Official Texans @ Packers Game Thread, 12/4/2016
 

The 6-5 Texans hit the road for a chilly matchup with the 5-6 Green Bay Packers on Sunday @ noon CST. Gameday forecast calls for a high of 36ºF with a 70% chance of snow. The Texans will be looking to end their two game losing streak and the Packers will be hoping to improve their wild card chances.

The Packers are coming off a 27-13 road win over the Philadelphia Eagles. The win snapped a 4-game losing streak. Despite nursing a hamstring, Packer QB Aaron Rodgers is having a very good year throwing for 3074 yards at a 64.4% clip with 27 TDs, 7 INTs and a 97.8 rating. The Packers aren't much for rushing (22nd) but do well in the passing game (7th). Davante Adams and Jordy Nelson are both on pace for 1,000 yards receiving. The Packers defense ranks 21st in passing and 7th in stopping the run; combined, they give up 26.3 pts/game (25th). The Packer offense scores 24.9 pts/game, good for 11th.

The Texans passing attack has been below average all year (31st) but they'll need to get it going if they want a shot at the win.

----------------------------------------------------------------

TV = CBS (channel 11 local), noon CST, Sunday, Dec 4, 2016

Announcers = Jim Nantz, Phil Simms

The line = Packers by 6.5 to 7

----------------------------------------------------------------

Other Sunday viewing in the Houston area:

FOX (early) = Detroit @ New Orleans, Chris Myers, Ronde Barber

FOX (late) = NY Giants @ Pittsburgh, Joe Buck, Troy Aikman

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Prime time:

TNF = Dallas @ Minnesota (NBC; NFLN)

SNF = Carolina @ Seattle (NBC)

MNF = Indianapolis @ NY Jets (ESPN)

Aaron Rodgers is now listed as questionable with a sore hamstring injured Monday night against Philadelphia. Don't know how that has affected the Vegas line.

I wish I had a good feel about this game but after the game at home vs the Chargers last week just not too upbeat.
Gonna be cold and maybe snow Sunday and so BO is a Montana guy who also lived in Denver the last few years so maybe he'll feel right at home and therefor comfortable with the surroundings in GB. I'm going with that, best I got right now.

Packers win the toss and defer - Texans to receive.

-------------------------------------------

The opening kickoff is a touchback. Texan's ball at their 25.

-------------------------------------------

L Miller for 2.

Oz can't find a receiver and scrambles for 3. 3rd and 6 coming up.

Ditto, Oz scrambles for 8 and the 1st down.

Oz nearly sacked but escapes to throw it away. Flag down.... offsides defense, +5. Makes it 1st and 5.

L Miller for 4. 2nd and 1 coming up.

Pass to Fido gets 2 and the 1st down.

Pass to Griffin along the sideline goes inc.

L Miller for 1. 3rd and 9 coming up.

Pass to Griffin is complete but he fumbles it to the Packers. Packers return it to the Texans 24. Packer's ball.

Starks for 4.

Pass to Cook loses 1. 3rd and 7 coming up.

Pass to Cook goes to the 11 yard line, 1st down. About 9 minutes left in the 1st qtr.

Pass to Nelson goes to the 3.

Pass into the end zone is inc but a flag is down....offsides Texans, 1/2 the distance. Still 2nd and 1 at the 2 yard line.

Rodgers can't find a receiver and throws it away, inc. 3rd and 1 coming up.

Texans use a timeout.

Snap is fumbled and the Texans recover! Texan's ball at the Packer 5!

Flags presnap....Packers in the neutral zone, +5.

Blue for 5 and the 1st down.

Blue caught for a loss of 3.

On 2nd and 13, delay to Grimes gets 9. 3rd and 4 coming up.

Oz pressured, throws inc to Hop. Texans will have to punt.

Cobb brings the punt back to the Packer 47. Packer's ball with 6:03 left in the 1st qtr.

Almost happy to see L Miller leave the game. The Texans will be forced to use other players, Blue, Grimes, etc. Put some variety in their game. Not be so bland....

Pass to Nelson gets 9.

