GREEN BAY, Wis. — Detroit Lions safety Brian Branch was ejected Sunday at Green Bay after delivering a helmet-to-helmet hit to Packers receiver Bo Melton.
Branch hit Melton near the Packers sideline after Jordan Love tried to connect with him on a deep pass on second-and-20 in the second quarter. Branch was flagged for unnecessary roughness, and then the hit was deemed serious enough to warrant an ejection.
Branch was irate about being thrown out and was penalized again for unsportsmanlike conduct for gesturing at fans in the Lambeau Field stands before he was escorted off the field and into the locker room.
Instead of facing third-and-20 from their own 38-yard line, the Packers ended up with a first down from Detroit's 32. But the Packers failed to capitalize on the situation. Their drive ended with Brandon McManus missing a 46-yard field goal attempt wide left.