Quick Reference: October 20, 2024
Score: Green Bay 24, Houston 22
Location: Lambeau Field (78,197 fans)
Winning Play: Brandon McManus 45-yard field goal (0:00)
Records: Both teams 5-2 after game
Network: CBS primetime
Brandon McManus joined Green Bay three days before this game. The Packers had released their previous kicker after several misses. Now, with the clock at zero and Houston having just called timeout to freeze him, McManus lined up from 45 yards. The kick split the uprights. Green Bay 24, Houston 22.
Table of Contents
Quarterback Comparison
C.J. Stroud’s 86 passing yards marked his career low. Playing without injured receivers Nico Collins and Robert Woods, he completed just 10 of 21 passes. Four sacks reduced Houston’s net passing to 55 yards.
Jordan Love completed 24 of 33 for 220 yards and 3 touchdowns, though his 2 interceptions set up 10 Houston points on short fields.
Passing Statistics
| Player | Completions/Attempts | Yards | TDs | INTs | Rating | Sacks Taken | Net Passing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jordan Love (GB) | 24/33 | 220 | 3 | 2 | 95.5 | 3 for 25 yards | 195 |
| C.J. Stroud (HOU) | 10/21 | 86 | 0 | 0 | 58.8 | 4 for 31 yards | 55 |
Eric Wilson replaced injured Quay Walker and recorded 2 sacks plus 4 tackles for loss. Green Bay totaled 7 quarterback hits while Houston managed 6.
Ground Game Production
Joe Mixon accounted for 124 of Houston’s 197 total yards. He carried 25 times for 115 yards and both Houston touchdowns, adding 2 catches for 9 yards.
Matt LaFleur’s halftime defensive adjustments drastically altered Mixon’s effectiveness. First half: 81 yards on 11 carries with 2 touchdowns. Second half: 34 yards on 14 attempts.
Rushing Breakdown
| Player | Team | Attempts | Yards | Average | TDs | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joe Mixon | HOU | 25 | 115 | 4.6 | 2 | 32 |
| Josh Jacobs | GB | 12 | 76 | 6.3 | 0 | 27 |
| C.J. Stroud | HOU | 5 | 19 | 3.8 | 0 | 10 |
| Emanuel Wilson | GB | 5 | 11 | 2.2 | 0 | 5 |
| Dare Ogunbowale | HOU | 1 | 6 | 6.0 | 0 | 6 |
| Dameon Pierce | HOU | 2 | 2 | 1.0 | 0 | 2 |
Josh Jacobs provided balance for Green Bay with 76 yards on 12 carries, including a 27-yard run that kept Houston’s defense from stacking against the pass.
Receiving Production
Romeo Doubs led all players with 8 receptions on 10 targets for 94 yards. His consistency on third downs kept multiple Green Bay drives alive.
Stefon Diggs struggled without complementary weapons, catching 5 of 7 targets for just 23 yards. Tank Dell’s 4 targets produced zero catches, symbolizing Houston’s aerial dysfunction.
Pass Catchers
| Player | Team | Receptions | Targets | Yards | TDs | Longest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Romeo Doubs | GB | 8 | 10 | 94 | 0 | 23 |
| Dontayvion Wicks | GB | 3 | 6 | 48 | 1 | 30 |
| Tucker Kraft | GB | 3 | 4 | 33 | 1 | 14 |
| Dalton Schultz | HOU | 1 | 2 | 28 | 0 | 28 |
| Stefon Diggs | HOU | 5 | 7 | 23 | 0 | 17 |
| Josh Jacobs | GB | 5 | 5 | 16 | 1 | 8 |
| Cade Stover | HOU | 1 | 1 | 15 | 0 | 15 |
| Xavier Hutchinson | HOU | 1 | 1 | 11 | 0 | 11 |
| Jayden Reed | GB | 2 | 4 | 10 | 0 | 6 |
| Joe Mixon | HOU | 2 | 3 | 9 | 0 | 11 |
| Christian Watson | GB | 1 | 2 | 9 | 0 | 9 |
| Bo Melton | GB | 1 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 8 |
| Tank Dell | HOU | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Green Bay’s three touchdown receptions: Wicks (30 yards, second quarter), Kraft (14 yards, second quarter), Jacobs (8 yards, third quarter – his first career receiving touchdown).
Defensive Impact Players
Houston played without five defensive starters, including linebackers Azeez Al-Shaair and Henry To’oTo’o, and cornerback Kamari Lassiter. Yet their defense created the turnovers that nearly won the game:
Quarter 1: Neville Hewitt intercepted Love at Green Bay’s 40, setting up a 23-yard field goal.
Quarter 2: Houston recovered a muffed punt at Green Bay’s 11, leading to Mixon’s 2-yard TD. Later, Calen Bullock intercepted Love at the 35, setting up Mixon’s 4-yard TD.
These three turnovers generated 16 of Houston’s 22 points.
