In Week 7, newly signed Brandon McManus kicked a 45-yard field goal with no time left, giving the Green Bay Packers a 24-22 victory 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 with 76 yards rushing on 12 carries, and Romeo Dubs had 95 yards on eight receptions.
Houston had just 197 yards of total offense and only 86 passing yards from C.J. Stroud. However, three turnovers by the Packers made up for the Texans’ inability to move the ball through the air.
Joe Mixon was a big part 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 only managed 23 yards on five receptions and seven targets.
The Packers took the lead midway through the third quarter with an 8-yard touchdown pass from Love to Jacobs, his first TD reception in his six-year NFL career.
The Packers defense troubled Stroud throughout the game, sacking him four times. His 86 passing yards were completed 10-of-21 with no touchdowns.
Houston took advantage of Green Bay’s first half turnovers and scored 16 points. Early in the second quarter, Packers punt returner Keyshawn Nixon did not signal a fair catch and the ball hit teammate Corey Valentine. MJ Stewart recovered the Texans’ raw ball at the Packers’ 11-yard line. Two plays later, Mixon scored and Houston led 10-7.
Love threw his second interception with 4:24 left in the first half, which was scored by Karen Block. The Texans gained 55 yards in five plays, ending with Mixon’s second score of the game. However, Houston was unable to convert the two-point conversion and took a 19-14 lead into halftime.
Green Bay scored its first touchdown of the game when tight end Tucker Craft dived and caught Lovelockt in the end zone.
McManus signed with the Packers on Wednesday. On Sept. 30, an NFL investigation found “insufficient evidence” that the 10-year veteran violated the league’s personal conduct policy on the sexual assault charges.
Green Bay signed McManus after releasing rookie Brayden Narveson, who made 12 of 17 kicks this season. In 10 NFL seasons, McManus completed 81 percent of his kicks and was promoted to special teams.
The Packers improved to 5-2 on the season and are currently in third place in the NFC North behind the Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings (both 5-1). They will next face the Jacksonville Jaguars (2 wins, 5 losses) in Week 8.
The Texans fell to 5-2 but still sit atop the AFC South. They will face Indianapolis (4-3) next Sunday, nearing the halfway point of the season, in a game to decide first place in the division.