Starks stopped short of the 1st down. 3rd and 1 coming up.

Starks gets caught for a loss. Packers will have to punt on 4th and 4.

Punt goes into the end zone, touchback. Texan's ball at their 20.

Lamar is coming back to the game. Kinda want to see Hunt get some carries, too.

L Miller loses 4.

L Miller takes the screen for 7 yards. 3rd and 7 coming up.

Grimes goes for 8 and the 1st down. Nice job, Grimes.

Pass to Hop along the sideline is broken up, inc. 2nd and 10 coming up.

L Miller for 3. Brings up 3rd and 7.

Oz scrambles for 8 and the 1st down.

L Miller for a couple.

L Miller for about 3. Brings up 3rd and 5. Ball at the Texan 47.

End of the 1st qtr.

On 3rd and 5, pass to Fido gets 4. Brings up 4th and 1. Texans going for it...

Blue goes for no gain. Texans turn the ball over on downs around midfield.

At least we're getting to enjoy some variety.

In the unlikely event that the Texans visit the red zone I can't wait to see what sort of stupid shit BOB and Godsey have dreamed up.

Michael runs for about 7. 2nd and 3 coming up.

Michael for 2. 3rd and 1 coming up.

Michael for no gain. Brings up 4th and 1. Packers going for it.

Michael gets about 4 and the 1st down.

Pass to Nelson gets 6.

Pass to Montgomery gets the first down at the Texan 25.

Montgomery carries for 6.

Pass to Nelson along the sideline goes for the 1st down at the Texan 13.

Pass to Ripkowski goes to the 9. Gain of 4. 2nd and 6 coming up.

Pass to Cobb in the end zone is good for the TD.

Packers 7, Texans 0

8:02 left in the half.

Hunt brings the ensuing kickoff back to the Texan 35. Texan's ball.

-----------------------------------------------

Pass to Fuller goes for 10.

L Miller for no gain.

Oz is sacked, had no time. Loss of 8. 3rd and 18 coming up.

WR screen to Fuller goes for 11. Texans will punt on 4th and 7.

Crappy tackling allows about 15 extra yards on the punt return. Packers will set up shop at their 40.

5:06 left in the half.

Should have given it to Grimes or better yet, throw a short pass....:p

Michael for 5.

Pass too tall for Adams, inc. 3rd and 5 coming up.

Flare pass to Montgomery off the mark, inc. Packers to punt.

Fuller fair catches at about the Texan 10. Texan's ball with 4:03 left in the half.

Pass to Hop is dropped, inc.

Pass to B Miller too long, inc. 3rd and 10 coming up.

Pass to B Miller is dropped. B Miller injured on the play. Texans will have to punt with 3:48 left in the half.

Lechler's punt is covered up by the Packers at the 38. Flag on the Packers for holding, -10. Ball ends up at the Packer 27. Packer's ball.

Pass to Nelson gets 8.

Ripkowski goes for about 8.

Pass to Cobb gets 3. 2nd and 7 coming up.

2 minute warning.

On 2nd and 7, Rodgers throws it away, inc. Brings up 3rd and 7.

Pass to Adams over the middle goes inc. Packers will have to punt.

Punt rolls dead at the Texan 11.

1:37 left in the half.

Pass to Fido gets 8.

Pass to Fido gets 13. Ball at the Texan 32.

Pass to Fido gets 9. Texans use a timeout (#2). 56 seconds left in the half.

Oz runs backwards and gets sacked for a loss of 10. 3rd and 11 coming up.

Grimes for about 7.

Halftime.

Packers 7, Texans 0

God, what a dull game....

So the obvious answer to what to do with Hopkins is you trade him for value. Or for anything. That or find (and play) a competent quarterback, which plainly isn't going to happen. Hopkins is a very good player, not an elite receiver I don't think but a very good one. Brock's QB rating when throwing to Hopkins is something absolutely putrid. He went oh-for the half. I can't imagine it will get any better in the second half.

The Texans can't possibly win the division this year. If they insist on playing Brock next year it'll be yet another wasted year.

