.49 total EPA · 12 snaps · +0.29 EPA/play
- 7 J. Jeudy · Denver Broncos · Receiving · +2.37 total EPA · 7 snaps · +0.34 EPA/play
- 8 J. Reynolds · Detroit Lions · Receiving · +1.96 total EPA · 3 snaps · +0.65 EPA/play
Player of the game
FantasyHQ analytics player-of-the-game pick based on total EPA and signature plays.
J. Goff — DET · Passing
J. Goff posted the highest total EPA (+16.20) in the game, making the biggest overall impact on Detroit Lions's efficiency. Across 37 counted snaps, they averaged +0.44 EPA per play.
The signature play (-8.29 EPA) came from Denver Broncos: (11:49) 3-R.Wilson sacked at DET 29 for -9 yards (6-I.Melifonwu). FUMBLES (6-I.Melifonwu) [6-I.Melifonwu], RECOVERED by DET-96-I.Buggs at DET 30. 96-I.Buggs to DEN 37 for 33 yards (77-Q.Meinerz).
Who scored touchdowns and field goals
Every touchdown and field goal with the player named in official play-by-play.
Touchdowns
- Detroit Lions — S. LaPorta (J. Goff pass)
- Detroit Lions — J. Gibbs (J. Goff pass)
- Detroit Lions — A. St (J. Goff pass)
- Denver Broncos — L. Humphrey (R. Wilson pass)
- Detroit Lions — S. LaPorta (J. Goff pass)
- Detroit Lions — J. Gibbs
- Denver Broncos — R. Wilson
- Detroit Lions — S. LaPorta (J. Goff pass)
Field goals
- Denver Broncos — W. Lutz
How it unfolded, quarter by quarter
A quarter-by-quarter recap built from live scoring plays and play descriptions.
The second quarter: Detroit Lions won the period 21–0. Detroit Lions found the end zone from the DEN 19 (Q2 42:41) — (12:41) (Shotgun) 16-J.Goff pass short left to 87-S.LaPorta for 19 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Detroit Lions added 1 points from the DEN 15 (Q2 42:31) — 17-M.Badgley extra point is GOOD, Center-43-J.McQuaide, Holder-3-J.Fox.; Detroit Lions found the end zone from the DEN 9 (Q2 38:20) — (8:20) (Shotgun) 16-J.Goff pass short middle to 26-J.Gibbs for 9 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Detroit Lions added 1 points from the DEN 15 (Q2 38:15) — 17-M.Badgley extra point is GOOD, Center-43-J.McQuaide, Holder-3-J.Fox.; Detroit Lions found the end zone from the DEN 15 (Q2 30:24) — (:24) (Shotgun) 16-J.Goff pass short right to 14-A.St. Brown for 15 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Detroit Lions added 1 points from the DEN 15 (Q2 30:19) — 17-M.Badgley extra point is GOOD, Center-43-J.McQuaide, Holder-3-J.Fox..
The third quarter: Denver Broncos won the period 10–7. Denver Broncos found the end zone from the DET 3 (Q3 25:41); Denver Broncos added 1 points from the DET 15 (Q3 25:34) — 16-W.Lutz extra point is GOOD, Center-48-M.Fraboni, Holder-9-R.Dixon.; Detroit Lions found the end zone from the DEN 3 (Q3 22:03) — (7:03) (Shotgun) 16-J.Goff pass short right to 87-S.LaPorta for 3 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Detroit Lions added 1 points from the DEN 15 (Q3 22:01) — 17-M.Badgley extra point is GOOD, Center-43-J.McQuaide, Holder-3-J.Fox.; Denver Broncos connected on a field goal from the DET 5 (Q3 15:46) — (:46) 16-W.Lutz 23 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-48-M.Fraboni, Holder-9-R.Dixon..
The fourth quarter: Detroit Lions won the period 20–7. Detroit Lions found the end zone from the DEN 12 (Q4 12:17) — (12:17) 26-J.Gibbs left end for 12 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Detroit Lions added 1 points from the DEN 15 (Q4 12:12) — 17-M.Badgley extra point is GOOD, Center-43-J.McQuaide, Holder-3-J.Fox.; Denver Broncos found the end zone from the DET 1 (Q4 6:31) — (6:31) (No Huddle) 3-R.Wilson up the middle for 1 yard, TOUCHDOWN.; Denver Broncos added 1 points from the DET 15 (Q4 6:28) — 16-W.Lutz extra point is GOOD, Center-48-M.Fraboni, Holder-9-R.Dixon.; Detroit Lions found the end zone from the DEN 10 (Q4 2:26) — (2:26) 70-D.Skipper reported in as eligible. 16-J.Goff pass short middle to 87-S.LaPorta for 10 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Detroit Lions found the end zone from the DEN 15 (Q4 2:21) — 17-M.Badgley extra point is GOOD, Center-43-J.McQuaide, Holder-3-J.Fox..
Turning points
Plays that moved win probability the most — the swings that decided the game.
