Lukas Van Ness and Rashan Gary sack Jared Goff to end Detroit drive

Wes Hodkiewicz

GREEN BAY Packers defensive linemen Lukas Van Ness and Rashan Gary combined to sack Detroit quarterback Jared Goff for a 6-yard loss on third-and-6, as Green Bay continues to lead the Lions 17-6 after three quarters.

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, withJordan Lovecompleting 6-of-8 passes for 65 yards.

The series opened withRomeo Doubsgaining 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 toDontayvion Wickson third-and-10 from the Green Bay 38.

Rookie first-round pickMatthew 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 endTucker Kraftand 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 afterMicah Parsonshelped 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 linemanLukas 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 openJayden Reeddown 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-yardBrandon McManusfield 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.

Packers lead Lions 17-3 at halftime

Colby Woodendropped David Montgomery for a 1-yard loss to start the second quarter, but the Lions converted the first down after Packers safetyXavier McKinneywas flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct during a confrontation with Lions receiver Kalif Raymond.

An 8-yard pass to St. Brown moved Detroit inside Green Bay's red zone but settled for a 30-yard Jake Bates field goal to cut the Packers' lead to 10-3 with 9:27 left in the first half.

Following a touchback, Love rocketed a play-action pass 48 yards downfield toRomeo Doubsafter starting under center. It was the longest reception of Doub's four-year NFL career.

On the next play, Love showed good touch on a floater to Reed for a 17-yard touchdown to put Green Bay up 17-3 with 8:34 left in the first half.

After a 16-play drive that led to a field goal, Detroit engineered another series heavy with runs and checkdown passes to Montgomery.

After surviving two third downs on the series, the Lions converted a fourth-and-2 attempt from the Packers' 30 with an 11-yard pass to Jameson Williams on a crossing pattern as the first half reached the two-minute warning.

After a Lukas Van Ness pressure and run stop, Micah Parsons beat Penei Sewell on an inside move to pressure Goff into a bad pass that was intercepted by safetyEvan Williamsat the Green Bay 13 with 1:10 remaining in the first half.

The Packers went three-and-out afterJosh Jacobswas stopped for no gain on a third-and-1 direct snap.

Packers lead Lions 17-6 after three

The second half started with Goff finding an open Sam LaPorta for 32 yards to push the ball down to the Packers' 31-yard line.

Goff reconnected with LaPorta for another 16-yard pickup on third-and-5, but the Packers' defense held the Lions to a 27-yard Bates field goal with 9:40 left in the third quarter.

Jacobs gained nine yards on his first two carries of Green Bay's next drive but was stopped on a third-and-1 run and the Packers were forced to punt after another three-and-out.

Brenton Cox Jr.was slow to get up after the Lions' first play of the next series, a 4-yard checkdown to Gibbs. Van Ness and Gary combined to sack Goff for a 6-yard loss on third-and-6 to force the Detroit punt.

Starting at Green Bay's 15, Love quickly hit Wicks for 13 yards.Zach Tomsustained a hip injury on the drive and replaced byDarian Kinnard. A defensive holding penalty gave Green Bay a first down on third-and-6.

A 10-yard Jacobs run gave the Packers a first down at the Packers' 49 but Green Bay was forced to punt after Love couldn't connect with Reed on a third-and-5 deep ball.