GREEN BAY – New Packers kicker Brandon McManus, signed this week to replace rookie Brayden Narveson, made a 45-yard field goal as time expired to give Green Bay a 24-22 win over Houston on Sunday at Lambeau Field.
The winning kick ended a back-and-forth game and improved the Packers to 5-2, while the Texans dropped to 5-2 on the season.
The Packers gave the ball away three times in the first half on two interceptions and a botched punt return, which left them trailing 19-14 at intermission.
Green Bay came back to score on its opening drive of the second half, and then both teams traded numerous punts. Three times, the Packers were punting from inside their own 15-yard line, unable to get a first down.
The Texans then took over with eight minutes left and killed more than six minutes, driving for a 35-yard field goal to take a 22-21 lead with 1:44 left.
Green Bay started on its own 30 with one timeout left. Completions to TE Tucker Kraft and WR Dontayvion Wicks got the ball to midfield with a minute to go. A slant to WR Romeo Doubs picked up another first down at the Houston 37.
An offside call on Texans DE Will Anderson Jr. put the ball on the 32, and then another slant to Doubs gained 6 to the 26, bringing on McManus with just 3 seconds left. He made the kick twice, once when Houston called a timeout just before the snap, and again on the second try.
For the Packers, QB Jordan Love was 24-of-33 for 220 yards with three TDs, two INTs and a 95.5 passer rating. Doubs caught eight passes for 95 yards, while the TDs went to Wicks, Kraft, and RB Josh Jacobs, the first receiving TD of his career.
Jacobs also had 12 carries for 76 yards on the ground.
For the Texans, QB C.J. Stroud threw for just 86 yards, going 10-for-21 for a 58.8 passer rating. RB Joe Mixon had 25 carries for 115 yards and two TDs, while WR Stefon Diggs had five catches but for just 23 yards.
Here's a recap of all the action:
Texans lead Packers 3-0 after first quarter
The Packers won the coin toss and elected to receive. Keisean Nixon had a big kickoff return called back due to a holding penalty, with Green Bay starting at its own 20-yard line.
The Packers got the yards back with a 23-yard pass to Romeo Doubs after D'Angelo Ross fell down in coverage. After Josh Jacobs gained seven yards on two carries, Green Bay went empty, and Jordan Love was picked off by Texans linebacker Neville Hewitt.
Houston started at the Green Bay 11 after Hewitt's 45-yard INT return. The Packers' defense kept the Texans out of their end zone, as Houston settled for a Kai Fairbairn 23-yard field goal to take a 3-0 lead with 11 minutes, 48 seconds left in the first quarter.
The Packers' offense quickly went three-and-out after a 4-yard pass to Jayden Reed, a Bo Melton end-around that went for a loss of one and a 5-yard check down to Josh Jacobs. Houston retook possession after Daniel Whelan's 47-yard punt wasn't returned.
Houston completed a 28-yard pass to Dalton Schultz on first down. On the next play, Texans right tackle Tytus Howard fell down in his back step and Rashan Gary sacked C.J. Stroud for a loss of six.
On third-and-6 from the Green Bay 36, safety Xavier McKinney came on an edge blitz and sacked Stroud for a loss of eight yards to knock Houston out of field-goal position. It's just the second full sack of McKinney's career and first since Week 8 of the 2022 season.
Jacobs' 13-yard run and an 11-yard slant to Doubs moved Green Bay to midfield. On the play, Love surpassed Cecil Isbell for 10th all-time in career passing yards for the Packers. Green Bay moved to the Houston 37-yard line on an 8-yard pass to Melton on third-and-5.
Texans lead Packers 19-14 at halftime
The second quarter began with a 6-yard pass to Reed on second-and-14 that became a first down after a personal foul on Hewitt, moving the ball to the Houston 20.
On third-and-4, Love fired a 14-yard touchdown past safety Calen Bullock to an open Tucker Kraft to put Green Bay up 7-3 with 13:16 left in the first half. The 13-play, 92-yard lasted 6:50. The 13 plays and 6:50 were season-longs for Green Bay.
Quay Walker was injured on a second-down pass to Stefon Diggs. He walked off under his own power. Green Bay forced a three-and-out, but Tommy Townsend's punt hit the ground and hit Corey Ballentine. The Texans recovered the ball at the Green Bay 11.
Joe Mixon scored a 3-yard touchdown to give Houston a 10-7 lead with 11:52 left in the second quarter.
Emanuel Wilson gained 11 yards off three straight touches to get Green Bay going on its next possession. Reed drew a 30-yard defensive pass interference penalty on Eric Murray to move Green Bay to the Houston 30.
