[brid autoplay=”true” video=”783845″ player=”23231″ title=”Ten%20mustsee%20NFL%20games%20in%202021″ duration=”172″ description=”For football nerds, it’s become the biggest post-draft event of the spring. Sure, the matchups are predetermined, but there’s nothing like schedule release day.The NFL released the 2021 schedule on Wednesday as it enters its first-ever 17-game season. It’s never too early to start circling dates on your calendar for this fall, so here are 10 games you won’t want to miss.” uploaddate=”2021-05-17″ thumbnailurl=”//cdn.brid.tv/live/partners/17660/thumb/783845_t_1621259414.png” contentUrl=”//cdn.brid.tv/live/partners/17660/sd/783845.mp4″]
The Houston Texans and Green Bay Packers will kick off their first games of the 2021 NFL preseason on Saturday, August 14. While neither Deshaun Watson nor Aaron Rodgers will impact the game, Sportsnaut’s Texans vs Packers preview delivers everything you need to know about this matchup.
Texans vs Packers: What you need to know
- Texans face the Packers at Lambeau Field on Saturday, August 14 at 8:00 p.m. EST on ABC13 and Packers TV Network.
- Sportsnaut says Green Bay Packers will defeat the Houston Texans, 31-17.
- Odds: The Packers are a three-point favorite over the Texans with the over/under set at 33.5.
Discovere where the Texans and Packers rank in our preliminary NFL power rankings
Jordan Love vs Davis Mills
It’s fitting we get a Texans vs Packers game in the preseason. Quarterbacks Jordan Love and Davis Mills found themselves in a difficult situation this offseason with the spotlight thrust on them due to starting quarterback drama. Now, with plenty of practice reps on their belt, we get to see both in live action.
Will the Packers win the Super Bowl? Find out in our 2021 playoff predictions
- All You Need is Love: Green Bay traded up in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft for a reason. While Love isn’t ready to start for a playoff team now, there is a real buzz about his physical talents. After spending a year in Matt LaFleur’s system, watching Rodgers operate, Love will be unleashed against a bad Texans’ defense.
- Mills from Nowhere: Many questioned the Texans for spending the 67th pick on Davis Mills, but Nick Caserio was confident his assessment of the young quarterback would be proven right. Needless to say, the reports out of training camp aren’t promising. Mills has a lot to prove in his first NFL game.
Advantage: Green Bay Packers
Nico Collins vs. Green Bay Packers’ secondary
Many anticipated the Houston Texans would trade back in an effort to recoup draft capital, but the front office moved up for wide receiver Nico Collins. The former Michigan standout is drawing rave reviews and now gets to face some legitimate competition.
- A Star is Born: A four-star recruit coming out of high school, Collins seems poised to make a far bigger impact in the NFL than he ever did in college. He’s receiving tons of praise in camp for his ability to make plays all over the field and we should see that on display in Week 1 of the preseason.
- Stokes for Opportunity: Green Bay needed an outside cornerback desperately and believes it found that long-term solution with Eric Stokes. The 29th pick in the 2021 NFL Draft is learning a lot of lessons from covering Davante Adams in practice. Those experiences paired with his athleticism and length should help him in preseason matchups.
Check out our Green Bay Packers 2021 season preview
This is one of the more exciting player vs. group matchups on the night. Collins has an opportunity to build on the success from training camp, putting on great film and earning a significant role in Houston’s offense. He will face some tough coverage from Stokes, Chandon Sullivan and Shemarar Jean-Charles, but that’s what makes these games important.
Advantage: Green Bay Packers
Packers’ receivers vs. Houston Texans defense
During the saga with Rodgers, there was a lot of discussion about the Packers’ receiving corps. While it’s true there isn’t a bonafide No. 2 pass-catching weapon on this offense, there is a lot of intriguing talent. On Saturday, they will face a Texans’ secondary undergoing a major overhaul.
- A New Rodgers: Green Bay stole Amari Rodgers in the 2021 NFL Draft. A third-round pick, Rodgers fits perfectly in LaFleur’s scheme. He’ll be moved in motion, take jet sweeps, work vertically and put in every position to get open in space. This is the chess piece the Packers’ offense needed and the Texans vs Packers game will only be a taste of what’s coming.
- Houston, We Have a Problem: The Texans have the worst defense in the NFL, even an offseason spending churning the roster over didn’t solve the problem. While there is some talent in Houston’s secondary, the absence of a pass rush will give opposing quarterbacks all day to find holes deep in this defense. This Texans vs Packers game will expose a lot of Houston’s problems.
Advantage: Green Bay Packers
Find out where the Packers land in our 2021 NFL defense rankings
The bottom line: These are two teams headed in polar opposite directions. Green Bay is in win-now mode and its roster depth and talent far exceeds what Houston will throw onto the field in the first year of a rebuild. With advantages across multiple positions, the Texans vs Packers contest shouldn’t be close.