The Green Bay Packers didn’t play their best but still had enough to get past the Houston Texans on Sunday at Lambeau Field. In a game with seven lead changes, the Packers got a final drive from Jordan Love and a game-winning field goal from Brandon McManus to steal the 24-22 victory.
The Packers are now 5-2 after winning three straight games.
Here are the stars, studs and duds from the Packers’ Week 7 win over the Texans:
Stars
LB Eric Wilson: Quay Walker went down after only 13 snaps. In stepped Wilson, who delivered as many big plays in a game as any Packers defender this season. The veteran linebacker made two tackles of Joe Mixon behind the line of scrimmage, delivered two sacks of C.J. Stroud off blitzes on third down, broke up a pass intended for Dalton Schultz on third down and even chipped in a special teams tackle. In a couple of games this season — Sunday and Week 2 against the Colts — Wilson has been a game-changer for the Packers defense.
Studs
S Evan Williams: The rookie safety keeps flashing. He played all 64 defensive snaps against the Texans and led the team in total tackles with nine. The tackles weren’t empty of impact. On four different runs, Williams made a tackle at or inside four yards. He also stuffed the Texans’ two-point conversion attempt with a perfect open-field tackle on Joe Mixon.
WR Romeo Doubs: He continued to be productive post-suspension, catching eight of 10 targets for a team-high 94 yards. PFF credited him with making four contested catches, including a couple grabs on tough in-breaking routes in traffic. Doubs hauled in a pair of passes on the final drive, proving again Jordan Love’s trust in him in big spots.
DE Rashan Gary: The Packers’ top pass-rusher is starting to heat up. He produced a half-dozen pressures on Sunday, including a sack of Stroud and a pair of quarterback hits. Jeff Hafley moved him around the defensive front and he was productive, both on traditional rushes and stunts. Gary also had two run stops.
P Daniel Whelan: He boomed five punts, averaging almost 58 yards gross yards and over 51 net yards. During a three-punt stretch in the second half, Whelan hit three straight over 60 yards. Not only did he flip the field consistently, but his catch and hold on the poor snap saved the game-winning field goal.
K Brandon McManus: The veteran arrived in Green Bay on Wednesday and knocked home all four of his kicks on Sunday, including the game-winner from 45 yards following a poor snap.
QB Jordan Love: Leading a game-winning drive as a quarterback is, at minimum, an instant “stud” performance. Love threw two bad interceptions leading to points for the Texans, but he also threw three go-ahead touchdown passes, including incredible throws to Tucker Kraft (on third down in the red zone) and Dontayvion Wicks, and his game-winning drive to set up the field goal was surgical.
RB Josh Jacobs: He got only 12 carries, but three gained 10 or more yards — continuing his ability to create explosive runs. His long was a 27-yarder that set up his career first touchdown catch. On one run, Jacobs avoided a defender in the backfield and turned what should have been a 3-yard loss into a 4-yard gain. Great backs get explosive plays on well-blocked runs but also create gains on poorly-blocked runs. Jacobs does both.
Duds
WR Jayden Reed: A rare dud from Reed. He dropped one short pass that was nearly a backwards pass and a fumble. He couldn’t finish on a deep ball from Jordan Love that would have put the Packers in field goal territory late in the first half. And he fielded a punt at the 1-yard line and was stopped inside the five. Reed’s three touches on offense gained only 10 yards.