2nd half kickoff is brought back to the Packer 30. Packer's ball.

-----------------------------------------------

Starks for no gain.

Finally, a Mercilus sighting. Rodgers is sacked for loss of 9. 3rd and 19 coming up.

Dumpoff to Montgomery goes for 10 or 11. Packers will have to punt.

Fuller brings the punt back to the 37 or so but a flag is down..... Ref says, "no foul for block in the back". Texan's ball at their 37.

12:29 left in the 3rd qtr.

You know it's bad when you are arguing a 16 yds punt return....

I know I'll get a lot of heat...but I'm starting to wonder if he is just above average. It's hard to see this guy get ZERO separation.

Maybe he's hurt and not saying anything. ..

Oz's pass is batted down, inc.

L Miller for 1. 3rd and 9 coming up.

Pass to Fuller goes for 24, 1st down.

Pass to Fido goes for 9.

L Miller for 3 and the 1st down.

Pass to Hop gets 11. Ball at the Packer 15.

Oooh, pass a little too long for Fido in the end zone, inc. 2nd and 10 coming up.

L Miller for 4. 3rd and 6 coming up.

Grimes gets 5. 4th and 1 coming up...... Texans going for it...

Oz calls a timeout (#1).

Pass to Griffin in the end zone goes for the TD! Nice catch!

Texans 7, Packers 7

7:32 left in the 3rd qtr.

Packers bring the ensuing kickoff back to their 44.

-------------------------------------------

Deep pass to Adams too long, inc.

On 2nd and 10, Michael goes for 1. 3rd and 9 coming up.

Pass to Cobb gets 7, almost 8. 4th and 2 coming up.... Packers show that they are going for it....

Texans use a timeout.

Ripkowski is close.... The Texans should challenge if they don't get the measurement... Nope, no need, measurement gives the ball to the Texans at their 47.

L Miller for 2.

L Miller caught in the backfield for a loss of 4. 3rd and 12 coming up.

Grimes busts a 14-yarder and the 1st down.

L Miller for 5.

Goodness, pass to Hop is dropped, inc. 3rd and 5 coming up.

Oz pressured, chunks it too long for Hop, inc. Texans to punt.

Texans down the punt at the Packer 2. Packer's ball.

Rodgers throw it over everyone, inc. 2nd and 10 coming up.

Rodgers to Rodgers for 9. 3rd and 1 coming up.

Montgomery gets the 1st down and goes to about the 24 yard line. 13 yards on the play. 2:07 left in the 3rd qtr.

Pass over the middle to Rodgers goes for about 7 or 8. Flag is down......illegal block in the back on the Packers and backs it up 10. Makes it 1st and 13.

Rodger's can't find a receiver and scrambles for 5.

Pass downfield to Adams goes inc. 3rd and 8 coming up.

Pass to Cook gets the 1st down at the Packer 36.

End of the 3rd qtr.

-----------------------------------------------------

Pass to Adams goes for 17. Ball at the Texan 47.

Montgomery for 4.

Rodgers can't find a receiver and scrambles for a first down at the Texan 32.

Pass to Adams off the mark, inc. 2nd and 10 coming up.

Nelson, wide open in the end zone, catches the TD pass.

Packers 14, Texans 7

12:42 left in the game.

Hunt fields the ensuing kickoff and gets tripped up at the Texan 15. Texan's ball.

Pass to Fuller at the sideline good for 3.

Blue gets about 10, 1st down.

Deep pass to Fuller broken up, inc. 2nd and 10 coming up.

Blue goes right side for nice gainer. 25 yards.

Oz pressured, dumps off to L Miller who shoulda dropped it. Loss of 9.

Dumpoff to Blue gets 12. 3rd and 7 coming up.

Pass to Fido is dropped, inc. Texans to punt.

Packers fair catch the punt at their 11. Packer's ball with 8:52 left in the game.

Montgomery for 3.

Pass to Nelson goes for 21.

Montgomery goes left side for 11.

Deep pass to Cook too long, inc. 2nd and 10 coming up.

Packers use a timeout (#1).