- Denver Broncos (Q1 56:49) — (11:49) 3-R.Wilson sacked at DET 29 for -9 yards (6-I.Melifonwu). FUMBLES (6-I.Melifonwu) [6-I.Melifonwu], RECOVERED by DET-96-I.Buggs at DET 30. 96-I.Buggs to DEN 37 for 33 yards (77-Q.Meinerz).
- Denver Broncos (Q1 57:58) — (12:58) (Shotgun) 3-R.Wilson pass short middle to 10-J.Jeudy to DET 31 for 40 yards (32-B.Branch).
- Denver Broncos (Q1 48:22) — (3:22) (Shotgun) 3-R.Wilson pass deep left to 14-C.Sutton pushed ob at DEN 40 for 23 yards (30-K.Dorsey; 6-I.Melifonwu).
- Detroit Lions (Q1 55:30) — (10:30) (Shotgun) 16-J.Goff sacked at DEN 39 for -7 yards (93-D.Jones).
- Detroit Lions (Q2 43:53) — (13:53) (Shotgun) 16-J.Goff pass short left to 87-S.LaPorta to DEN 40 for 7 yards (47-J.Jewell) [92-J.Harris].
Impact plays
Highest expected-points added snaps that flipped field position and scoring chances.
- Denver Broncos (Q1 56:49) — (11:49) 3-R.Wilson sacked at DET 29 for -9 yards (6-I.Melifonwu). FUMBLES (6-I.Melifonwu) [6-I.Melifonwu], RECOVERED by DET-96-I.Buggs at DET 30. 96-I.Buggs to DEN 37 for 33 yards (77-Q.Meinerz).
- Denver Broncos (Q3 28:39) — (13:39) (Shotgun) 3-R.Wilson pass incomplete deep middle to 19-M.Mims. Penalty on DET-30-K.Dorsey, Illegal Contact, declined. PENALTY on DET-34-A.Anzalone, Defensive Pass Interference, 44 yards, enfor
- Detroit Lions (Q4 2:26) — (2:26) 70-D.Skipper reported in as eligible. 16-J.Goff pass short middle to 87-S.LaPorta for 10 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
- Detroit Lions (Q2 30:24) — (:24) (Shotgun) 16-J.Goff pass short right to 14-A.St. Brown for 15 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
Quarterback report card
J.Goff led all passers in efficiency for Detroit Lions, setting the tone in the passing game according to FantasyHQ analytics.
- J.Goff (Detroit Lions) · 37 dropbacks · 64.9% completion · +8.1% CPOE · +0.44 EPA/play · +16.20 total EPA
- R.Wilson (Denver Broncos) · 36 dropbacks · 50.0% completion · -9.1% CPOE · +0.05 EPA/play · +1.92 total EPA
Team stats comparison
Side-by-side offensive and defensive efficiency from FantasyHQ analytics.
| Stat | Denver Broncos | Detroit Lions |
|---|---|---|
| Offensive EPA/play | -0.084 | +0.241 |
| Offensive success rate | 40.0% | 50.0% |
| Pass EPA/play | +0.053 | +0.438 |
| Rush EPA/play | -0.240 | +0.152 |
| Defensive EPA/play | -0.241 | +0.084 |
| Defensive success rate | 50.0% | 60.0% |
By the numbers
Detroit Lions held the efficiency edge in offensive EPA per play (+0.24 vs -0.08), even if the scoreboard told a different story.
- Denver Broncos: 11 drives, -6.73 total EPA, 3 scoring drives
- Detroit Lions: 10 drives, +19.76 total EPA, 6 scoring drives
Key takeaways
What to remember for fantasy research, film review, and follow-up box score digging.
- Detroit Lions leaves with the win and the better postgame narrative for Week-to-week momentum.
- J. Goff (Detroit Lions) is the first name to pull up for highlight reels and prop-retrospective research.
- J. Goff (DET) beat expectation through the air — positive CPOE game for stack builds.
- R. Wilson (DEN) finished below expected efficiency — volume may have masked accuracy issues.
Every scoring play
Chronological scoring with field position and full play-by-play context.
