Oh I definitely remember the last time the Packers played the Texans, and you do too.  It was the “shhhhhhh” game.  Packers QB Aaron Rodgers has made a career of playing with a chip on his shoulder and backing up bold statements.  People remember “shhhhhh”, they remember R-E-L-A-X, will they remember “run the table”?

Why the Packers will win: The Texans don’t match up well with the Packers at all.  They would like to run the ball.  That’s something that the Packers have not been allowing in great numbers except against Dallas and when they’d stretched thin focusing on the pass because of an injured defensive backfield.  Houston will try and the run the ball and when they try throw it they’ll have to do it with Brock Osweiler.  Osweiler is not good.

Houston is just average defensively.  They currently rank 14th in DVOA, and 12th against the pass (that’s the number that matters with the way GB is calling plays).  To contrast Philadelphia was ranked 3rd overall in DVOA, and 2nd against the pass.  This is a weaker defense that’s playing at Lambeau field, instead of on the road.

Why the Texans will win: I haven’t doe this in a while, but……. they won’t!

Bottom Line: This is the game that will either provide belief for the rest of the season or prove that what happened in Philadelphia was a fluke.  If the Packers are able to win, they’ll even their record at 6-6 and draw even with Minnesota.  The goal, of course is to get to the week 17 game in Detroit with a chance to win the division.

If Harrison Smith has a long term injury, Minnesota’s season is over (it’s probably over anyway).  I don’t really think that there is any chance the Vikings win the North. This is either the Lion’s division, or a chase between the Packers and the Lions.  If that’s the case, Green Bay just has to find a way to get to Detroit within a game with the Lions.

You’ll remember that Detroit trailed at Lambeau Field, 31-3.  That first half was the best stretch of football for the Packers all season.  Green Bay held on to that win and therefore can win the North via tiebreaker if they win the game.  Detroit could certainly lose at the Giants, at the Cowboys and at the Saints this Sunday, putting them at 8-7.
Even if that happens it still means the Packers can only lose one of the next four games.  With a game coming up against the Seahawks, that loss can’t come on Sunday against Houston. Packers 30 Texans 17

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Ross Uglem is a writer at PackersTalk.com. You can follow Ross on twitter at RossUglem

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