Winners and losers: 5 takeaways from Packers in Week 7

The Packers left it up to new kicker Brandon McManus to knock off the Texans on the last play of the game in Week 7. Fans at Lambeau Field didn't mind the drama. This was Green Bay's biggest win of the 2024 season against a Houston team that has everything required to make a deep playoff run.

The downside of the victory for the Packers is that they still sit in third place in the NFC North despite their 5-2 record. The win only pushes them a half-game ahead of the Bears to stay out of the division basement. Of course, a loss to the Texans would have put them even further behind their competition.

The vibes inside the Packers organization are mostly good after the big win but there's plenty of work to do before Week 8 arrives. The following five players did the most to elevate or drop their stock against the Texans.

Packers winner No. 1: Romeo Doubs

Romeo Doubs' Week 5 suspension feels like a lifetime ago after his standout performance against the Texans. The versatile wideout paced the Packers' pass catchers by reeling in eight passes on 10 targets for 94 yards.

Leading the team in targets is the most significant statistic for Doubs. His dissatisfaction with his role on the offense led to his discontent just a few weeks ago. Time and time again, he was the wideout Love looked for when the stakes were at their highest against the Texans.

It's noteworthy that Houston was missing several starters in the secondary due to injury, but that doesn't change the fact that Doubs stepped up and led his wide receiver group. He was unable to find the end zone but he kept the chains moving when Green Bay needed him to extend drives.

The challenge for Doubs moving forward will be to stack productive games on top of one another. If he continues to play like he did in Week 7 he has a chance to establish himself as Green Bay's No. 1 wide receiver. Doubs deserves a lot of credit for turning his season around after such an ugly start.

Packers winner No. 2: Eric Wilson

Plenty of Packers fans have been critical of Quay Walker's run defense this year but he left a big void on the second level of Jeff Hafley's defense when he left the game this week with a concussion. Credit Eric Wilson for stepping up and making big plays in Walker's absence.

All Wilson did was notch four tackles for loss and two quarterback hits once he came onto the field in relief. His ability to knife into the opposing backfield at will changed the complexion of what Houston was able to do on offense. He forced C.J. Stroud to speed up and that paid serious dividends for the Packers in the second half.

The Packers defense needs an active linebacking corps with playmakers if they're going to shut down opposing offenses. Wilson has a chance to seize the weakside spot as his own if Walker isn't able to go next week. If he plays anywhere near the level he did against Houston he will become Green Bay's newest star.

Packers winner No. 3: Josh Jacobs

Josh Jacobs continues to be one of the hardest Packers to judge on a weekly basis. On several occasions this season he's looked so sluggish in the backfield that his status as the No. 1 back should have been questioned. This week, he looked like he was worth every penny Green Bay spent on him in free agency against Houston's ferocious front-seven.

Jacobs even managed to end the NFL's longest reception streak without a touchdown by getting into the end zone on a short pass in the second half. More importantly, he gave the Packers balance on offense with his efficient ground gains. Jacobs only ran the ball 12 times but his average of 6.3 yards per carry kept Houston's defense off balance just enough to help the aerial attack do its thing.

The Packers would love for Jacobs to be more consistent but as long as he has days like this he'll continue to top the team's depth chart at running back.

Packers loser No. 1: Jayden Reed

Jayden Reed has looked like the wideout most likely to ascend to the No. 1 spot on the depth chart for most of the season. This game represents a significant step back for the explosive pass-catcher.

He only managed to produce 10 receiving yards on four targets. His one rush on an end-around was shutdown for no gain. It was clear that Houston's defense focused a lot of attention on Reid and he failed to find a way to overcome that challenge.

There's plenty of time for Reed to progress this season but there's no denying the reality that he lost target share to Doubs in this one. He needs to bounce back in Week 8 to reestablish his place at the top of the offensive game plan.

Packers loser No. 2: The Packers' offensive line

The Texans have a lot of pass-rushing talent up front and it showed up in this game. Green Bay's offensive line failed to protect Jordan Love at the level required to be a title contender. Houston only tallied three sacks on the day but their pressure harassed Love significantly more often than that number reflected.

Specifically, tackles Rasheed Walker and Zach Tom both struggled to keep Houston's edge-rushers at bay. It wasn't quite a disastrous performance by Green Bay's front but their struggles could easily have cost them the chance to earn a big win. Adjusting the protection schemes should be a big priority for Matt LaFleur and his coaching staff this week.