Newly signed Brandon McManus kicked a 45-yard field goal with no time left to give the Green Bay Packers a 24–22 Week 7 win over the Houston Texans at Lambeau Field.
Jordan Love threw three touchdown passes and two interceptions, completing 24-of-33 passes for 220 yards. Josh Jacobs led the Packers in rushing with 76 yards on 12 carries, while Romeo Doubs had eight receptions for 95 yards.
Houston had only 197 yards of total offense and 86 yards passing from C.J. Stroud. However, three turnovers by the Packers compensated for the Texans’ inability to move the ball through the air.
Joe Mixon provided the majority of Houston’s offense, rushing for 115 yards and two scores on 25 carries. Dalton Schultz led the Texans’ in receiving with a 28-yard catch. Stefon Diggs managed only 23 yards on five receptions and seven targets.
The Packers went on top midway through the third quarter on an 8-yard touchdown pass from Love to Jacobs, the first TD reception of his six-year NFL career.
The Packers’ defense hassled Stroud throughout the game, sacking him four times. He only threw for 86 yards on 10-for-21 passing with no touchdowns.
Houston capitalized on the first-half turnovers by Green Bay, resulting in 16 points. Early in the second quarter, Packers punt returner Keisean Nixon didn’t signal for a fair catch and the ball hit teammate Corey Ballentine. M.J. Stewart recovered the live ball for the Texans at the Packers’ 11-yard line. Two plays later, Mixon scored and Houston took a 10–7 lead.
Love threw his second interception with 4:24 remaining in the first half, picked off by Calen Bullock. The Texans went 55 yards in five plays, finished off with Mixon’s second score of the game. However, Houston could not convert a two-point conversion and took a 19–14 lead going into halftime.
Green Bay scored the game’s first touchdown with tight end Tucker Kraft diving to snare a Love rocket in the end zone.
McManus just signed with the Packers this week after an NFL investigation found “insufficient evidence” of the 10-year veteran violating the league’s personal conduct policy with sexual assault allegations against him.
Green Bay signed McManus after releasing rookie Brayden Narveson, who made 12 of his 17 kicks this season. During his 10 NFL seasons, McManus has made 81% of his kicks, making him an obvious upgrade on special teams.
The Packers improve to 5–2 for the season, currently third in the NFC North behind the Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings, both 5–1. Up next, they face the Jacksonville Jaguars (2–5) in Week 8.
The Texans dropped to 5-2, but still sit atop the AFC South. They face Indianapolis (4-3) next Sunday in a game that will determine first place in the division as they near the midway point of the season.
