The Green Bay Packers ran their win streak to three games by coming from behind to beat the Houston Texans with a game-winning field goal as time expired on Sunday at Lambeau Field.
The game had seven lead changes. The final change came when Brandon McManus’ 45-yard field goal sailed through the uprights with 0:00 left on the clock, giving the Packers a 24-22 win against the AFC South leaders.
The Packers are now 5-2. Matt LaFleur’s team has won five of the last six games after losing in Brazil in Week 1.
Here’s what went right, what went wrong and what it means for the Packers moving forward:
What went right
— The Packers allowed only 10 completions and 55 net passing yards against C.J. Stroud, one of the game’s best young quarterbacks. Pressure was consistent, and the Packers finished with four sacks and seven quarterback hits.
— Romeo Doubs caught eight of 10 targets for 94 yards, including a pair of catches on the final drive. Dontayvion Wicks produced a 30-yard touchdown and a key conversion on third down to extend the final drive. Christian Watson and Jayden Reed were quiet, but the other Packers receivers stepped up.
— The run game was inconsistent, but Josh Jacobs produced three explosive runs over 10 yards and caught his first career touchdown pass. His 17 touches gained 92 yards.
— Emanuel Wilson and Bo Melton both had key third-down conversions on scoring drives. Complementary players on offense played key roles.
— The new kicker made all three extra points and then hit a clutch kick to win the game. Does Brayden Narveson make all four of those kicks if he’s still the kicker? The Packers don’t need to think about the hypothetical. Brandon McManus looked like a 10-year vet in his Packers debut.
— Jordan Love was inconsistent, and he threw two bad interceptions leading to points for the Texans, but he was terrific while the Packers trailed, and he was calm and efficient in leading a game-winning drive. His touchdown pass to Tucker Kraft in the first half was a laser beam.
— Rookie safety Evan Williams stuffed the Texans’ two-point conversion attempt in the first half. The Packers ended up winning by two. Williams led the defense with nine total tackles.
— Jeff Hafley’s defense got three sacks on blitzes. Xavier McKinney got one on third down, and Eric Wilson produced two more sacks.
— Punter Daniel Whelan averaged 56.8 yards per punt and consistently flipped the field. He also had a terrific hold on the game-winning field goal.
— The Packers were 2-for-2 scoring touchdowns in the red zone and scored a decisive win situationally by holding the Texans to 2-for-4 scoring touchdowns inside the 20. Houston was also 4-for-13 on third down. A late stop in the red zone gave Jordan Love a chance to go win the game.
What went wrong
— Jordan Love threw an interception on the first possession, leading to a field goal, and another pick in the first half with the Packers leading, leading to a Texans’ go-ahead touchdown before the half. Jalen Pitre made an excellent individual play on the first pick, and Love just sailed his throw under pressure on the second. He has now thrown eight picks in five starts.
— The return game was a mess. Keisean Nixon’s game-opening kickoff return got called back by a holding penalty. Nixon failed to catch a punt, and the ball hit Corey Ballentine before being recovered by the Texans. Jayden Reed caught a punt inside his 5-yard line.
— The Packers didn’t get a takeaway and lost the turnover battle 3-0. The Texans scored 16 of their 22 points off turnovers.
— Gadget runs to Christian Watson, Jayden Reed and Bo Melton lost five yards on three attempts.
— Reed’s drop on a deep ball late in the first half likely cost the Packers three points.
— Love was sacked three times, a season high. Will Anderson and Danielle Hunter both got to Love to help kill drives.
— The run defense once again gave up a big day to a running back. Joe Mixon rushed 25 times for 115 yards and two scores. Mixon joins Saquon Barkley, Jonathan Taylor, Aaron Jones and Kyren Williams as running backs to gain at least 90 rushing yards against the Packers this season.
— The Packers were penalized eight times for 55 yards.
— The Packers were 4-for-10 converting on third down. During one stretch in the second half, the Packers punted on three straight possessions.
What it means
The Packers didn’t have their “A” game, but they still beat a legitimate AFC contender. At this point last season, the Packers were 2-5 after losing three one-score games. This year, the Packers are 5-2. Matt LaFleur’s team is still young and growing, but they’ve learned how to win in different ways — a vital step to become a title contender. And winning while gathering steam early in the season is what the best teams do. On a more micro-level, getting a game-winning drive from Love and a game-winning kick from the new kicker is certainly a big boost for a team that didn’t take advantage in similar spots last year and is now too good to throw away points with missed kicks. While it’s still too early to look at the standings, the Packers, Lions and Vikings all have five wins right now. What a division.
Highlights
What’s next
A trip to the Florida sun to face another AFC South team. After winning back-to-back home games, the Packers will travel to Jacksonville to face the 2-5 Jaguars next Sunday. Doug Pederson’s team just beat the New England Patriots to finish off a two-week stay in London. The Packers are already 3-0 against the AFC South and finish off the sweep next week.
