8 standouts from the Packers' Week 7 win over the Texans

Although the Packers didn't force any turnovers on Sunday, they still lead the NFL with 17 takeaways. McKinney played a big part in this thanks to his incredible streak of five interceptions in the first five games. This week he showed he's more than just a ball hawk. In the first quarter, McKinney broke into the sack column after being sent on a safety blitz on third down. An unblocked McKinney delivered a blindside sack to Stroud, losing eight points and forcing a punt. Green Bay continues to find new ways to utilize its playful security.

Even though he didn't have to work very hard for it, Gary recorded his first sack since Week 1. On the same drive that McKinney finally got his sack, Texas right tackle Tytus Howard slipped in pass protection, allowing Gary to score a sack to get Free Rush against Stroud. His only sack that day may have been a gift, but Gary also faced several pressures that resulted in incompletions. Overall, it was a solid day for Green Bay's top edge rusher, who didn't quite live up to the hype surrounding him in the sixth grade.

The rookie safety continues to make plays. Williams has now had a productive final few weeks since becoming a mainstay in the secondary. In the first half, he had great coverage against shifty receiver Tank Dell to force an incomplete pass on third down. Then Williams made an impressive open-field tackle to stop Mixon on a two-point conversion attempt that prevented Houston from taking a touchdown lead in the second quarter. For the second time in three weeks, he led the team with nine tackles. The Packers have been keeping Williams on the field lately, and it's paying off.

Outside of the Doubs, there wasn't much positive from Green Bay's passing attack this week. The third-year receiver served as a security blanket for Jordan Love for most of the day and caught a handful of passes in key moments. Six of his eight catches went for first downs, with Doubs leading all receivers with 95 yards. On the final drive, he had two crucial catches, including one at second base and a long one to set up the game-winning field goal. The team must be happy with Doubs' response since his one-match suspension. He had two touchdowns last week, followed by his best game of the year against a tough opponent.

When Quay Walker left the game with a concussion in the second quarter, Wilson stepped up in his absence. He had a good tackle for loss on a pass to Mixon, and then things got going in the second half when he burst up the middle and wrapped up Stroud for a sack on third down. And yet Wilson wasn't done making his presence felt. He later took the defense off the field two more times, intercepting a third-down pass intended for tight end Dalton Schultz and then making the most of another tackle for a second third-down sack on Stroud. Wilson finished the game with an impressive stat line of six tackles, four tackles for loss, two sacks and a pass breakup. Maybe the core special teamer should play a larger role on defense.

Jacobs was happy to see one of his winning streaks come to an end against Houston. After failing to score a single touchdown on his first 211 career receptions, his 212th proved to be a lucky number. Jacobs capped the team's first offensive attack of the second half with an 8-yard touchdown catch from Love to give the Packers a 21-19 lead. Jacobs was much more efficient on the ground than through the air, with five balls for 16 yards. In my pregame prediction, I said this game could come down to Josh Jacobs going up against a vulnerable Texans defense. Well, Jacobs contributed significantly to an uninspiring offensive game that saw him total 76 yards on just 12 attempts.

This time last week, McManus was unsure if he would ever play in the NFL again after an incident in 2023 as a member of the Jacksonville Jaguars that led to a sexual assault lawsuit. However, desperate for a kicker, Green Bay conducted a background check and was happy with signing McManus to replace the ailing Brayden Narveson. He returned the favor by hitting all three extra points in his Packers debut and then the winning 45-yard play. Houston even tried to thwart McManus, but his previous nine years of NFL experience paid off. He celebrated by getting a hug from fans during a well-deserved Lambeau jump.

As good as McManus' kick was, it wasn't possible without Whelan. The snap was super deep, but Whelan handled it well and quickly got the ball down for his kicker. Whelan also had an excellent day punting the ball, totaling 284 yards on five punts, with a length of 66. His gross average of 56.8 yards was the team's best punting average in a game since 1945. Of course, no team wants that to be his Players that do have a good day, but Whalen did a good job turning the field when asked and was an integral part of the walk-off field goal.