Packers don’t beat Texans without this player, and it’s not Jordan Love

As the Packers and Texans jostled through five lead changes, Matt LaFleur knew he would need every player in Green Bay’s 24-22 triumph over Houston on Sunday. And when the Packers lined up for a walk-off field goal after an exhausting 59 minutes and 57 seconds, they especially needed Daniel Whelan.

Whelan compiled a gross average of 56.8 yards per punt (51.6 net), including 62- and 66-yarders that flipped the field in the second half. But his most important special-teams contribution came on the final snap. Looking like Derek Jeter, Whelan gobbled up a ground ball before calmly securing the placement in time for the game-winning, 45-yard field goal off the foot of Brandon McManus.

“That’s all I was looking at, to be honest with you,” LaFleur said after the game, “and I was like, ‘Uh oh.’ But not only is he an outstanding punter, but he’s a hell of a holder as well. I can’t say enough great things about him. He definitely had a huge impact on the game today. When you average, what was it, 56.8 yards per punt, I mean that’s pretty damn good. Do not want to have to use him that much. I tell him every week, I say I hope we only use you as a holder, but today we needed him and he certainly came through in a big way.”

Jordan Love came through in a big way, too. Called before the game the best quarterback the Texans have faced this year, Love led the Packers (5-2) to their third straight win, finishing with an eight-play, 44-yard drive in the final two minutes to set up that field goal by McManus, who just joined the team on Wednesday. With only one timeout in his pocket, Love surgically sliced through the Texans, including 12- and 6-yard passes to Romeo Doubs that set up the walk-off kick.

The Green Bay quarterback, who was 24 of 33 for 220 yards and three touchdowns, now has nine straight games with multiple touchdown passes, the NFL’s longest active streak. He got a fantastic catch from tight end Tucker Kraft to give Green Bay its first lead, 7-3, then perfectly placed a 30-yard touchdown to Dontayvion Wicks in the second quarter. Finally, Love found Josh Jacobs on an 8-yard score for the first receiving touchdown in the running back’s career, giving Green Bay a 21-19 advantage midway through the third quarter.

But Houston kept it close throughout, capitalizing on Love’s two interceptions and a muffed Packers punt return. In fact, Green Bay was negative-three in turnover margin and the Texans turned those three takeaways into 16 points. Relentless Joe Mixon rushed for 115 yards on 25 carries with two touchdowns.

This was Love’s day, however, despite the two first-half interceptions. He settled down after halftime and the Packers’ defense was happy to help. Green Bay limited C.J. Stroud and the Texans to punts on each of their first four drives in the second half until Ka’imi Fairbain hit a 35-yard field goal to give Houston a 22-21 lead with 1:44 left. Green Bay now heads to Jacksonville (2-5) before a Week 9 NFC North showdown with Detroit (6-1) at Ford Field.