Important lessons Packers can take into Week 8 against Jaguars

The Green Bay Packers were able to keep pace with the top of the NFC North with a win over the Houston Texans.

Before the Packers can move on to its Week 8 matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars, we must take a look back in "After Further Review," where we rewatch the game against Houston without the emotion of being a fan.

What lessons can Matt LaFleur's team take into this week's game against the Jaguars?

What can the Packers learn from their Week 7 win over the Texans?

1. We really were spoiled by Aaron Rodgers' ball security

For the newest generation of Packers fans, multiple interceptions per game are a rarity. In fact, over his time in Green Bay, Aaron Rodgers only had five seasons where he threw eight or more interceptions, which is where Jordan Love stands through Week 7. Love threw two interceptions in the win against Houston, both of which were rather questionable decisions.

This is not meant to be an indictment of Love. Throughout the game, he proved his special arm talent, including a bullet to Tucker Kraft for a touchdown and, perhaps most importantly, methodically picking apart the Texans' defense en route to the game-winning field goal. It is just to keep in perspective that Rodgers was the exception to most quarterbacks. Love will be OK, and as long as these don't cost the Packers games, Green Bay will be fine.

2. Evan Williams proves the new defense works

Xavier McKinney is getting a lot of the glory for the Packers' defensive resurgence on the field, as is Jaire Alexander, as one of the leaders of this team. While fellow rookies Javon Bullard and Edgerrin Cooper got a lot of rave reviews after the draft, Evan Williams has stolen the spotlight and may end up being the steal of this entire draft class.

Defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley was a defensive backs coach throughout most of his career, so it isn't much of a surprise that two safeties are among the highest-performing rookies on the team. When the team announced the hire of Hafley, an old clip of Richard Sherman came to light, saying that Hafley always made him feel more prepared than any other position coach he had.

Williams is living proof of that. He is always in the right spot, doing exactly what his responsibility is.

3. Packers must keep cleaning up penalties

Last week's win saw the Packers commit eight penalties, enforced for 55 yards. While Matt LaFleur would probably say that there are still too many, the Packers did not allow a first down due to a penalty throughout the game. At least not directly, which is a step in the right direction.

READ MORE: Everything Jordan Love said about Packers hiring Robert Saleh

While they can shorten the field for the defense or make a first down harder for the offense, luckily for Green Bay, there wasn't really any enormous consequence that took points off the board or directly influenced a drive for Houston.

4. Punt return team needs to be addressed

The punt return team is the latest area of not-so-special teams that has come under the microscope of Packers fans, and for good reason. The team has been rotating between Jayden Reed and Keisean Nixon for weeks now, and it finally showed its cracks.

Nixon decided to call off a punt at the last second that would end up bouncing off Corey Ballentine and recovered by the Texans, who scored a touchdown just two plays later. With Jayden Reed back to receive later in the game, he decided to field a punt at the 1-yard line. Whether he was trying to avoid Nixon's error from earlier in the game or make something happen after a forgettable game for himself, it put the Packers in bad position.

Luckily for Green Bay, Daniel Whelan has a rocket for a right leg, as he pinned Houston back each time and kept the Texans from great field position. In fact, Houston only scored once after a punt all game, which was the late-game field goal that put the Texans ahead.

5. Packers have found their kicker

I will admit, when Brandon McManus lined up to kick the game-winner on Sunday, I had doubts. Those doubts were only amplified after Houston took the timeout to try to ice him. Even watching it back, knowing it was going to be good, there was still a small bit of stress in watching the kick. The snap was awful, but credit to Whelan for recovering it and making an excellent spot, and to McManus for being able to adjust and recover to make the kick.

It was just one kick, but the poise and outcome have sold me. McManus will help the Packers more than Brayden Narveson, Greg Joseph, or Anders Carlson would. He is much more consistent than any of the three, with arguably just as much power to boot (no pun intended).

For now, the Packers have their guy.

More Packers news and analysis