If you like shootouts, this game between the Green Bay Packers and the Houston Texans has a high potential to be one. The Packers are coming off their first loss of the season and they are eager to vent their frustrations from that setback on the Houston Texans, who are looking to get back in the win column. Check out our preview of this game below.
What was that? In what was one of the most anticipated games of the season, the Packers lost to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in lopsided fashion to the tune of a 38-10 score. That’s a surprising offensive output for a team that’s quarterbacked by Aaron Rodgers. The future Hall of Famer was simply not in his element in the Bucs game, as he tossed two picks and passed for just 160 yards on 16-of-35 completions. Rodgers is human after all, but it’s unlikely for him to have two duds in a row, especially if the Packers’ next game is against a team with a rotten defense like Houston. The Texans are allowing 30.3 points per game and over 420 total yards per contest. Running back Aaron Jones will have fun picking up yards in the Packers’ rushing attack on Sunday, as the Texans are the worst team against the run. Houston is giving up 177.5 rushing yards per game and 5.4 yards per carry, and that was further illuminated by the Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry, who had 212 rushing yards last week against the Texans. Green Bay, on the other hand, is seventh in the NFL with 139.4 rushing yards per contest.
The Packers are 4-1 against the spread, so far this season.
Although the Texans failed to notch their second win of the season last week, as they lost to the Titans on the road, 42-36 in OT, they should still feel better about the way their franchise quarterback is playing of late. Deshaun Watson extended his streak of 300-yard passing games to three after throwing for 335 yards and four touchdowns on 28-of-37 completions against the Titans. Over that three-game stretch, Watson had nine touchdowns against just two interceptions. Defense has always been a problem for Houston, but with Watson in the groove, the Texans should be able to keep in step with Green Bay in case of a shootout. Watson is having success with Will Fuller as his primary target. The wideout has 123 receiving yards and a touchdown on six catches against the Titans. He’s scored a touchdown in each of the last four games, and he can feel good about his chances of extending that against Green Bay’s red zone defense that’s just 29th in the NFL in opponents red zone scoring percentage (76.74).
The over is 3-1 in the Texans’ last four games overall.
