Packers travel to take on Houston

The Green Bay Packers will take a trip to Texas to face the Houston Texans this Sunday.  

• It marks the fifth matchup between the Packers and Texans, with Green Bay holding a 3-1 lead, including a 2-0 mark in Houston.
• It is the Packers' first visit to Houston since a 42-24 win in 2012 in Week 6.
• While Green Bay has only played at the Texans twice, it has played in the state of Texas six times since 2010, including the postseason, and won each of those games, defeating the Dallas Cowboys four times and the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XLV in Dallas. In each of those six contests, the Packers have scored over 30 points (31, 42, 37, 34, 35, 34).
• Sunday marks the second game of the only set of back-to-back road games for Green Bay in 2020, the fewest for the team since 2013 (zero). This comes after the Packers had three sets of back-to-back road contests in both 2018 and 2019.
• This will be the third time this season Green Bay will play a game that kicks off at 12 p.m. CT, and the first since Week 2. The Packers won both of the previous games that kicked off at 12 p.m. CT, scoring 43 points at Minnesota and 42 points versus Detroit.
• The Packers have started 4-1 for the second consecutive season and for the third time in the last four years (2017). 
• Dating back to 2017, Green Bay joins the Kansas City Chiefs (four times) as the only teams in the NFL to win at least four of its first five games in at least three of the last four seasons (Stathead.com).
• The Packers have won nine of their last 10 regular-season games.
• The Packers are coming off their first loss of the season. In the first season under Head Coach Matt LaFleur, Green Bay lost three regular-season games and each time responded with a win the next week. 
• Green Bay will return to Lambeau Field for a Week 8 matchup with the Vikings on Nov. 1. It will be the Packers' third home game of the season and first since Oct. 5 against Atlanta. Including playoffs, Green Bay has an 8-3-2 mark (.692) against the Vikings at Lambeau Field since 2008.

This is an abbreviated version of the Dope Sheet. Read the full version here (PDF).

WITH THE CALL

FOX will broadcast the game to a national audience. Play-by-play man Kenny Albert joins analyst Jonathan Vilma with Shannon Spake reporting from the sidelines. 

• Milwaukee's WTMJ (620 AM), airing Green Bay games since November 1929, heads up the Packers Radio Network that is made up of 50 stations in four states. Wayne Larrivee (play-by-play), two-time Packers Pro Bowler Larry McCarren (analyst) and three-time Packers Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro John Kuhn (sideline) will call the action. McCarren first joined the team's broadcasts in 1995 and enters his 25th season calling Packers games. After originally being paired together in 1999, McCarren and Larrivee enter their 22nd season of broadcasts together. They surpassed Jim Irwin and Max McGee for the most regular-season and postseason games broadcast for the Packers with 313 at the 2018 season opener against Chicago.
• The broadcast is also available on Sirius Satellite Radio (WTMJ feed), WTMJ.com via desktop computer and on numerous devices through NFL Game Pass.
• DIRECTV subscribers can watch the game on Channel 709.

This is an abbreviated version of the Dope Sheet. Read the full version here (PDF).

THE DOPE ON THIS WEEK'S OPPONENT:

Packers at Texans:

• Regular season, all-time: 3-1
• All-time, Postseason: 0-0
• All-time, at Houston: 2-0 (2-0 at NRG Stadium)
• Streaks: Green Bay has won two consecutive games against Houston dating back to the 2012 season
• Last meeting, regular season: Dec. 4, 2016, Lambeau Field, Packers won, 21-13

COACHES CAPSULES

• Matt LaFleur: 17-4-0, .810; (1-1 postseason); 2nd NFL season
• Romeo Crennel: 29-56-0, .341 (0-0 postseason); 7th NFL season
• Head to Head: 0-0
• vs. Opponent: LaFleur 0-0 vs. Texans; Crennel 1-0 vs. Packers (1-0 postseason)

MATT LaFLEUR…In his second season as the Packers' 15th head coach.

• In his 12th season in the NFL, having previously served as an offensive coordinator for two seasons (Los Angeles Rams, 2017; Tennessee Titans, 2018), a quarterbacks coach for six seasons (Washington Redskins, 2010-13; Atlanta Falcons, 2015-16), and an offensive assistant for two seasons (Houston Texans, 2008-09).
• In his first season leading the Packers in 2019, because the first coach in club history to lead the team to the playoffs in his debut season. Also led the largest one-year win improvement in team history (plus-seven wins).
• Became only the fifth coach in NFL history to win 13-plus regular-season games in his first season as a head coach (Jim Caldwell, George Seifert, Jim Harbaugh, Steve Mariucci).
• Guided the Titans' offense in 2018 to a No. 7 league ranking in rushing (126.4 ypg) as Tennessee registered 11 games with 100-plus rushing yards, tied for No. 2 in the NFL.
• Helped the Rams lead the league in scoring with an average of 29.9 points per game in 2017, more than doubling their average from 2016 (14.0 ppg).
• Tutored QB Matt Ryan, who led the league in passer rating (117.1) in 2016 on his way to being named NFL Most Valuable Player by The Associated Press, and QB Robert Griffin III, who became the first QB in Washington franchise history to win AP Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2012.

ROMEO CRENNEL…Named Texans' interim head coach in Week 5 of the 2020 NFL season.

