Passing problems cause Texans to waste an impressive performance from their injury-riddled defense

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — C.J. Stroud and Houston’s passing attack didn’t provide nearly enough help for the Texans’ injury-riddled defense.

That defense produced an inspired performance, but finally wore down in the final minute of a 24-22 loss at Green Bay that snapped the Texans’ three-game winning streak.

Brandon McManus’ 45-yard field goal as time expired prevented Houston from getting its first four-game winning streak since 2018, when the Texans won nine in a row.

“I think our defense did a great job today,” said Stroud, who was sacked four times and had a career-low 86 yards passing. “I thought our special teams did amazing. So we’ve got to be better as an offense. This is on us. Point-blank, period.”

Houston’s defense was missing five usual starters, with tackle Mario Edwards Jr. serving a suspension while linebackers Azeez Al-Shaair and Henry To’oTo’o, cornerback Kamari Lassiter and safety Jimmie Ward were out with injuries.

Yet the AFC South-leading Texans (5-2) forced three first-half turnovers that led to 16 points, enabling Houston to build a 19-14 lead. Neville Hewitt and Calen Bullock intercepted Jordan Love, and MJ Stewart recovered a fumble after Tommy Townsend's punt bounced off the leg of Green Bay’s Corey Ballentine.

Houston’s problems stemmed from an offense that didn’t have injured receivers Nico Collins and Robert Woods, as well as receiver/punt returner Steven Sims.

Joe Mixon ran for 115 yards and two touchdowns, the second straight week in which he had at least 100 yards and two scores. Mixon rushed for 102 yards and had a touchdown run and a TD catch in a 41-21 triumph at New England last week.

But the Texans couldn’t pass the ball with any consistency. Stroud completed just 10 of his 21 attempts.

Stroud's 86 yards passing were a career worst after being held to 91 against the Jets last December during a game in which he left late with a concussion.

It was also the fewest Green Bay allowed to any quarterback with at least 20 attempts since Seattle's Charlie Frye threw for 83 on 23 attempts in the Seahawks' 27-17 loss to the Packers on Oct. 12, 2008.

Counting the 31 yards lost to sacks, the Texans ended up with just 55 net yards passing.

“We ran the ball well,” Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said. “I thought Joe did a good job running the ball. We needed to pass it. It was not good enough, starting with the protection. If we can’t protect, then that’s going to be difficult for the quarterback to make the plays.”

Houston wideouts combined for just six receptions for 34 yards, with Stefon Diggs catching five for 23 yards and Xavier Hutchinson adding one 11-yard catch. Tank Dell was targeted four times, but had no receptions.

“Playing on the road is obviously tough, but when you're going on the road, you got to execute at a high level,” said Diggs, who exchanged words and shoves with Packers cornerbacks Jaire Alexander and Keisean Nixon during a pregame scuffle.

“You can’t ride the roller coaster," Diggs added. "You’re going against a good team and they came to play. When you go into someone else’s house, you’ve got to have a mindset and you’ve got to execute.”

Houston entered this week’s action ranked fifth in the NFL in passing yards per game, and this was the first game this season in which Stroud failed to throw a touchdown pass.

Part of the problem was that Stroud didn’t have enough time to throw. Stroud was sacked four times by a Green Bay defense that hadn’t recorded a single sack in a 34-13 victory over the Arizona Cardinals a week earlier.

Texans guard Shaq Mason was asked after the game what needed to happen to get Houston’s passing game back to its usual self.

“I have no answer for that,” Mason said. “When I see the tape, I’ll know. But just from right now, it feels like we’ve just got to be on the same page. We’ve all got to be better.”

Houston still nearly won the game because of its defense.

After Green Bay (5-2) pulled ahead 21-19 on Love’s 8-yard touchdown pass to Josh Jacobs midway through the third quarter, the Packers went three-and-out in each of their next three possessions. Houston then continually handed the ball to Mixon on a 13-play, 45-yard drive that culminated with Ka’imi Fairbairn kicking his third field goal, a 35-yarder that put the Texans ahead 22-21 with 1:44 left.

But the Texans couldn’t produce that one final stop.

Green Bay got the ball back on its own 30 with one timeout remaining. Love threw a couple of completions to Tucker Kraft and Dontayvion Wicks that got the Packers near midfield, then Romeo Doubs made a 12-yard catch to get Green Bay inside Houston’s 40. A 6-yard completion to Doubs got Green Bay to the 26.

That was close enough for McManus, whose field goal ended the game.

“I thought our guys did a good job defensively,” Ryans said. “But at the end of the day, we didn’t make enough plays to win the game. No matter who is out there, there’s no excuses. We’ve got to play our technique the right way and make plays when it’s our time to make a play.”

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Steve Megargee, The Associated Press