GREEN BAY – The Packers got some big plays in all three phases in the second quarter to take a 17-10 lead over the Buccaneers into halftime on Sunday at Lambeau Field.
Here's a recap of the first half.
First quarter:
Both teams scored on their opening possessions, and the Buccaneers took a 7-3 lead over the Packers into the second quarter.
The Packers won the toss and deferred. The Buccaneers picked up a pair of first downs on passes of 11 yards to TE Antony Auclair and 13 yards to TE Alan Cross. On third-and-8 from the Green Bay 40, a WR screen to Adam Humphries picked up just enough to move the chains again.
On the next third down, from the 28, QB Jameis Winston hit TE Cameron Brate over the middle as Brate got behind S Jermaine Whitehead. Brate tipped the ball to himself one-handed and took it in for the score. Tampa Bay led 7-0 just over five minutes in.
A holding penalty on LB Vince Biegel wiped out a long kickoff return by WR Trevor Davis, making the Packers start on their own 20. A 10-yard run by RB Jamaal Williams picked up a first down, but a holding penalty on LT David Bakhtiari backed Green Bay up again. An 11-yard pass to WR Davante Adams, 5-yard run by Williams and 5-yard pass to WR Jordy Nelson converted the long-yardage situation.
A 13-yard pass to Adams converted the next third down, and a 9-yard run by Williams plus a 4-yard pass to TE Richard Rodgers moved the chains again. On third-and-6 from the Tampa Bay 19, Hundley overthrew a wide-open WR Geronimo Allison in the end zone, and the Packers had to settle for a 37-yard field goal by K Mason Crosby.
Green Bay's defense got a three-and-out, and Hundley scrambled for 10 yards on the Packers' next play. A tripping penalty on TE Lance Kendricks pushed the Packers back again as the quarter expired.
Second quarter:
The Packers punted to open the second quarter, and Winston found TE O.J. Howard for 17 yards to begin the Bucs' next drive. On third down from the Green Bay 42, DT Mike Daniels and LB Clay Matthews combined on a sack of Winston to force a punt.
On Green Bay's first play of the next series, Hundley tried to go deep to Nelson, and Bucs S Justin Evans picked it off.
Winston tried to go deep to WR Mike Evans, and CB Davon House rode Evans' legs out of bounds for the incompletion, but House was injured on the play and walked off slowly. CB Josh Hawkins came in for him and nearly picked off Winston on the next play, forcing a punt.
LB Kyler Fackrell's rush up the middle blocked the punt, and the Packers recovered at the Tampa Bay 45. Williams ran around left end for 25 yards and a first down on the 20. Hundley scrambled 14 yards to make it first-and-goal on the 6. Williams powered down to the 1, but then was stuffed on second down. He would not be denied on third down, though, and the Packers took their first lead.
Tampa Bay began the next series with a 34-yard screen pass to RB Peyton Barber, and RB Charles Sims picked up 5 yards on a draw play on third-and-4. On first down from the Green Bay 30, DT Kenny Clark wrapped up Winston for a sack and knocked the ball loose. DE Dean Lowry snagged the fumble in midair, turned, and ran 62 yards untouched the other way for a touchdown, putting the Packers up 17-7 with 4:17 left in the half.
LB Jake Ryan got his first career sack on Tampa Bay's next possession, but Winston hit Sims for 13 yards on third-and-9 to get to midfield at the two-minute warning.
Winston hit WR DeSean Jackson for 19 yards to the 31, and a sack by Matthews set up third-and-5 from the 26. Winston found WR Chris Godwin for 7 yards to the 19, and the Bucs used a timeout with 34 seconds left.
LB Blake Martinez made a great tackle on Barber for a 1-yard gain on a screen, and CB Damarious Randall broke up a pass for Brate near the goal line. Winston's third-down pass was incomplete, and the Bucs settled for K Patrick Murray's 36-yard field goal with 13 seconds left in the half.
