With five defensive starters out of this game, I wasn't sure what kind of performance we'd see from this gritty Texans team.
Unfortunately, one hell of an effort went up in smoke, so to speak, as the Packers kicked a field goal on the last play of the game to beat the Texans, 24-22.
Here's my Big Play Breakdown from this gut-punch loss.
2nd Quarter *11:56 remaining - Texans ball Texans trailing 7-3 *2nd and one **+2-yard line
After the Packers muffed a punt, the Texans recovered the ball at the 11-yard line. RB Joe Mixon gashed the Packers with a nine yard run on first down to move the ball to the two yard line. The Texans came out in 12 personnel (one RB, two TE) with TE Teagan Quitoriano as the in-line blocker to the left side and TE Cade Stover as a part of the bunch cluster on the right side. Stover went in motion toward Teagan just before the ball was snapped. The Texans OL just blocked like an outside zone, but the wrinkle was Stover was an additional lead blocker for Mixon. Essentially, he could clean up any leakage on the left side. Quitoriano got enough of the stand up linebacker to his side out on the edge and Stover cleaned up inside of TQ, decleating a linebacker in the process. That gave Mixon just enough room to turn the corner and run in for his first TD of the day.
2nd Quarter
4:24 remaining - Packers ball
Texans trailing 14-13
1st and 10
-34-yard line
Just after Kai'mi Fairbairn nailed a 52-yard BOMB field goal, the Packers maintained just a one point lead. So, on the first down play after the kickoff, the Texans didn't do anything sexy, but rushed four, matched routes/played man and had rookie S Calen Bullock floating in the middle of the field in cover one. As soon as the ball was snapped, DE Danielle Hunter flew off the left side and immediately gained leverage on RT Zach Tom. Hunter used his rip move to get under Tom's pads and then turned the corner with a direct line to QB Jordan Love. The Packers QB felt Hunter's pressure the whole way and he kept fading away from Hunter until Love just had to fling the ball down the field. WR Christian Watson was working a dig route across the middle but CB Derek Stingley was right on his hip. Watson was the intended Love target, but the Hunter pressure forced the ball to sail into the waiting arms of Bullock, who picked it off for his third interception of the season. The Texans would go on to score a TD before the half right after this pick. How did that happen? Glad you asked.
2nd Quarter
1:16 remaining - Texans ball
Texans still trailing 14-13…but not for long
1st and goal
+Four yard line
The Texans ran it right down the Packers' throats after Bullock's interception and moved it to the four yard line. This time the Texans came out in 11 personnel (one RB, one TE, three WR) to get the Packers to try to match the personnel with an extra DB on the field. It worked. They initially aligned with a bunch set to the left side with TE Dalton Schultz, WR Stefon Diggs and WR Tank Dell. Then, Tank went in motion to the right side to draw eyes and bodies away from where the Texans REALLY wanted to run. C.J. was under center, took the snap and handed to Joe Mixon on a mid zone play to the left side. The Texans front got a hat on a hat BEAUTIFULLY, in particular a Kenyon Green block that opened the A-gap. Mixon saw it and took off like a shot. Juice Scruggs locked up the linebacker and Mixon did the rest, sauntering into the end zone from four yards out to give the Texans a 19-14 lead before the half.
Alright, that's a good spot to stop given how the second half transpired. Got another opportunity next week against Indianapolis at home. See ya then, everyone.
