HOUSTON, Texas -- The Green Bay Packers defeated the previously undefeated Houston Texans in their second of three road games Sunday, October 14th, 42-24. The Pack led the Texans 21-10 at halftime. Green Bay is now 3-3 heading into Week Seven of NFL regular season play.
Quarterback Aaron Rodgers tied a team record with six touchdown passes in the game. He threw three to Jordy Nelson, two to James Jones and one to Tom Crabtree. Rodgers threw for 338 yards in the game.
Rodgers opened the scoring with a 41-yard pass to Jordy Nelson. A six-yard touchdown pass from to Jones increased their lead to 14-0.
Houston answered when Arian Foster capped a nine-play, 80-yard drive with a one-yard touchdown run, but the Packers returned with a seven-play, 78-yard touchdown drive, which ended in a 21-yard pass from Rodgers to Nelson.
The final score of the half followed a 47-yard drive by the Texans. Shayne Graham kicked a 51-yard field goal.
Foster, the NFL’s second-leading rusher, was held to 22 yards on 13 carries by a Packers defense that was playing without nose tackle B.J. Raji.
Nelson led the Packers in receptions in receptions with nine for 121 yards and three touchdowns. Randall Cobb caught seven passes for 102 yards.
In the second half, interceptions by Sam Shields and Casey Hayward in the fourth quarter dealt the Texans their first loss of the season.
Packers' linebackers D.J. Smith and Nick Perry sustained knee injuries during Sunday's game.
The Packers suffered a number of injuries during last week's loss to the Colts in Indy, including: Pro Bowl wide receiver Greg Jennings, who missed Sunday’s loss with a lingering groin injury; workhorse running back Cedric Benson, who left Sunday’s game with a sprained foot; tight end Jermichael Finley, who injured his shoulder against the Colts and defensive tackle B.J. Raji, who sprained his ankle in Indianapolis.
The Packers learned this week Benson will be out for eight weeks due to his injury. Packers' Coach Mike McCarthy has said Raji and Finley "have a chance" to play against the Texans.
The Packers spent this week looking for answers in the wake of last Sunday's dispiriting 30-27 loss to the Indianapolis Colts.
The Pack's once powerful offense looks nothing like it did in 2011. Their defense is starting to look entirely too much like last year’s group -- and their otherwise solid special teams is asking why its previously reliable, strong-legged kicker Mason Crosby missed a pair of 50-yard field goals – including a potential tying 51-yarder with 3 seconds left in the game – after being virtually automatic before Sunday, October 7th.
It all adds up to a 2-3 record, putting the Packers below .500 at this point in the season for the third time in coach Mike McCarthy’s seven-year tenure.
On Sunday, October 14th, the Packers and the Texans come face-to-face in Texas for the first time since 2004. It's the second of a three-game road trip for the Packers.
Sunday's game will be the first time the Packers have faced an undefeated team with five or more wins since they played the 7-0 Tennessee Titans in Nashville in 2008. Houston and Atlanta are the only remaining undefeated teams this season.
The last time the Pack was in Texas (in 2004) -- the game ended with a 46-yard Ryan Longwell field goal for a 16-13 Green Bay win.
The team met again in 2008 at Lambeau Field where Houston had the victory -- 24-21. During this last meeting, Aaron Rodgers led the way with 295 yards and two TDs on 19-of-30 passing, with Ryan Grant chipping in 104 rushing yards and a score on 19 carries (5.5 avg.). Tramon Williams recorded an interception for Green Bay and Desmond Bishop posted 12 tackles, his first career sack and two forced fumbles in his first career start. After Green Bay's Jeremy Kapinos pinned the Texans at their own 3-yard line with 1:49 remaining, Matt Schaub led Houston on a nine-play, 75-yard drive that was capped off by a 40-yard Kris Brown field goal as time expired.
This week’s contest at Houston is one of three scheduled Sunday night contests for the Packers this season, with games at the N.Y. Giants in Week 12 and vs. Detroit in Week 14 (both subject to flex scheduling).
Houston Texans' Coach Gary Kubiak last year led the team to a franchise-best 10-6 record, their first division title, their first playoff appearance and first postseason victory.
On the field during Sunday's game -- the Packers will face off with a fellow Wisconsinite. Former Wisconsin Badgers' player J.J. Watt is a defensive end for the Texans.
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