Packers lead Lions 10-0 after first quarter

Detroit won the opening coin toss and elected to defer. The Packers opened the season with 12-play, 83-yard scoring drive, with Jordan Love completing 6-of-8 passes for 65 yards.

The series opened with Romeo Doubs gaining separation on a play-action crosser for 20 yards despite an illegal contact penalty on Lions cornerback D.J. Reed.

The Packers converted three third downs during the drive, beginning with a 16-yard pass from quarterback Jordan Love to Dontayvion Wicks on third-and-10 from the Green Bay 38.

Rookie first-round pick Matthew Golden‘s first NFL catch was an 11-yard pickup on third-and-6. Detroit safety Brian Branch was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct for ripping off the helmet of Packers tight end Tucker Kraft and throwing it to the sideline with 10 minutes, 25 seconds left in the first quarter.

Three plays later, Kraft caught a 15-yard touchdown down the seam with Branch in coverage to put the Packers up 7-0 with 9:26 remaining in the opening quarter.

Green Bay’s defense forced a three-and-out after Micah Parsons helped force a three-and-7 check down from Lions quarterback Jared Goff to Jahmyr Gibbs, who was tackled for a 2-yard loss by Packers defensive lineman Lukas Van Ness.

Green Bay started its second series from its own 48 after Golden’s 11-yard punt return on a 43-yard Jack Fox punt.

After running a Kraft jet sweep for three yards, Love found a wide open Jayden Reed down the middle of the field for 26 yards against single-high coverage to convert on third-and-7.

Love couldn’t find Doubs on a third-and-4 back shoulder to Doubs and the Packers settled for a 34-yard Brandon McManus field goal to take a 10-0 lead with 3:58 left in the first quarter.

McManus delivered a solid kickoff to the Detroit goal line that was only returned to the 20. A holding penalty pushed the Lions back to the 10 and then saw first-and-15 after an offsides penalty on Jameson Williams.

On second-and-12, Amon-Ra St. Brown made a diving sideline catch for 19 yards. Head Coach Matt LaFleur unsuccessfully challenged the catch. The first quarter ended with Detroit facing a third-and-1 at midfield.