Packers: Positives, negatives from Week 7 win vs. Texans

The Packers got back on track in Week 7. Here are the positives and negatives from the win.

The Green Bay Packers overwhelmed the Texans and got their fifth win of the season.

Here are some positives and negatives from the win:

Positive: Raven Greene

The Packers got an excellent performance out of their backup safety against the Texans on Sunday. Raven Greene was everywhere for a Packer defense that badly needed to have a good showing after their awful outing against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He had five solo tackles, assisted on two others, and came close to picking off Deshaun Watson in the first half.

Greene’s time with Green Bay has been up-and-down due to injuries for the most part, but against the Texans, he was absolutely everywhere. The Packers desperately need players like Green, Krys Barnes, and Tyler Lancaster to step up in order to slow down opposing offenses.

The Packers, as a whole, had a very good game defensively against Houston. They had a clear game plan, and executed it well. The Texans are hardly too scary an offense, but Green Bay put together a nice game on that side of the ball, led by Greene.

Negative: Marquez Valdes-Scantling

The Packers’ decision to go into the season with Marquez Valdes-Scantling as one of their primary receiving threats was at best a risky decision.

It hasn’t worked out. Valdes-Scantling is completely unreliable and the loss of Allen Lazard is only confirming that he is not ready to be a main option within an offense. The Packers have got to be thinking hard about adding to the receiver position at the trade deadline this year.

He has just 15 receptions on the year, good for 125th in the NFL. He has yet to eclipse 300 yards receiving for the whole year. This is also coming off the end of last season where he was benched altogether and played just one snap in the NFC Championship game against the San Francisco 49ers.

Matt LaFleur and Nathaniel Hackett have schemed up the Green Bay offense beautifully, but will need an actual number two receiver come playoff time.

Positive: Kamal Martin

The Packers must be unspeakably high on Kamal Martin. Despite being a fifth-round rookie and missing every down of the first six games with injury, Martin was on the field to start the game for the Packers defense.

He appeared to be finding his footing out there, but the fact the Packers have an inside linebacker that has them excited is a welcome change. The Packers have been pillow soft in the middle of their defense for ages, and might have the answer in Martin.

Martin will be tested next week by Dalvin Cook and the Minnesota Vikings, but will see a particular challenge against the 49ers and their complex run game. While Brian Gutekunst has ignored the middle of his defense every bit as much as his predecessor, having a prospect like Martin to go along with two other up-and-comers in Barnes and Ty Summers is helpful for an average defense.

Negative: Special teams

Special teams have been bad in Green Bay for a long time. They weren’t any better against the Texans. JK Scott had a punt blocked in the second half, and without Tyler Ervin, the return game is practically non-existent.

The Packers are plenty good on offense, and on a good day, just barely good enough defensively to challenge teams in the playoffs. Provided no moves are made at the deadline, the Packers need to get better at the third level, special teams.

Oren Burks has been a bright spot for the unit, but the gunners and blockers for Scott have not been too impressive. Mason Crosby is steady as ever, but more is needed from the kick coverage team.

Green Bay lacks a Matthew Slater, Justin Bethel, or even a Jarrett Bush from the old days. It came back to bite them in the 2014 NFC Championship against the Seahawks. Unless they improve drastically, it could cost them again in the playoffs.

Positive: Jaire Alexander

The Packers have not been impressive defensively this year. But Jaire Alexander has crushed it with his play to this point. Opposing quarterbacks are hardly even throwing his way to begin with, which is part of why he remains the highest-graded cornerback in the league right now, according to Pro Football Focus. Josh Jackson’s play has also improved some, and his tackling prowess has been on display each of the last two weeks.

Alexander looks like a true shutdown cornerback right now for the Packers. He has been all over the field shutting down opposing receivers. He has repeatedly been tasked with defending some of the best receivers in the NFC, and is only getting better.

The Packers don’t have the same quality of play on the other side of the field with Kevin King, and between their other free agents, will likely be forced to let King go altogether as a free agent at the end of the season.

Negative: Consistency

The win over the Texans felt like a classic Packer win. They can routinely pick apart weak defenses and hold the fort against weaker offensive lines. But we have seen this movie too many times in Green Bay.

Once they go up against a more physical offensive line like the 49ers twice last year, they can get pushed around. The Packers have to be more consistent against the best the NFC has to offer, otherwise they will again be sent packing from the playoffs.

Green Bay should be on the hunt for defensive line help at the deadline. They are close to having what is a pretty solid all-around roster given the emergence of Robert Tonyan at tight end and the eventual returns of Lazard and Christian Kirksey. Green Bay needs to quit punting the ball down the field each year and begin prioritizing the immediate future. The Packers are 5-1 and should be buyers at the deadline.