Texans beat Packers 24-21

(HOUSTON 24-21, FINAL)
First game in Texans history they have produced 500+ yards of offense (549). Best individual passing day in Texans history and in the career of Matt Schaub (414). Plus the Texans actually won despite losing the turnover battle by 3. The defense was very good in this game. Two huge pass plays - a 63 yarder to Jennings and a 59 yarder to Driver - make the day look less bright, but all 21 points were produced following Texans turnovers.

The defense gave the ball back to the offense though after taking advantage of a key holding penalty on the Packers which negated a first down. DeMeco Ryans delivered his first sack of the season to force a 3 and 26. Then Xavier Adibi made a sure tackle on Donald Lee to hold him to a 3-yard gain. That did not allow the Packers to bring in strong-legged kicker Mason Crosby onto the field for a potential game-winning kick.

The Texans got the ball back with 1:49 left at their 3 yard line. Great play fake on 2nd down and Schaub went through his reads before throwing short to Leach who rambled 22 yards with it and got out of bounds to put the Texans in gear. Schaub took his shots over the middle underneath and found David Anderson for 17 and 4 yard gains, then Daniels for 27 yards down to the 25.

Slaton carried a pack of Packers for 3 yards to the 22 yard line and Houston then let 15 seconds run off the clock and kicked the game winning field goal on the game's final play.
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(TIED 21-21 5:56 4th Q)
Texans have 4 turnovers, following Jacoby Jones miserable fumble. His technique was horrible. He jumped even though the ball hit him in the stomach. His hands were turned the wrong way.
The Packers have 21 points now after Jordy Nelson beats Fred Bennett for a 9-yard score. All 21 Packers points have come off Texans turnovers. Texans did not allow a single point off a turnover in any of the last 3 games.
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(GB 21-14 10:05 4th Q)
This is going to sound harsh, but Kubiak needs to take a math class. His clock management cost them a play in the first half, when they let 5 seconds tick off the clock before calling a timeout. Then after Matt Schaub rolled out to his left and threw a dart to Johnson for an 11-yard touchdown pass, Kubiak was forced to call a timeout because he didn't know with a 19-14 lead in the 4th quarter, you go for two for a 7-point lead. Three years, these obvious mistakes are not acceptable.
Green Bay challenged the 2-point catch by Johnson, but he dragged his right foot and made a beautiful catch.
Houston already has 454 yards and has possessed the ball for more than 30 minutes.
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(GB 14-13 4th Q)
Rodgers takes the Packers 79 yards in 4 plays and the Packers take their first lead on a 7 yard Ryan Grant TD run where he was hardly touched. All 14 Packer points have been scored off Texans turnovers and this is the second time Houston turned it over inside the Red Zone - so in reality the Texans are taking points off the board and then adding to it by allowing the Packers to convert against their defense.
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(HOU 13-7 3rd Q)
Texans now give the ball away for the 3rd time and the Texans were very determined to make sure they got the Packers the ball. Kevin Walter made his 3rd catch, but clearly fumbled and the Packers recovered. The refs blew the call and said his forward progress was stopped so the play was not reviewable. Not to be foiled, Slaton fumbled on the very next play and the Packers were in business. It's now a minus 2 in the turnover game. Texans are 6-49 all-time when they lose the turnover battle - although 2 of those wins have come this season.
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(HOU 10-7 HALFTIME)
Texans missed a 41-yard field goal on the last play of the half. I need to go get lunch - so I'll break down the 1st half when I get back.
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(HOU 10-7 0:33 2nd Q)
Texans defense has arrived, they force the first turnover of the game. Rodgers rolls out and Dunta Robinson picks off the pass - his second of the season and his franchise best 13th in his career.
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(HOU 10-7 1:54 2nd Q)
I told you we had a flag-happy officiating group. They just nullified a 99 yard touchdown return on the kickoff from Will Blackmon. A holding call brought it all back, but the Packers do have all their timeouts.
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(TIED 7-7 2:00 2nd Q)
Ummm...this just in...Kevin Walter is among the best #2 receivers in the NFL. I had a good argument with a member of the media on a recent edition of Houston Sports Beat on FS Houston. Walter just hauled in his his 2nd long reception of the day, this one good for 44 yards. That's now 11 receptions of 25+ yards, he now trails only Calvin Johnson and Steve Smith who each have 12.

