GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — DeShone Kizer was 8 for 13 with 102 yards and a touchdown and the Green Bay Packers topped the Houston Texans 28-26 in the preseason opener for both teams on Thursday night.
Tim Boyle added two second-half touchdown passes for the Packers as Aaron Rodgers had the night off.
With Deshaun Watson not playing and A.J. McCarron sidelined with a thumb injury on his right throwing hand, Job Webb, the only other quarterback on the Texans’ roster, played the entire game. The 10th-year veteran was 25 for 40 for 286 yards a touchdown and two interceptions.
Packers receiver Equanimeous St. Brown recovered a fumbled punt in the end zone for a 7-0 lead in the first quarter.
After the Texans tied it, Kizer threw a TD pass to Darrius Shepherd to give the Packers a 14-7 lead. Ka’imi Fairbairn’s 49-yard field goal made it 14-10 at the half.
Boyle added TD passes to J’Mon Moore and Allen Lazard in the third quarter to give the Packers a 28-10 lead.
The Texans rallied with 16 points in the fourth quarter, but fell short.
Defensive tackle Montravius Adams, linebacker Oren Burks and safety Darnell Savage Jr. were the only defensive first-team players who dressed for the Packers, who rested 26 players.
HOMETOWN STAR
Defensive end J.J. Watt’s tradition of playing catch with kids in the stands before games was a little more special as the Wisconsin native did it at Lambeau Field.
Watt, who has typically sat out the first preseason game, did not play after tweaking his groin in practice earlier in the weak for the Texans.
Watt, who was the last player out of the tunnel for the Texans, soaked up the applause from the Green Bay crowd and participated in the coin toss.
ALSO FEELING AT HOME
Green Bay native Max Scharping got in on Houston’s first offensive drive. The rookie offensive tackle was selected by the Texans in the second round out of Northern Illinois.
INJURIES
Texans: WR Keke Coutee carted off the field in the first quarter with a leg injury.
Packers: LB Oren Burks suffered an apparent injury to his right shoulder on the first series. He had an ice bag on the shoulder and did not return.
ROSTER MOVES
Texans: Houston acquired running back Duke Johnson in a trade with the Browns. Johnson rushed for 201 yards on 40 carries and had 47 catches for 429 yards and three touchdowns last season with Cleveland. Johnson has to pass to physical to complete the trade. The Texans also signed rookie QB Jordan Ta’amu and waived C D.J. Coker.
Packers: Green Bay signed S Ibraheim Campbell, waived injured LB Kendall Donnerson and released RB Corey Grant. The 5-foot-11, 210-pound Campbell had 20 tackles (16 solo), a forced fumble and a pass defensed in three games (one start) for the Packers last season.
NEXT UP:
Texans: play host to Lions on Aug. 17.
Packers: at Baltimore to face Ravens on Thursday night.
