CHICAGO – Ty Mongtomery broke off a long touchdown run and Green Bay benefited from a fortunate turnover as the Packers took a 10-6 lead into halftime on Sunday at Soldier Field.
Here's a recap of the first half.
First quarter:
The Packers and Bears traded early field goals and headed to the second quarter tied at 3.
The Packers won the toss and deferred. The Bears picked up one first down on the opening drive on a slant pass to WR Kendall Wright, but the Packers tackled RB Jordan Howard for losses on his first three carries, and Green Bay forced a punt for the first time since the second quarter of the Saints game.
WR Trevor Davis erred on the punt return, though, catching the punt at the goal line and returning it only to the 8-yard line, rather than taking a touchback.
The Packers got going on the initial third down, as QB Brett Hundley hit WR Randall Cobb on a slant and Cobb broke a tackle to take the ball 38 yards in all, across midfield. Hundley then hit RB Ty Montgomery for 7 yards on the next third down, but the drive stalled at the Chicago 22, and K Mason Crosby made a 40-yard field goal to open the scoring.
Following the scoring drive, it was announced RB Aaron Jones has a knee injury and is questionable to return.
The Bears came right back with a 31-yard pass to TE Adam Shaheen to get just across midfield. After two false starts, Howard ran for 14 and then 2 yards, making it third-and-4. QB Mitch Trubisky hit RB Tarik Cohen for 10 yards to move the chains, but two plays later, a holding call pushed Chicago back. The Bears ended up settling for a 45-yard field goal by K Connor Barth to tie the score at 3.
The Packers failed to convert on third-and-1 to start their next drive, as Montgomery was stuffed at the line, and Green Bay punted on the final play of the quarter.
Second quarter:
The Bears went three-and-out to start the second quarter, as Packers DT Mike Daniels got a second-down sack for a 6-yard loss. A strong punt return by Davis was wiped out by an illegal block by LB Joe Thomas, forcing the Packers to start on their own 21.
Green Bay quickly took the lead, as Bears CB Prince Amukamara was called for pass interference against WR Jordy Nelson deep downfield, for a 29-yard infraction. Two plays later, Hundley hit Nelson for 14 yards, and then Montgomery burst through a hole for a 37-yard touchdown run. Crosby's PAT put the Packers up, 10-3, with 11:41 left in the half.
Howard got the Bears moving again with a 25-yard run on second down, just across midfield. On the ensuing third-and-9, Trubisky found WR Dontrelle Inman for 26 yards to the Green Bay 22. A tackle for loss on Howard set up third-and-13, but the Bears converted on a screen pass to RB Bennie Cunningham, who dove for the pylon.
The Bears thought they had a touchdown, so they challenged the play, but it was ruled that Cunningham was losing control of the ball as it hit the pylon, resulting in a fumble and a touchback for the Packers.
The Packers picked up one first down, but Hundley was sacked for a 10-yard loss by blitzing CB Cre'Von LeBlanc, leading to a punt. Green Bay returned the favor with a pair of sacks by LB Nick Perry, sandwiched around a tackle for loss on Howard, for a three-and-out.
Bears LB Nick Kwiatkowski sacked Hundley on the Packers' next third down, right after the two-minute warning, and Green Bay punted. The Bears took over on their own 35 with 1:37 left in the half.
With the help of an offside penalty on LB Ahmad Brooks, the Bears had third-and-1 and converted with a 7-yard pass to TE Daniel Brown. Chicago called its second timeout of the half with 51 seconds left and the ball on the Green Bay 49. Then on third-and-1, Trubisky hit Inman for 10 yards on a slant to the 30.
After a false start pushed the Bears back to the 35, Inman gained 9 on another slant and the Bears called their final timeout with 1 second left. Barth was good from 44 yards out to pull the Bears within 10-6.
