Green Bay forces three Chicago punts in opening quarter

Wes Hodkiewicz

GREEN BAY - The Packers' defense forced Chicago to punt on its first three possessions, but a C.J. Gardner-Johnson interception kept the game scoreless after the first quarter.

Packers and Bears play a scoreless first quarter

Green Bay won the toss and deferred. The Bears went three-and-out on their first possession after Caleb Williams missed two receivers high on second and third down.

Xavier McKinney nearly sacked Williams on second-and-5, but right tackle Darnell Wright was still called for a hold. Green Bay started at its 11 after a Tory Taylor punt and block in the back.

In his first game since Week 2, Jayden Reed touched the ball three times on the Packers' first seven plays. He converted a third-and-1 with a 2-yard play action pass.

Josh Jacobs picked up three yards on third-and-3 from the Chicago 46. Emanuel Wilson gained another six before the Packers went hurry-up and Montez Sweat sacked Jordan Love for a 14-yard loss.

C.J. Gardner-Johnson picked off Love on the next play and returned the ball to the Packers' 36.

On first down, it was initially ruled a completed pass to tight end Colston Loveland, but Head Coach Matt LaFleur challenged after safety Evan Williams punched the ball out. It was overturned to an incompletion upon review.

Chicago didn't get any points off the takeaway after a false start penalty and Micah Parsons forcing a scrambling Williams to throw the ball away on third-and-15. The Packers once again took over at their 11.

Green Bay opened the drive with a 5-yard Jacobs run and a 19-yard slant to Christian Watson to the Green Bay 35. On the next play, Love aired out a deep ball to tight end Luke Musgrave that was overturned upon a Chicago challenge.

A facemask penalty on Aaron Banks backed Green Bay up 15 yards. Green Bay gained six yards on a quick pass to Reed but was forced to punt after Love's third-and-19 pass for Romeo Doubs sailed high.

The Bears took over at their 25 after a 55-yard Daniel Whelan punt and 6-yard return. D'Andre Swift picked up the initial first down after gaining 12 yards on back-to-back carries, but that's all the Bears would get. Parsons pressured Williams into another throwaway on third-and-7.

The Packers took over at their 20 after a touchback. The first quarter ended on a 7-yard Jacobs run.