Pro Football Focus’s ratings confirm what was suspected: The Green Bay Packers didn’t play anywhere close to their best game, but they still managed to defeat the AFC South-leading Houston Texans on Sunday at Lambeau Field.
According to PFF, the Packers’ Week 7 overall rating was their second-lowest of the season, ahead of only a Week 1 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. However, Jeff Hafley’s tense defensive performance against C.J. Stroud and some plays from Jordan Love did the trick against the AFC rival.
Based on grades from Pro Football Focus, here are the best and worst players in the Packers’ Week 7 win over the Texans:
Top 5 crimes
1. WR Bo Melton: 81.2
2. WR Romeo Doubs: 76.4
3.RT Zach Tom: 72.6
4. QB Jordan Love: 72.2
5. TE Ben Sims: 69.6
Melton caught a third down pass to extend his streak. Doubs caught eight of 10 targets, averaged 2.97 yards per route, and made four of five catches that were contested. Tom gave up two pressures, but earned the highest grade in his class in run blocking. Love made three great throws and was excellent when tidy. Sims was the team’s highest-rated run blocker and had one catch.
Top 5 defenses
1. LB Eric Wilson: 82.7
2. LB Quay Walker: 76.8
3. DE Rashan Gary: 74.0
4. S. Xavier McKinney: 69.1
5. S Javon Bullard: 66.1
Wilson had a team-high four stops, including two sacks and two other tackles for loss, and broke up a pass on third down. Walker had a tackle and defended well for 13 snaps before leaving with a concussion. Gary produced a team-high six tackles, including two quarterback hits and his first sack since Week 1. He also had two arrests. McKinney returned home on both tackles, one of which resulted in a sack on third down. Bullard played well in action and finished the game with three stops.
Bottom 5 offense
1. WR Jayden Reed: 40.1
2. WR Christian Watson: 53.3
3. Lt. Rasheed Walker: 55.6
4. RG Sean Rhyan: 56.0
5. TE Tucker Kraft: 56.8
Reed completed two passes and gained only 10 yards on 32 carries. Watson caught only one pass and was stopped for loss on his lone rushing attempt, and he earned impoverished grades as a run blocker. Walker gave up three pressures, including a sack, and struggled in the running game. Rhyan gave up a sack and was only average in the running game. Kraft caught three passes, including one touchdown, but averaged 0.92 yards per route on 36 carries.
Defense down 5
1. DE Lukas Van Ness: 30.2
2. LB Edgerrin Cooper: 34.4
3. DL TJ Slaton: 35.1
4. DE Preston Smith: 37.5
5. DL Colby Wooden: 55.5
Van Ness played 32 snaps, including 22 as a passer, but was not credited with pressure. He also missed two tackles. Cooper missed two tackles, gave up two completions and had a impoverished defensive rating. Slaton played 22 rushing snaps, but missed two tackles and had a impoverished grade in run defense. Smith spent a season-low 28 snaps on the field and didn’t register a single pressure. Wooden hit the quarterback but was ineffective on offense.
Special teams
Corey Ballentine was responsible for a lost fumble on a punt return, but he also had a tackle. Matt Orzech had a impoverished punt and last-ditch field goal attempt, but he also had a tackle. Eric Wilson had one tackle and one miss. Zayne Anderson had a tackle. Kingsley Enagbare and Arron Mosby were awarded penalties – Mosby’s save thwarted Keisean Nixon’s long comeback after the kick-off. Brandon McManus completed all four kick attempts. Daniel Whelan averaged a season-high 51.8 net yards.
Playing quarterback
Jordan Love: 72.2
Love had three massive throws and two turnovers, which matched his totals of touchdowns and interceptions. He completed 80.8 percent of his passes and made three passes from tidy pockets, but struggled to cope with the pressure. Love connected on only 2 of 7 attempts for 20 yards, but two of those attempts were touchdowns. When throwing for 0-9 yards, Love was 14 of 15. The Packers converted the play-action on only six returns.
Statistics worth knowing
Texas quarterback C.J. Stroud was pressured on 15 of his 29 tackles for loss, or 51.7 percent. He completed just three passes for 14 yards and took four sacks under pressure.
