GREEN BAY – A long, time-consuming drive for a field goal extended the Packers' lead over the Rams to 17-3 after three quarters on Thursday night at Lambeau Field.
Here's a recap of the first three quarters.First quarter:
An interception by the Packers' defense set up the first score of the game and gave Green Bay a 7-0 lead over the Rams.
The two teams traded three-and-outs on their opening possessions. The Rams faced third-and-1 and handed off to RB Justin Davis, but Packers CB Quinten Rollins was the first to get there, wrapping his legs as teammates finished off the short-yardage stop.
Rollins made another nice play with a tackle for loss on first down on the Rams' next drive, leading to another three-and-out. He then returned the ensuing punt 14 yards, and the Packers took over on their own 28.
QB Brett Hundley nearly connected with WR Geronimo Allison on a big play, but as Allison caught the deep ball, he was hit in mid-air and came down out of bounds. The Packers went three-and-out for a second straight time.
The Rams got the initial first down of the game on a 19-yard screen pass to Davis, but CB LaDarius took charge from there. He came on a slot blitz for a 6-yard sack on first down, and then he intercepted QB Dan Orlovsky's third-down slant pass when it deflected off the receiver's hands.
Taking over at the Rams' 40-yard line, Hundley hit Allison for an 8-yard gain and WR Trevor Davis for 11 more. A holding penalty on G Adam Pankey wiped out an impressive TD catch by Allison, but a screen pass to RB Devante Mays picked up 20 and made it first down on the 11.
A false start on T Kyle Murphy and a sack by Rams DL Ethan Westbrooks pushed the Packers back to the 29, but another screen to Mays picked up 16, and then Hundley's third-down scramble from 13 yards out put the Packers on the board.
The Rams picked up three first downs to move into Green Bay territory before the quarter expired.Second quarter:
A Green Bay interception set up a touchdown in the second quarter, and the Packers took a 14-3 lead over the Rams into halftime.
Starting the quarter at the Green Bay 36, the Rams drove for a field goal. A defensive penalty, a 10-yard pass to TE Travis Wilson, and an 11-yard pass to WR Brandon Shippen set up first-and-goal on the 4. But the Packers' defense held there, with the help of a false start on LA, and K Greg Zuerlein was good from 27 yards out to make it 7-3.
The Packers picked up one first down on a 10-yard run by RB Aaron Jones and another on a Rams facemask penalty, but the drive stalled shy of midfield.
Taking over on their own 11, the Rams converted on third-and-9 as Orlovsky hit Shippen for 21 yards against a blitz. After an offensive holding, CB Josh Hawkins was then called for pass interference, good for 18 yards, but the Green Bay defense held there.
The Packers didn't do anything with it, though, as RB Jamaal Williams was stopped for a 1-yard loss on third-and-1. Hawkins broke up Orlovsky's third-down pass on the Rams' next drive, and they punted again as well. A sack of Hundley on second down then forced the Packers to punt from their own end zone.
The Rams took over near midfield, but on third-and-13, Packers CB Donatello Brown intercepted Orlovsky and returned it to the LA 41 with 1:50 left in the half.
A roughing-the-passer penalty moved the Packers to the 26, and a 9-yard pass to Allison set up second-and-1. Jones ran for 6 yards for a first down on the 11, and the Packers called timeout with 1:04 to go.
On third-and-10, a pass over the middle to Allison was complete. Allison took a big hit at the goal line and was just short of the touchdown, making it first-and-goal inside the 1. Allison was slow to get up and walked slowly off the field straight to the locker room. He was being evaluated for a concussion.
Hundley then found Jones for a 1-yard TD pass on second down, and the Packers took a 14-3 lead with 30 seconds left in the half.
Third quarter:
With rookie QB Taysom Hill taking over the Packers' offense, Williams ran five straight times for 21 yards to start the second half. A third-down pass to TE Emanuel Byrd came up one yard short of the first down, but the Packers went for it and Williams converted with a 5-yard run.
Mays then ran four straight time for 16 yards, and a defensive holding penalty on third down gave the Packers a first down at the LA 19. After a sack, another defensive penalty for pass interference on third down made it first-and-goal on the 10.
Williams ran twice to the 5, but Hill fumbled the ball on third down, recovering it himself. K Mason Crosby was good from 28 yards out to make it 17-3, finishing a drive that consumed 17 plays and 11 minutes, 18 seconds.
The Packers' defense forced a three-and-out, and Hill got right back to work, scrambling 13 yards into LA territory. Another 6-yard scramble and a defensive penalty made it first down on the 31. After a short run by Jones, a personal foul on Packers G Geoff Gray pushed the ball back to the 44 as the quarter expired.
