Perhaps the biggest reason the Packers came out on top was their ability to shut Foster down. Coming into the game, the Texans running back was averaging more than 106 rushing yards per game. The Green Bay defense was able to hold him to 29 yards rushing on 17 carries.
After a Texans punt on their opening drive, Green Bay was able to drive into Houston territory, but would face a fourth down. On the punt, though, Texans wide receiver DeVier Posey was offsides, which would give the Packers a fresh set of downs. Rodgers took full advantage of the Houston mistake, hitting Jordy Nelson down the right sideline with a perfect pass on the first play following the penalty. Nelson would score on the play to give Green Bay an early 7-0 lead. Nelson would have a monster night, catching nine passes for 121 yards and three touchdowns.
Late in the first quarter, the Packers would add another score. They would start with great field position at their own 44. Rodgers would start the drive with a 24-yard pass to Randall Cobb, who would also have a great game. Cobb would catch seven passes for 102 yards on the night. On the pass to Cobb, Rodgers escaped several would-be sacks to buy time to find Cobb open down the field. The Green and Gold would not face a third down on the drive, and Rodgers ended it with a touchdown pass to a sliding James Jones on the right side of the end zone for the score that made it 14-0.
Houston would drive 81 yards to get right back in the game. Matt Schaub would go 3-for-3 for 43 yards on the march to help the Texans put the ball in the end zone. However, Foster, who would only rush for five yards on six carries on the drive, would score for Houston to cut it to 14-7 early in the second.
A pass interference helped Green Bay answer right back. Rodgers was looking for Jones, but Houston’s Kareem Jackson was called for the controversial interference penalty. Once again, Rodgers took advantage after the penalty, as he found Nelson again for a 21-yard score across the middle and the Packers re-captured the 14-point lead.
Shayne Graham would boot a 51-yard field goal late in the first half to cut the deficit to 21-10 at the break.
Penalties destroyed Houston on the first drive of the third quarter. The Packers were facing a 4th-and-20 from the Texans 21 when Crosby was on to attempt a 39-yard field goal. The kick was good......but there was a penalty. Connor Barwin, trying to block the kick, was called for leaping, which gave the Green and Gold an automatic first down. Three plays later, the Packers were faced with a 3rd-and-14 at the 15 when Rodgers connected with Cobb for 12 yards. But there was a flag. It was an unnecessary roughness on Danieal Manning, who took a swing at a Packers offensive lineman. That was also an automatic first down, and Rodgers hooked up with Nelson for touchdown No. 3.
The Texans would answer back, though, with a short pass to Owen Daniels, who ran along the left sideline for 27 yards. Keshawn Martin had two receptions for 24 yards, but Foster would score from a yard out to cut it to 28-17. That is as close as it would get, though. Green Bay responded with a touchdown to put the game away. With the Packers facing a 3rd-and-1, Rodgers ran a bootleg to the right and was drilled as he threw to a wide open Tom Crabtree. The tight end caught it and jogged into the end zone for a 48-yard touchdown to give Green Bay a 35-17 lead.
Green Bay would put the nail in the coffin on the following drive. Schaub was looking for Martin, but was picked off by Sam Shields at the 27. That led to Rodgers’ sixth and final touchdown pass, a pass to the right side of the end zone for Jones and the receiver made a terrific catch from 18 yards out.
Houston would score once more, but it was too little, too late. Green Bay had a statement win, and it started a five game winning streak. This game let everyone know that the Packers may have started off slow, but they were still a force.
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