Walter also has 51 catches for 809 yards on the season now.
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(TIED 7-7 5:12 2nd Q)
Coach Kubiak must consider leaving Slaton in the game. He's the best weapon today and obviously he's a better blocker than Moats who missed his block which allowed the first sack of Schaub on the day. It was Bishop again - who is having a monster day. Luckily since it was third and long, Slaton came back in and he went in motion, took a short pass and took it the final ten yards for a 13 yard gain and another first down on 3rd and long.

Hardly mattered since 2 plays later, Schaub took a three step drop and fired a pass to the sideline at Andre Davis. The play was so badly telegraphed that Tramon Williams picked it off easily. Two plays later Donald Lee catches a 20-yard touchdown pass. He pushed off on Brandon Harrison and got away with it, but the Packers should have never had the ball anyway. That one is on Schaub --- AGAIN.
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(HOU 7-0, 8:45 2Q)
Texans first sack of the game from Tim Bulman. It came on third down and shut down the Packers most successful drive. Bulman is 2nd on the team with 4 sacks. The Texans front four on the particular play was Mario Williams and Jesse Nading at the two DE spots and DelJuan Robinson and Bulman at tackle. That is why the Texans are dumb for drafting defensive tackles in the 1st round ---- TWICE.
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(HOU 7-0, 13:21 2nd Q)
Turnovers, turnovers, turnovers. Owen Daniels fumbles at the goal line and the Packers recover. That is a killer. It takes 7 points off the board for Houston. It's the first time all season he's fumbled the ball. The 2nd great play by backup Desmond Bishop - he caused the fumble. He is starting for the injured Brandon Chillar. Earlier he dropped Sapp for a 3-yard loss on 3rd and 1.
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(HOU 7-0, END 1st Q)
Texans dominated the first 15 minutes. HOU 145-65 total yards advantage Slaton has picked up 69 yards on 6 carries to improve his AFC leading yards per carry average. He's just 27 yards shy of a 1,000 yard season.
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(HOU 7-0, 5:38 1st Q)
The Texans survive a couple of dangerous throws from Schaub on 1st and 2nd down, then get a 13 yard run from Slaton on 3rd and 10. That's the first 3rd down conversion of more than 9 yards from the Texans since week 2, they had been 0-for-28 since then.
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(HOU 7-0, 5:50 1st Q)
Texans get a nice return from Jacoby Jones and forcing the Packers to punt for the second time. But it looks like we've got a group of flag-happy officials today. They hit Fred Bennett with a block in the back - bad call - it was shoulder to shoulder on the block. It wipes out a 25-yard return. Texans would've had the ball at their 46, instead they start at their 11.
It's already the 4th penalty of the game on these two teams already.
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(HOU 7-0, 9:06 1st Q)
Bad decision by Gary Kubiak on 3rd and 1. He takes Steve Slaton out and puts in Cecil Sapp - the third string tailback and part-time fullback. He gets tackled in the backfield for a 3 yard loss. Sapp last carried the football in Week 16 - of last year. He had 2 carries for zero yards. Slaton is good, Sapp is not. Silly decision.
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(HOU 7-0, 13:30 1st Q)
Who expected that start? Texans run three plays and score the games first touchdown. Schaub threw short on the move to Leach for 5 yards, then Slaton went up the middle through a huge hole for 12 yards. Schaub dropped back on 1st down and under pressure from Aaron Kampman, he threw down the left sideline for Kevin Walter. Walter came back for the slightly underthrown pass, hauled it in, made a move on Tramon Williams and Nick Collins and took it the final 32 yards for a 58-yard touchdown.
That's Walter's 8 touchdown reception of the season with ties Andre Johnson for the single season record in franchise history, also ties Randy Moss for tops in the AFC this season.
It's also Walter's 10 catch for 25 yards or more - that's 5th most in the NFL.
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Texans will receive the kickoff - they are 4-2 this year when they score first.
Temperature will be in the low teens and single digits throughout the day.