Packers keep winning even as turnovers hamper their offense

 

[October 22, 2024]  By STEVE MEGARGEE

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — After taking advantage of turnovers for the first third of the season, the Green Bay Packers are now getting a little too careless with the ball.

The Packers (5-2) committed three turnovers and didn’t get a single takeaway Sunday in their 24-22 victory over the Houston Texans.

Houston scored 16 points off turnovers, including two scoring drives that started on the Green Bay 11-yard line.

Green Bay still earned its third straight victory as Brandon McManus capped his Packers debut by kicking a 45-yard field goal as time expired, but the inability to protect the football was noteworthy for a team that entered the game leading the NFL with a plus-9 turnover margin.

“It’s hard to overcome losing the turnover battle by three in this league,” Packers coach Matt LaFleur said after the game.

Indeed, this marked the first time the Packers had won a game in which they posted a turnover margin of minus-3 or worse since a 23-22 victory over the Detroit Lions on Oct. 14, 2019, according to Sportsradar.

Green Bay still has a league-high 17 takeaways, but the Packers also have committed 11 turnovers. The only teams with more turnovers are the Las Vegas Raiders (16), Carolina Panthers (12) and Tennessee Titans (12).

Jordan Love has thrown 15 touchdown passes to rank second in the NFL, behind only Tampa Bay's Baker Mayfield. Love has reached that total despite missing two games earlier this season with a knee injury.

But he also has thrown eight interceptions, matching Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes and Las Vegas’ Gardner Minshew for the most by any quarterback this season. His eight interceptions have come in 179 pass attempts, whereas last season he was picked off 11 times in 579 passes.

That reflects Love’s confidence in his arm and willingness to throw high-risk, high-reward passes. For instance, Love threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to Tucker Kraft on Sunday that nearly got deflected or picked off by Calen Bullock.

“It’s the NFL,” Love said. “There’s not always going to be wide-open guys. It’s going to be tight windows you’ve got to fit the ball in there sometimes, and I’m going to keep playing. I learn and grow from the mistakes, the interceptions and just keep playing, keep moving on, but that’s not ever going to limit me.”

What’s working

Green Bay’s pass rush produced perhaps its best performance of the season. C.J. Stroud was sacked four times and passed for a career-low 86 yards, the fewest the Packers had allowed to any quarterback with at least 20 attempts since Seattle’s Charlie Frye had just 83 on 23 attempts back in 2008.

Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love (10) looks to throw during the first half of an NFL football game against the Houston Texans, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Mike Roemer)

What needs work

The punt return unit had two major breakdowns Sunday. Houston’s MJ Stewart recovered a fumble after a punt hit the ground and bounced off the leg of Green Bay’s Corey Ballentine, who was blocking on the play. In the third quarter, Jayden Reed caught a punt just outside the end zone, then went into the end zone during his return before getting tackled at the Green Bay 4.

Stock up

McManus capped his Packers debut by making a kick with the game on the line. … P Daniel Whelan averaged 56.8 yards on his five attempts, with a net average of 51.6 that was the best by any Packer with at least four punts since at least 1976. The 56.8 gross average was the second best in team history for someone with at least four punts. Roy McKay averaged 61.6 yards on five punts against the Chicago Cardinals on Oct. 28, 1945. Whelan also did a remarkable job fielding a low snap and getting the hold down properly for McManus’ game-winning field goal. … LB Eric Wilson had two sacks and a career-high four tackles for loss. … WR Romeo Doubs had eight catches for 94 yards. Doubs had two receptions on the drive that led to the winning field goal.

Stock down

Reed had the misplay on a punt return in the third quarter, made a diving attempt but couldn’t hang on to a deep ball in the second quarter and finished with just two catches for 10 yards.

Injuries

Quay Walker left after teammate Kingsley Enagbare’s leg inadvertently hit the linebacker’s helmet at the end of a play in the first half.

Key numbers

16 — Love has thrown for at least 200 yards and one touchdown in 16 straight games, which is the second-longest such streak in franchise history. Aaron Rodgers passed for at least 200 yards and one touchdown in 19 consecutive games from 2010-12.

Next steps

The Packers (5-2) head to Jacksonville to face the Jaguars (2-5) for the first time since 2016. The Packers had a forgettable trip to Jacksonville in 2021, when they opened the season by losing 38-3 to the New Orleans Saints in a game that was moved to Jacksonville because of damage that Hurricane Ida had caused to Louisiana.

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