On 2nd and 10, Montgomery goes for 4. About 6:10 left in the game...

Pass to Nelson gets 28 and the 1st down at the Texan 22.

End around to Janis gets 19. 1st and goal.

Ripkowski punches it in.

Packers 21, Texans 7

4:11 left in the game.

(Lost data - hate my gaming keyboard... accidentally hit keys, windows open, stuff disappears, etc..)

---------

----------

Pass interference called on Griffin. Makes it 1st and 20 at the Texan 38.

Pass to Griffin gets 19.

2 minute warning. 2nd and 1 coming up.

-----------------------------------------------

Pass to Hop goes for the TD! 44 yards!

Extra point is no good.

Packers 21, Texans 13

1:51 left in the game.

Texans going to onside the ensuing kickoff.....

Packers fall on the onside kick. Packer's ball at the Texan 48.

---------------------------------------

Michael for 1. Texans use their last timeout.

Michael for 1.

Rodgers calls timeout with 58 seconds left in the game.

On 3rd and 8, Michael gets caught for a loss of 2. Packers to punt with 12 seconds left.

Punt goes out of bounds at the Texan 12. 4 seconds left in the game.

Texans try to lateral but to no avail, time runs out.

Final score:

Packers 21, Texans 13

I'll bet that the Texans eventually place third in the division.

Early line has the Colts as a 4.5 pt favorite over the Texans next Sunday....

Free money.

Wow, and that's before tonight game in NY city where Luck might break a leg (hey I can hope, right?).
Texans' owner said BO played great in GB. Ok that's a bit too strong, but he did play better with 2 TDs, > 200 yards passing, no pics. He was better than his receivers who dropped several balls. And I had a deja vu moment where I thought I was seeing Fran Tarkenton once or twice on the frozen tundra of Lambeau field when BO took off and got a first down running on his own. Maybe some of you remember the Viking great ?

Every QB has torched that Packers D this year and we manage a measly 13 points - with 6 basically coming in garbage time. And yet, the buffoon owner goes on radio and states how good his QB played and that he matched up play-for-play with Rodgers. Bob McNut is obviously in la-la land and the reality is the Texans will never win squat with him at the helm. Well, we've been in and will forever be in football purgatory, but at least we're not in Cleveland Browns, Jacksonville Jaguars and/or Jeff Fisher hell.

...we have all the tiebreakers going into the final weeks and we have to be playing the weakest last 4 games of anyone's schedule. Cincinnati is so banged up we may not need T.J. Yates. The rest is in the division where we are 3-0.

Sure, somehow we always lose at Indy but beating Jacksonville and Tennessee should still be doable. Even if we come out 8-8, it will be hard for Indy to pass us unless they run the table.

And look who'll be waiting for us in the first round if we get there - Kansas City. Say, didn't we beat those guys earlier this year?

This team can still rebound if they stay healthy. Not that I expect them to sniff the AFCCG but I'm not getting all doom and gloom until we're mathematically out.

And if, by chance, we do end the season in 2-6 funk, maybe that opens the door for firing some people.

And you could include the Dallas Cowboys in that group who were the worst team in their conference until they had a miraculous stroke of luck by accidentally selecting less that 8 months ago some QB named Dak in the 4th round of the 2016 Draft.
Who's to say we can't also be that blind squirrel who finds a nut in the next NFL Draft ? Got to remain optimistic.

For one, Dallas seems to suck and then somehow, 'miraculously', get better within a few years and challenge for a Super Bowl time and time again. That would not be the organization I would compare the Texans to, it's not even close. I can't stand Dallas and Jerry Jones, but I wish we had half their 'luck' and an owner that at least cared about what he puts on the field (not in is pocket) and had half his senses. Second, what in the world makes you think this organization will stumble upon that lucky "nut" anytime soon? Other than JJ, they haven't stumbled upon a lucky nut in 15 years. The only nut we have is the one that owns this franchise.

Much like the Texans the Cowboys have been fairly mediocre in recent years
and I don't remember them challenging for a Super Bowl since the 20th century but this century they've been very Texans-like, pretty average.