Broncos at Packers first quarter recap

The Denver Broncs won the toss and chose to defer to the second half, which brought Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers out to the field to start the game.

Rodgers immediately started looking for whoever Isaac Yiadom was covering for a solid gain on first down, which they then converted on a run to the outside. Rodgers avoided multiple rushers before flicking a pass into the flat to his tight end for another first down catch and run for 19 yards across midfield.

Multiple Broncos defenders were drawn offsides two plays later and Rodgers had a free play who went for it all downfield to a wide open Marquez Valdes-Scantling for the touchdown to put the Packers up early.

Packers 7, Broncos 0.

The Packers needed just five plays to go 75 yards on their opening drive.

Diontae Spencer took the kickoff two yards deep and broke through for a massive 57-yard return to set the Broncos opening drive up inside Packers territory.

Right out of the gate, the Broncos went to the ground with a hand off to Phillip Lindsay who was stuffed up the middle for a two yard gain on first down. Then they handed the ball off to Royce Freeman on an outside run for a two yard loss. Maybe they should swap roles of those two as Joe Flacco was sacked on third down to bring out the punt unit.

From their own 20 yard line, the Packers continued to look for anyone Yiadom is covering, but after a quick first down they found themselves in a third and 15 after a false start penalty and two incomplete passes.

For some inexplicable reason, Trey Marshall was in the game on third down and that equated to an easy first down conversion for Rodgers and the Packers out past midfield. The Packers found themselves in another third and 13 a few plays later. Rodgers, from the shotgun, overthrew a wide open wide receiver to luckily end the drive.

Spencer was obliterated trying to make a fair catch, which resulted in a 15-yard penalty to set Denver up closer to the 30 yard line.

The Broncos got cute on their first play on their next drive and the attempted screen pass was blown up, but Flacco hit Courtland Sutton on a slant who turned it up field for 16 yards on the next play for a first down.

A short three yard run by Freeman and then a quick toss outside to Emmanuel Sanders for four yards set up a third and three for the Broncos near midfield. Flacco, from the shotgun, handed the ball on an quick inside hand off who turned it up field for a eight yard gain and a first down.

Lindsay took the next hand off up the gut for a nine yard gain. He would power it through for a two yard gain and a first down on his next carry.

A five yard dump off to Lindsay, followed by a two yard run by Freeman setup another third and manageable for the Broncos. From the shotgun, Flacco tucked it and rand hard for the three yards and lowered his shoulder for the first down.

Inside the red zone, the Broncos picked up a new set of downs at the Packers 15 yard line.

The first quarter ended with a short run by Lindsay and a 10 yard pass to Sutton for a first and goal to bring out the second quarter.