No weathering Green Bay as AFC South lead melts
GREEN BAY, Wis. — Storied Lambeau Field was a post-card perfect winter wonderland Sunday when the Texans needed a good bad-weather performance to upset the Green Bay Packers.
The Texans and Packers played in snow, wind and cold. Game-time temperature was 32 with a wind chill of 25.
From the opening kickoff, the Texans were just as desperate as the Packers to emerge with a victory.
After losing 21-13 before a crowd of 77,867, the Texans felt terrible about being 6-6, and the Packers were celebrating the same record.
“Obviously, we’re in a tough stretch right now,” coach Bill O’Brien said about their three-game losing streak. “These last four games are playoff games, and that’s how we have to view them.”
Green Bay won its second consecutive game after ending a four-game losing streak. The Packers love to host games in the snow.
“As a quarterback, you love a perfect environment, but as a football fan and historian, you love games like this,” Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers said after throwing two touchdown passes. “This is Lambeau Field in the winter that we love. It’s a lot easier to throw the ball when it’s snowing than when it’s raining, so that helped.”
The weather caused the Texans to change their cleats and gloves, but they couldn’t change the outcome. Not only did the Texans lose their third consecutive one-score game, they also lost their monopoly on first place in the AFC South.
The losing streak has forced the Texans to share the division lead with Tennessee. If Indianapolis defeats the Jets on Monday night, there will be a three-way tie for first place. The Texans have road games remaining against the Colts and Titans.
“I feel terrible because I feel like those are three games we could have won,” offensive tackle Duane Brown said about the losing streak. “We have to have the level of importance that each of the last four games is a playoff game. We need that sense of urgency.”
2-touchdown limit
The Texans continued their bad habit of blowing games in the fourth quarter. Unlike the last loss to San Diego, this one couldn’t be blamed on quarterback Brock Osweiler.
Osweiler matched Rodgers’ two touchdown passes. He didn’t throw an interception or lose a fumble. As usual, though, the Texans’ offense failed to score more than two touchdowns.
They have scored more than two offensive touchdowns one time — in the overtime victory over Indianapolis on Oct. 16.
“It’s very frustrating,” Osweiler said about not scoring more touchdowns. “We are three or four plays away from changing multiple games. Because of that, I don’t think we can get discouraged.”
While the offense was struggling to score a second touchdown, the Texans played terrific defense for three quarters.
The Packers’ first touchdown was set up when Alfred Blue was stuffed on fourth-and-1 at midfield, giving Green Bay excellent field position.
Rodgers threw his first touchdown pass after he was flushed from the pocket but found Randall Cobb for the 9-yard score.
It was the only touchdown the Texans surrendered until the fourth quarter.
With Lamar Miller playing with sore ribs and rushing for only 22 yards and DeAndre Hopkins dropping two passes, the Texans were still in position to win in the fourth quarter.
Osweiler’s 6-yard touchdown pass to tight end Ryan Griffin on fourth-and-1 made it 7-7 with 7:32 left in the third quarter.
Defense collapses in fourth
Before the third quarter ended, the Texans blew a chance to take the lead. Osweiler took them to third-and-5 at the Green Bay 36. He threw what would have been a first-down pass, but Hopkins dropped it, forcing a punt.
Shane Lechler’s 34-yard punt left the Packers at their 2-yard line.
Until that point, the Texans’ defense had been outstanding playing without end Jadeveon Clowney and outside linebacker John Simon, not to mention end J.J. Watt and cornerback Kevin Johnson.
Once again, the defense collapsed in the fourth quarter.
Rodgers threw for only 111 yards in the first three quarters. When cornerback Johnathan Joseph left with a rib injury, Rodgers quickly took advantage. He went after cornerback Charles James, who slipped on a 32-yard touchdown pass to Jordy Nelson, ending a 12-play, 98-yard drive that gave the Packers a 14-7 lead.
The next time the Packers got the ball, they took over at their 11 and covered 89 yards in eight plays. Fullback Aaron Ripkowski made it 21-7.
Osweiler’s 44-yard touchdown pass to Hopkins and Nick Novak’s missed extra point left them behind by eight and needing to cover an onside kick, which they couldn’t do.
“We know the situation we’re in,” Hopkins said, “but we also know we need to handle our business to stay in first place.”