Photo by Emma Pravecek - packers.com
Jordan Love vs Houston Texans at Lambeau Field, October 20, 2024
Jordan Love vs Houston Texans at Lambeau Field, October 20, 2024
While the Packer offense and special teams units were having issues with ball security, Jeff Hafley’s defense was balling out, saving the game for Green Bay, and holding Houston’s CJ Stroud to just eighty-one yards passing. Most importantly, they did it by getting consistent stops, without the benefit of a turnover.
Games like this are important because while turnovers are incredibly helpful for a defense, you cannot count on forcing them consistently. Interceptions are more of a function of the opposing quarterback than they are a skill of defensive players, and Houston quarterback CJ Stroud currently ranks 26th in interception percentage while the opposing quarterback next week, Jacksonville’s Trevor Lawrence, ranks an even lower 29th.
Instead of picking the ball off, the Packers forced six punts on eleven Houston drives. The defense also came up big on Houston’s first drive, which started at the Green Bay 10-yard line due to Jordan Love’s first interception of the day, holding the Texans to a three-and-out, and a 23-yard Ka'imi Fairbairn field goal. And in a game where the margin of victory was a narrow two points, rookie safety Evan Williams’ incredible open field tackle on Joe Mixon during Houston’s two-point conversion attempt at the end of the first half was the difference in the game.
Pressure by Blitzing
This was also the first game of the season in which the defense managed to reliably generate pressure exclusively by blitzing. Edge rusher Rashan Gary came out of his season-long hibernation to record seven pressures and one sack, consistently disrupting CJ Stroud’s timing in the passing game. In a new wrinkle, Hafley moved Gary all over the defensive formation, including over the nose on third down. The Texans were unable to run proper line adjustments with Gary’s unpredictable positioning and struggled with stunts more than any other team I’ve seen so far this year.
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The other major defensive star was, surprisingly, Eric Wilson, who came on for an injured Quay Walker (concussion) early in the second quarter. Wilson has been in the league since 2017, and he’s always been a reliable veteran backup linebacker, but on Sunday he had the best game of his career with four tackles for loss (including two sacks), a fifth tackle for loss that was wiped out by a Preston Smith offsides penalty, and a pass defended. He was the most effective blitzer on the team and didn’t miss a single backfield tackle.
On offense, Jordan Love made a few boneheaded mistakes, but as usual, he hit enough big plays to make up for it including a 30-yard touchdown strike to Dontayvion Wicks, and an incredible 14-yard tight-window touchdown to Tucker Kraft. Love also led the final Packer drive from the Green Bay 30-yard line to the Houston 26, where new kicker Brandon McManus kicked a walk-off 45-yarder in his first ever kick as a Packer.
Still Needs Work
While McManus and punter Daniel Whelan were excellent on Sunday, and the specialist roles may finally be settled in Green Bay, the return game still needs some work. Early in the second quarter, Packer backup corner Corey Ballentine was struck by a bouncing punt after returner Keisean Nixon unwisely bailed on a fair catch attempt. Houston recovered at the Green Bay ten, and a few plays later, running back Joe Mixon scored a two-yard touchdown. Muffed punts have plagued the Packers all season with Jayden Reed and Keisean Nixon both contributing poor plays. In this game, Reed was also responsible for a poor decision to fair catch a punt at the 8-yard line rather than allow it to roll into the end zone.
McManus and Whelan also deserve credit for executing on the game-winning field goal as long snapper Matt Orzech botched the snap. Whelan deftly caught and corrected the ball, and McManus knocked it through, but the play could have easily gone awry.
Still, this was an impressive win against a very good AFC opponent, and the Packers, to their credit, continue to overcome mistakes, and get the job done. They now sit at 5-2, and if they can iron out a few more kinks, they will be true Super Bowl contenders.
