The Houston Texans take on the Green Bay Packers Sunday at 12:00 p.m. CT at NRG Stadium.
To get ready for the matchup, Zach Kruse from the Packers Wire stops by to give an inside look at defending NFC North champions.
Texans Wire: How much of a shock was last week’s loss to the Buccaneers?
Zach Kruse: I don’t think anyone expected it, but the Packers have produced a few of these games the last two years. For whatever reason, when the Packers lose under Matt LaFleur, they lose big. I think it was shocking to see the offense crumble, and Aaron Rodgers almost never throws pick-sixes. While everything went right on offense the first four games, just about everything went wrong last Sunday. Turnovers, pass protection, missed opportunities. The Bucs punched the Packers in the mouth and LaFleur’s team didn’t respond well.
TW: Does LaFleur have to get the Packers back to the title game at least, or does he have breathing room?
ZK: He has plenty of breathing room. He’s only in his second year, and he’s 17-4 in the regular season. Expectations are high but LaFleur is going to be in Green Bay for the long haul.
TW: Why can’t the Packers generate takeaways?
ZK: That’s certainly a question they’re trying to answer. Only three takeaways in five games is disappointing after generating 25 last season. The Packers are a defense based on disruption, but they haven’t pressured the quarterback at the same rate as last season and the secondary isn’t getting their hands on as many passes. The Packers only have two picks and 12 pass breakups. The pass-rush needs to force more pressure, and the defensive backs need to start making more plays on the ball.
TW: Romeo Crennel blames missed tackles on lack of a tradition offseason, training camp, etc. Why do you think the Packers are tied for fifth-most missed tackles with 49?
ZK: Well, Alvin Kamara is one big reason. He caused about a fourth of those missed tackles in one game in New Orleans, but it has been a recurring issue. The Packers have had injury issues at inside linebacker, pushing a bunch of young players into the lineup, and the secondary hasn’t been good making tackles in the open field. It’s definitely something to watch on Sunday. Can the Texans get the ball to playmakers in space and challenge the Packers to tackle?
TW: How much damage will Aaron Jones do to the worst run defense in the NFL?
ZK: I’d imagine the Packers are going to feature Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams heavily. The wide zone run scheme is vey similar to the scheme the Titans use in Tennessee, so either the Texans are going to make a big adjustment or Jones and Williams are going to run wild on Sunday. The Packers will want to get the run game going again after running into Tampa Bay’s brick wall of a run defense last week.
TW: What is your prediction with a score?
ZK: I predict a lot of points, but a Packers win. I do think the Texans are a particularly dangerous 1-5 team, especially with Deshaun Watson playing so well. They’re going to score and pressure the Packers to keep scoring. I think Aaron Rodgers, Aaron Jones, Davante Adams and Matt LaFleur will all rise to that challenge. How does a 41-31 shootout sound? Two things that could flip this game for the Texans: Pressure on Rodgers if LT David Bakhtiari doesn’t play, and the Texans’ ability to generate explosive plays. The guess here is that a back-and-forth game eventually tilts the Packers’ way.