- Detroit Lions TD (+6) — Q2 42:41 · DEN 19 · Score 0-6
(12:41) (Shotgun) 16-J.Goff pass short left to 87-S.LaPorta for 19 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - Detroit Lions XP (+1) — Q2 42:31 · DEN 15 · Score 0-7
17-M.Badgley extra point is GOOD, Center-43-J.McQuaide, Holder-3-J.Fox. - Detroit Lions TD (+6) — Q2 38:20 · DEN 9 · Score 0-13
(8:20) (Shotgun) 16-J.Goff pass short middle to 26-J.Gibbs for 9 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - Detroit Lions XP (+1) — Q2 38:15 · DEN 15 · Score 0-14
17-M.Badgley extra point is GOOD, Center-43-J.McQuaide, Holder-3-J.Fox. - Detroit Lions TD (+6) — Q2 30:24 · DEN 15 · Score 0-20
(:24) (Shotgun) 16-J.Goff pass short right to 14-A.St. Brown for 15 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - Detroit Lions XP (+1) — Q2 30:19 · DEN 15 · Score 0-21
17-M.Badgley extra point is GOOD, Center-43-J.McQuaide, Holder-3-J.Fox. - Denver Broncos TD (+6) — Q3 25:41 · DET 3 · Score 6-21
(10:41) (Shotgun) 3-R.Wilson pass short left to 17-L.Humphrey for 3 yards, TOUCHDOWN [34-A.Anzalone]. The Replay Official reviewed the pass completion ruling, a - Denver Broncos XP (+1) — Q3 25:34 · DET 15 · Score 7-21
16-W.Lutz extra point is GOOD, Center-48-M.Fraboni, Holder-9-R.Dixon. - Detroit Lions TD (+6) — Q3 22:03 · DEN 3 · Score 7-27
(7:03) (Shotgun) 16-J.Goff pass short right to 87-S.LaPorta for 3 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - Detroit Lions XP (+1) — Q3 22:01 · DEN 15 · Score 7-28
17-M.Badgley extra point is GOOD, Center-43-J.McQuaide, Holder-3-J.Fox. - Denver Broncos FG (+3) — Q3 15:46 · DET 5 · Score 10-28
(:46) 16-W.Lutz 23 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-48-M.Fraboni, Holder-9-R.Dixon. - Detroit Lions TD (+6) — Q4 12:17 · DEN 12 · Score 10-34
(12:17) 26-J.Gibbs left end for 12 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - Detroit Lions XP (+1) — Q4 12:12 · DEN 15 · Score 10-35
17-M.Badgley extra point is GOOD, Center-43-J.McQuaide, Holder-3-J.Fox. - Denver Broncos TD (+6) — Q4 6:31 · DET 1 · Score 16-35
(6:31) (No Huddle) 3-R.Wilson up the middle for 1 yard, TOUCHDOWN. - Denver Broncos XP (+1) — Q4 6:28 · DET 15 · Score 17-35
16-W.Lutz extra point is GOOD, Center-48-M.Fraboni, Holder-9-R.Dixon. - Detroit Lions TD (+6) — Q4 2:26 · DEN 10 · Score 17-41
(2:26) 70-D.Skipper reported in as eligible. 16-J.Goff pass short middle to 87-S.LaPorta for 10 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - Detroit Lions TD (+7) — Q4 2:21 · DEN 15 · Score 17-42
17-M.Badgley extra point is GOOD, Center-43-J.McQuaide, Holder-3-J.Fox.
Frequently asked questions
Who won Denver Broncos vs Detroit Lions?
The Detroit Lions beat the Denver Broncos 42-17 in Week 15, 2023 on 2023-12-16.
What was the final score of Denver Broncos vs Detroit Lions?
The final score was Denver Broncos 17, Detroit Lions 42 (DEN 17-42 DET) in Week 15, 2023 on 2023-12-16.
What was the score by quarter in Denver Broncos vs Detroit Lions?
Q2: Denver Broncos 0, Detroit Lions 21; Q3: Denver Broncos 10, Detroit Lions 7; Q4: Denver Broncos 7, Detroit Lions 20; Final: Denver Broncos 17, Detroit Lions 42.
Who scored touchdowns and field goals in Denver Broncos vs Detroit Lions?
Detroit Lions touchdown — S. LaPorta (J. Goff pass) (Q2 42:41) Detroit Lions touchdown — J. Gibbs (J. Goff pass) (Q2 38:20) Detroit Lions touchdown — A. St (J. Goff pass) (Q2 30:24) Denver Broncos touchdown — L. Humphrey (R. Wilson pass) (Q3 25:41) Detroit Lions touchdown — S. LaPorta (J. Goff pass) (Q3 22:03) Detroit Lions touchdown — J. Gibbs (Q4 12:17) Denver Broncos touchdown — R. Wilson (Q4 6:31) Detroit Lions touchdown — S. LaPorta (J. Goff pass) (Q4 2:26) Denver Broncos field goal — W. Lutz (Q3 15:46, 3 pts) Extra points followed each touchdown unless noted in the play-by-play.
How did the quarterbacks play in Denver Broncos vs Detroit Lions?
J. Goff (Detroit Lions), 64.9% completion, +8.1% CPOE, +0.44 EPA per dropback, +16.20 total passing EPA. R. Wilson (Denver Broncos), 50.0% completion, -9.1% CPOE, +0.05 EPA per dropback, +1.92 total passing EPA.
Who was the most impactful player in Denver Broncos vs Detroit Lions?
J. Goff (Detroit Lions) led the game in total EPA with +16.20 on passing plays. across 37 snaps. The top single-play swing was (-8.29 EPA): (11:49) 3-R.Wilson sacked at DET 29 for -9 yards (6-I.Melifonwu). FUMBLES (6-I.Melifonwu) [6-I.Melifonwu], RECOVERED by DET-96-I.Buggs at DET 30. 96-I.Buggs to DEN 37 for 33 yards . The biggest win-probability swing was -23.7%.
Season records after this game
Denver Broncos
Entered 7-6 Now 7-7 L
Detroit Lions
Entered 9-4 Now 10-4 W
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