• In his seventh season with the Texans, having served as the associate head coach for the first four weeks of the 2020 season. In his 38th year in the NFL and his 49th overall in coaching.
• With Houston's 30-15 win over Jacksonville in Week 5, became the first coach in NFL history to win two debuts as an interim head coach. At 73 years old, also became the oldest head coach in NFL history to win a game.
• Has been part of 17 playoff appearances, 13 division titles, six conference titles and has won five of the six Super Bowls he has appeared in. Was awarded the 2020 Paul "Dr. Z" Zimmerman Award by the PFWA for his lifetime achievements as an assistant coach.
• Since joining the staff in 2014, has helped the Texans rank among the top 10 in multiple defensive categories, including pick-sixes (14, tied for NFL lead), passes defensed (496), and opponent completion percentage (62.3).

THE PACKERS-TEXANS SERIES

• Sunday will mark the fifth meeting between the clubs since the Texans entered the NFL as an expansion club in 2002.
• The first meeting came in a nationally televised Sunday night contest at Reliant Stadium in Houston, one the Packers won, 16-13, on a 46-yard field goal by Ryan Longwell as time expired.

NOTABLE CONNECTIONS

Packers head coach Matt LaFleur's first NFL coaching job was an offensive assistant for the Texans from 2008-09, including when Texans defensive coordinator/defensive line coach Anthony Weaver was on the roster in 2008…Packers offensive line coach Adam Stenavich spent two years on the Texans' practice squad from 2008-09…Packers RB Tyler Ervin was drafted by the Texans in the fourth round of the 2016 NFL Draft and played for the team from 2016-18…Texans G/T Max Scharping is a native of Green Bay, Wis. and attended Southwest High School…Texans WR Randall Cobb was drafted by the Packers in the second round of the 2011 NFL Draft and played for the team from 2011-18…Texans DE J.J. Watt is a native of Pewaukee, Wis., and played collegiately at the University of Wisconsin…Texans S Eric Murray attended Riverside University High School in Milwaukee, Wis. …Packers defensive coordinator Mike Pettine was a member of the Ravens' coaching staff when Weaver was on the roster from 2002-05…Weaver later served as an assistant defensive line coach for the Jets when Pettine was the team's defensive coordinator in 2012, and as the defensive line coach for the Browns when Pettine was the team's head coach from 2014-15…Texans secondary coach D'Anton Lynn was on the Jets' training camp roster in 2012 when Pettine served as the defensive coordinator...LaFleur served as Notre Dame's quarterbacks coach in 2015 when Texans WR Will Fuller, C Nick Martin and RB C.J. Prosise were on the roster…Packers G Jon Runyan and Texans CB John Reid played together at St. Joseph's Prep School in Philadelphia…Runyan was born in Houston when his father, Jon Runyan Sr., played for the Houston Oilers...Packers T Rick Wagner, TE Robert Tonyan and Texans TE Darren Fells all spent time together on the Lions' roster in 2017…Packers G/T Billy Turner played with Texans WR Kenny Stills (2015-16), S Michael Thomas (2014-16) and T Laremy Tunsil (2016) while with the Dolphins and with Texans CB Bradley Roby for the Broncos from 2016-18…Pettine (2015) and special teams coordinator Shawn Mennenga (2015-17) both coached for the Browns when Texans RB Duke Johnson was on the roster…Packers tight ends coach Justin Outten coached at Westfield High School in Houston from 2008-15…Packers defensive backs coach Jerry Gray played collegiately at the University of Texas from 1981-84, professionally for the Houston Oilers in 1982 and later served as a defensive quality control coach for the Oilers from 1997-98…Packers outside linebackers coach Mike Smith played collegiately at Texas Tech from 2001-04…Texas natives on the Packers' roster include K Mason Crosby (Georgetown), RB Aaron Jones (El Paso), S Vernon Scott (Arlington), CB Josh Jackson (Corinth), LB Ty Summers (San Antonio) and DL Kingsley Keke (Richmond)…Packers that played collegiately in the state of Texas include Jones (Texas-El Paso), Scott (TCU), Summers (TCU), Keke (Texas A&M) and TE Jace Sternberger (Texas A&M)…Texas natives on the Packers' coaching staff include Gray (Lubbock), Smith (Lubbock) and defensive quality control coach Wendel Davis (Sweeny)…Several Packers coaches have held positions at Texas colleges, including Gray (Southern Methodist, 1995-96), Smith (Texas Tech, 2013-15), assistant defensive backs coach Ryan Downard (Texas Tech, 2013), Davis (West Texas A&M, 2010-12; Texas A&M – Commerce, 2013-14; University of Texas, 2015) and defensive quality control coach Christian Parker (Texas A&M, 2018)... Former college teammates include: Packers CB Jaire Alexander and Texans OLB Jonathan Greenard (Louisville); Turner, WR Darrius Shepherd and Texans ILB Kyle Emanuel (North Dakota State); Packers WR Equanimeous St. Brown, Fuller, Martin and Prosise (Notre Dame); Packers C Corey Linsley and Roby (Ohio State); Keke, Sternberger and Texans FB Cullen Gillaspia (Texas A&M); Scott, Summers and Texans DT Ross Blacklock (TCU); Packers DL Kenny Clark and Texans K Ka'imi Fairbairn (UCLA); Packers LB Oren Burks and Texans LB Zach Cunningham (Vanderbilt); Wagner and Watt (Wisconsin).