Bears at Broncos: First quarter recap

The Denver Broncos received the opening possession against the Chicago Bears after Chicago deferred upon winning the opening coin toss.

Denver Drive #1: Joe Flacco started the game in the shotgun formation and a empty backfield. He completed a quick pass over the middle to Emmanuel Sanders for a first down to start the game.

After a short inside run from Phillip Lindsay, Flacco went back to the well over the middle to Sanders for 14 yard gain and another first down. On the next play, Jeff Heuerman sat in the middle of the zone and took a pass from Flacco up field for a seven yard gain. Lindsay then pushed through a small hole for two yards to bring up the first third down of the game.

Flacco changed the call at the line and hit Lindsay in the flat for a quick first down nearing field goal range at the Bears 35-yard line. A short pass to Heuerman and a short run inside by Royce Freeman brought up another third down.

This time they needed five yards. Flacco was almost sacked on the play as Khalil Mack destroyed Garett Bolles on the play, but Flacco escaped and completed a short pass to Freeman to end the drive.

Brandon McManus booted it through from there.

Broncos 3, Bears 0.

Chicago Drive #1: After a touchback, the Bears would start their first possession from their own 25-yard line.

Bradley Chubb got his name in the mix early with a stuff on the first Bears play-call, stopping David Montgomery for a half yard loss on first down. Tarik Cohen got the next call and was stuffed at the line by Kareem Jackson for a short half yard gain.

On third and nine, Mitch Trubisky looked for Cohen deep who broke free from Justin Simmons deep, but a finger tip deflection ended the drive and what would have been a huge offensive play for Chicago.

Diontae Spencer fielded the punt and made a nice return to set the Broncos up with good field position on their next drive.

Denver Drive #2: From their own 31 yard line, Flacco went to Noah Fant on a busted screen pass who caught it. However, a questionable personal foul call on Leonard Floyd gave the Broncos a free 15-yards on the play.

Back-to-back short runs inside by Lindsay brought up another third down for the Broncos. On third and five, Flacco hit Heuerman outside who was stopped two yards shy of the first down.

Chicago Drive #2: On the Bears first play, Derek Wolfe was called for defensive holding that he was visibly (and audibly on the broadcast) upset over. Taylor Gabriel was wide open with Isaac Yiadom in coverage for a quick and easy 11 yards on the next play for the Bears their first first down of the game.

Cordarrelle Patterson took a sweep on the next play, but Simmons came through the blocking like a fright train to make the tackle for just a two yard gain. However, Trubisky found his tight end outside for a gain of eight and another first down.

From their own 43-yard line, Trubisky tried to hit Allen Robinson down the sideline, but Chris Harris Jr. was right there to knock the ball away. Montgomery eluded Chubb in the backfield to break outside for a seven yard gain on second down. On third and 3, Trubisky handed off to Montgomery inside who burst through for the first down.

Wolfe got back in the action on the next play with a tackle for a two yard loss on the Bears backup running back. Another run by Cohen on second down netted just a couple of yards to bring up a third and eight. From there, Trubisky found his tight end and Yiadom missed a wide open tackle for the stop to give up the first down.

Montgomery got the first down carry on the next play, but was brought down by Shelby Harris for a half yard gain.