5 bold predictions for the Packers in Week 7 against Texans

Week 7 of the 2024 NFL season is shaping up to be one of the best individual weeks of the entire season, with marquee matchups all throughout the weekend. One of the best on the slate is, of course, the Green Bay Packers taking on the Houston Texans in a battle of two teams vying for the title of the NFL's best young team.

And by the end of the year, we might not be attaching the word "young" anymore. These teams are just flat-out good.

The Packers have won four of their last five games, and their only loss was by two points against the Minnesota Vikings. Playing at home against Houston is a huge advantage for a team that has feasted all year both offensively and defensively, because we know that stadium will be absolutely rocking.

What are our bold predictions for this big matchup between the Packers and the Texans?

Bold predictions for Packers ahead of huge showdown with Texans

1. Packers rack up 400-plus yards of offense

You might see this number and think -- that's not really that bold. The Packers have had over 400 yards of offense on a couple of different occasions this season. That is light work.

Well, going up against the Texans, it's really not that easy. The Texans have only allowed their opponents to go over 300 total yards of offense in two of their first six games. DeMeco Ryans calls a really good defense, and considering both Ryans and Matt LaFleur come from the Kyle Shanahan coaching tree, it's going to be interesting to see how this chess match goes on Sunday.

Helping Green Bay is that Houston is dealing with multiple injuries on defense.

But if the Packers can get over 400 yards of offense against Ryans and his defense, they will be the first team to do it this season.

2. Packers have at least 3x as many sacks as they do turnovers forced defensively

The Packers only have one game this entire season in which they have forced two turnovers. Fortunately for them, they have forced three turnovers in literally every other game. The streak this team is on with multiple turnovers forced in consecutive games has been fun to watch for Green Bay fans, but it might not continue on forever.

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This is kind of an off-the-wall type of prediction, but I'm going to predict that the Packers don't force three turnovers in this game, but they have at least three times the number of sacks as they do turnovers forced. I think we will see the Texans take better care of the ball than other teams who have played Green Bay, but C.J. Stroud has been sacked 16 times this season and Green Bay could put on the pressure.

Let's say the Packers have one turnover and three or more sacks, or two turnovers and six-plus sacks.

3. Josh Jacobs gets the first receiving TD of his career

Josh Jacobs has caught 208 passes in the NFL, and somehow he doesn't have a touchdown catch among them. It's an NFL record that he never wanted. That changes in Week 7 against the Texans.

That streak is bound to end at some point, but it's wild that it's already carried on this long.

The Packers have already thrown 14 touchdown passes so far this season. Six different players have caught a touchdown pass, including backup running back Emanuel Wilson. At some point, Jacobs has got to break this streak. The Packers can draw something up to get him his first touchdown as a receiver in Week 7.

4. Christian Watson doubles his receiving yardage total for the season

We saw a little bit of a breakthrough last week for Christian Watson as he posted a 4/68/1 reception/yards/touchdowns line against the Cardinals. And when Watson gets hot, historically speaking, he gets hot.

Watson has just 148 yards receiving through the first six weeks of the 2024 season, but he's due for a really big game against the Texans. If the Packers are going to get to 400 yards of total offense, they are going to need someone like Watson to step up and make some big plays. And I believe he will deliver.

I'm predicting Watson will have at least 148 yards receiving in this game against Houston, which has only given up over 200 yards through the air once this season, and it came against the New England Patriots, who threw a lot in garbage time.

5. Packers newcomer defensive trio combines for tri-fecta

The Packers have a number of newcomers defensively, but I'm going to make a prediction for three players specifically: Xavier McKinney, Evan Williams, and Edgerrin Cooper.

I don't know how it's going to be split up, but I'm sensing that this trio of players will have at least one interception, one sack, and one forced fumble.

McKinney has been sensational this year with five interceptions. Williams has an interception and a forced fumble. Cooper has 1.5 sacks and three QB hits as well as a fumble recovery. There are certainly a lot of big plays to go around for this Packers defense this year, but I have a feeling the newcomers are going to make their mark in this game against Houston.

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