Associated Press

DETROIT — Michael Vick, Tom Brady and Peyton Manning were sent to Detroit in the past on Thanksgiving in the hopes their talents would hold viewers despite the presence of the lowly Lions.

The NFL dispatched another star quarterback, Green Bay's Brett Favre, to headline the game this year in the Motor City.

But for a change, the Lions have a relevant team in their annual showcase.

Detroit (6-4) has already matched the most wins they've had in seven seasons under team president Matt Millen. But the Lions have lost two straight games for the first time this year and have a tough closing stretch, creating obstacles to reach the playoffs for the first time since 1990.

"It's a must-win game for us," Roy Williams said. "We can't be 6-5."

Williams is looking forward to playing with pressure instead of just pride on the holiday with the whole country watching.

"It's a little different," the fourth-year receiver said. "We haven't been in this position for a long time. I haven't been in it since I've been here.

"At this position last year, I'm Christmas shopping and getting my gifts together."

A win doesn't seem as crucial for Green Bay (9-1) after racing off to its best start since the Vince Lombardi-led team in 1962 was 10-0.

The Packers have a three-game cushion in the NFC North over the slumping Lions, who end the regular season at Lambeau Field where they have lost 16 straight games.

Green Bay could just about wrap up the division title with a win at Detroit. Favre, however, said it's a little too early to focusing on playoff possibilities.

"We're 9-1, but it doesn't mean anything beyond this game," he said. "A lot can happen in these next six games. I know a lot of people are starting to talk about postseason and they're looking at this season differently than they did at the start of it. And that's fine. We'll let them deal with that."

Detroit is 33-32-2 on Thanksgiving, a tradition dating to 1934, and is 1-6 under Millen on the holiday for franchise's worst seven-year stretch in four decades.

After beating Favre and the Packers in 2003, Detroit dropped the next three games in the national spotlight by an average of 23 points.

"Everybody wants to kick us off the Thanksgiving-tradition thing, but I think this one is going to be pretty good," Williams said. "The nation is going to get to see our team go against one of the best in the NFC, and we feel that we can compete with these guys and come out with a victory."