Top Defensive Performers
| Player | Team | Tackles | Solo | Sacks | TFL | INTs | Pass Defenses |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Neville Hewitt | HOU | 9 | 6 | 0.0 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| Evan Williams | GB | 9 | 6 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| D’Angelo Ross | HOU | 8 | 7 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jake Hansen | HOU | 7 | 4 | 0.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Derek Stingley Jr. | HOU | 6 | 6 | 0.0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Eric Wilson | GB | 6 | 5 | 2.0 | 4 | 0 | 1 |
| Xavier McKinney | GB | 6 | 5 | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Rashan Gary | GB | 5 | 2 | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Keisean Nixon | GB | 5 | 2 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tim Settle Jr. | HOU | 4 | 4 | 1.0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
Additional Defensive Contributors
| Player | Team | Tackles | Sacks | Notable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kenny Clark | GB | 4 | 0.0 | 2 TFL |
| Javon Bullard | GB | 4 | 0.0 | – |
| Isaiah McDuffie | GB | 4 | 0.0 | – |
| Kingsley Enagbare | GB | 4 | 0.0 | – |
| Jalen Pitre | HOU | 3 | 0.0 | 1 TFL, 1 PD |
| Jaire Alexander | GB | 3 | 0.0 | – |
| Edgerrin Cooper | GB | 3 | 0.0 | 2 TFL |
| Danielle Hunter | HOU | 2 | 1.0 | 2 QB Hits |
| Will Anderson Jr. | HOU | 1 | 1.0 | 1 QB Hit |
| Folorunso Fatukasi | HOU | 2 | 0.0 | 1 TFL |
| Eric Murray | HOU | 2 | 0.0 | – |
| Calen Bullock | HOU | 1 | 0.0 | 1 INT |
| Others Combined | Both | 10 | 0.0 | Various |
According to post-game reports, Matt LaFleur awarded game balls to Eric Wilson for his defensive performance and Jeff Hafley for the defensive game plan.
Kicking and Field Position
Brandon McManus went 1 for 1 on field goals and 3 for 3 on extra points in his Packers debut. Ka’imi Fairbairn matched him with perfect accuracy: 3 for 3 on field goals (23, 52, 35 yards) and 1 for 1 on extra points. Fairbairn’s 35-yarder with 1:44 left gave Houston a brief 22-21 lead.
Daniel Whelan earned a game ball for his punting performance. His 56.8-yard average on 5 punts kept Houston from favorable field position during Green Bay’s third-quarter offensive struggles (three consecutive three-and-outs).
Special Teams Summary
| Player | Team | Role | Performance | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brandon McManus | GB | Kicker | 1/1 FG, 3/3 XP | Game winner from 45 |
| Ka’imi Fairbairn | HOU | Kicker | 3/3 FG, 1/1 XP | Long of 52 yards |
| Daniel Whelan | GB | Punter | 5 punts, 284 yards | 56.8 avg, 66 long |
| Tommy Townsend | HOU | Punter | 6 punts, 307 yards | 51.2 avg, 66 long |
| Dameon Pierce | HOU | Returns | 1 KR, 42 yards | 42.0 avg |
| Keisean Nixon | GB | Returns | 2 KR, 58 yards; 1 PR, 8 yards | 29.0 KR avg |
| Tank Dell | HOU | Returns | 2 PR, 24 yards | 12.0 avg |
Scoring Progression
The game featured seven lead changes across four quarters of contrasting momentum.
Points by Quarter
| Quarter | Team | Score | Scoring Play |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | HOU | 3-0 | Fairbairn 23-yard FG (after Hewitt INT) |
| 2nd | GB | 7-3 | Kraft 14-yard TD from Love |
| 2nd | HOU | 10-7 | Mixon 2-yard TD run |
| 2nd | GB | 14-10 | Wicks 30-yard TD from Love |
| 2nd | HOU | 13-14 | Fairbairn 52-yard FG |
| 2nd | HOU | 19-14 | Mixon 4-yard TD run |
| 3rd | GB | 21-19 | Jacobs 8-yard TD from Love |
| 4th | HOU | 22-21 | Fairbairn 35-yard FG |
| 4th | GB | 24-22 | McManus 45-yard FG (0:00) |
The second quarter alone produced 30 points. The third quarter saw just 7 points as defenses tightened. The fourth quarter remained scoreless until the final two minutes.
Overall Team Performance
Houston controlled possession for 31:17 yet gained only 197 yards on 58 plays (3.4 per play). Green Bay produced 277 yards on 56 plays (4.9 per play) in 28:43 of possession.
Team Statistics
| Category | Houston | Green Bay |
|---|---|---|
| Total Yards | 197 | 277 |
| Total First Downs | 15 | 18 |
| Passing First Downs | 6 | 12 |
| Rushing First Downs | 9 | 4 |
| Penalty First Downs | 0 | 2 |
| Third Down Conversions | 4/13 (30.8%) | 4/10 (40%) |
| Fourth Down Attempts | 0/0 | 0/0 |
| Red Zone Scores | 2/4 (50%) | 2/2 (100%) |
| Plays Run | 58 | 56 |
| Average Per Play | 3.4 | 4.9 |
| Turnovers | 0 | 3 |
| Points From Turnovers | 16 | 0 |
| Penalties | 5-55 | 8-55 |
Green Bay lost the turnover battle 3-0 but won through red zone execution (100% touchdown rate) and yards-per-play advantage. Houston’s turnovers produced 16 points, including two drives starting at Green Bay’s 11-yard line.
Game-Winning Drive
Trailing 22-21 with 1:44 remaining, Jordan Love took possession at Green Bay’s 30. He completed passes to Romeo Doubs (twice), Tucker Kraft, and Jayden Reed while mixing in Josh Jacobs runs. Eight plays covered 44 yards, positioning McManus at Houston’s 27 for his winning kick.
Postgame Context
For additional NFL Week 7 coverage, Green Bay improved to 4-0 at Lambeau Field while Houston remained atop the AFC South.
DeMeco Ryans cited pass protection breakdowns for his offense’s struggles. Without Collins and Woods at receiver, plus five defensive starters sidelined, Houston competed but couldn’t sustain drives. Matt LaFleur praised his defense for holding Houston to season-low yardage and specifically recognized Wilson, Hafley, and Whelan with game balls for their contributions.
The Texans and Packers box score from Week 7 reflects Green Bay’s ability to capitalize on limited opportunities while Houston’s time of possession advantage meant little without offensive execution. McManus’s debut kick capped a game where defensive adjustments, special teams field position, and red zone efficiency outweighed turnover margin at Lambeau Field.