Two plays later, Love hit Dontayvion Wicks down the sideline for a 30-yard TD to put the Packers back up 14-10 with 8:51 left in the first half. It was Wicks' team-leading fourth TD reception of the year.
Walker was declared out during Houston's next possession. The Texans ran the ball down to the Green Bay 32 until Walker's replacement at "Mike" linebacker, Eric Wilson, tackled Mixon for a 2-yard loss on a second-and-10 screen.
The Packers sent a blitz on third-and-12 to force a Stroud incompletion. Fairbairn made a 52-yard field goal to cut Green Bay's lead to 14-13 with 4:30 left in the first half.
Love was picked off by Bullock on the next play when his pass intended for Christian Watson sailed high. The Texans took over at their own 45 and continued to pound Mixon, who propelled Houston's offense into scoring position with a 32-yard run.
The veteran running back completed the drive with a 4-yard TD run. The Texans tried for two, but Evan Williams tackled Mixon for a loss to make it 19-14 Houston with 1:13 left in the first half.
Love hit Watson for nine yards on a stop route but was then sacked for a loss of eight. He nearly hit Reed on a deep ball but the second-year receiver couldn't hold onto it, as the offense went three-and-out.
Packers lead Texans 21-19 after three quarters
The Packers' defense earned a three-and-out to start the second half, with Kenny Clark tackling Mixon for a 2-yard loss on first down and Wilson sacking Stroud for a 9-yard loss on a third-and-4 blitz. Green Bay retook possession at its 29.
Doubs converted on second-and-7 with an 11-yard slant. Jacobs gained 39 straight yards on his next three carries, including a 27-yard run to the Houston 18. A 12-yard slant to Doubs set up first-and-goal at the Texans' 5.
Josh Jacobs caught a slant from Love for the 5-yard TD to propel the Packers back into the lead, 21-19, with 7:25 left in the third quarter. It was Love's 50th career touchdown pass and Jacobs' first career receiving touchdown on 212 catches.
The Packers' forced another three-and-out, defensively, with Eric Wilson breaking up a third-and-5 pass for Schultz. Townsend pinned Green Bay back at its own 4 after a 66-yard punt.
Green Bay went three-and-out despite Jacobs gaining seven yards on a first-down carry. Daniel Whelan punted the ball 59 yards back to the Texans, who started with the ball at their 25 after M.J. Stewart jumped on the ball after it touched him.
Houston moved across midfield with a 17-yard pass to Stefon Diggs off play-action but Wilson again sacked Stroud on a third-down blitz to force Houston to punt. The Packers took over at their 15. Doubs picked up eight yards on a second-and-11 slant to end the third quarter.
Packers beat Texans 24-22 on Brandon McManus' game-winning field goal
The fourth quarter began with Will Anderson sacking Love, leading to Daniel Whelan's 67-yard punt. Taking over at their 32, the Texans pushed the ball downfield behind Mixon and Stroud until Edgerrin Cooper and Wilson combined on a tackle for a loss of three yards on Mixon.
The Packers sent Gary on an inside stunt on third-and-11 and Stroud was forced to scramble for two yards. Green Bay took over at its 20 after a 56-yard Townsend punt that landed in the Packers' end zone with 10:10 left.
Green Bay went three-and-out for a third straight series after an illegal block in the back penalty and Danielle Hunter sack pinned Green Bay back at its own 3. The Packers punted after 9-yard pass to Doubs on third-and-27. Houston took back over at its 38 with 8:11 remaining.
Mixon gained 17 yards on first down. Green Bay held Mixon to five yards on his next two carries before an offside penalty. On third-and-1, Stroud connected with Diggs for two yards. Mixon then turned a second-and-11 situation into a 12-yard run to the Green Bay 23.
On third-and-10, Stroud avoided the blitz to hit Xavier Hutchinson for 12 yards and the first down as the game reached the two-minute warning. Houston drained only 12 more seconds off the clock after an incompletion and two Mixon carries for a loss of six.
Fairbairn made a 35-yard field goal to put Houston back up 22-21 with 1:44 remaining.
Kraft gained eight yards on a second-and-10 out route. Wicks picked up 12 on a stop route to midfield. A 12-yard slant to Doubs moved the ball to the Houston 37 before an offside penalty moved it to the 32 with 21 seconds left.
Doubs caught a quick pass to the five and Green Bay used its final timeout. Brandon McManus made a 45-yard field goal to seal the 24-22 victory.
