Packers’ Jordan Love and Texans’ C.J. Stroud face off for first time

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Green Bay’s Jordan Love and Houston’s C.J. Stroud both grew up in Southern California and consider themselves good friends.

Now, they’re two of the NFL’s top young quarterbacks, and they’ll face off against each other for the first time Sunday as the AFC South-leading Texans enter Lambeau Field on a three-game winning streak.

“C.J.’s a Cali guy,” said Love, a 2020 first-round pick from Utah State who played at Liberty High School in Bakersfield, California, and is three years older than Stroud. “So I’ve been watching him for a while now, since high school, so watched him in college and then watched him ball out last year. Me and C.J. are close.”

Stroud, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2023 draft, went to Rancho Cucamonga High School in San Bernardino County, east of Los Angeles, before starring at Ohio State. He and Love both led their respective teams to divisional playoff appearances as first-year starters last season, and both players are off to strong starts this fall.

Houston (5-1) is seeking its first four-game winning streak since 2018, when the Texans won nine in a row. Green Bay (4-2) has won two straight and is coming off a 34-13 triumph over Arizona in which Love threw four touchdown passes.

“I think Jordan is a great dude,” Stroud said. “I think he’s a great quarterback. He’s definitely a friend of mine and somebody who I look up to.”

Both QBs have reason to be wary heading into this matchup.

Houston ranks third in the NFL in total defense and fourth in pass defense. Green Bay has an NFL-leading 17 takeaways and has intercepted nine passes.

Packers safety Xavier McKinney recorded an interception in each of his first five games. That streak ended against the Cardinals, but the Packers recovered fumbles on three straight Arizona possessions.

“I definitely know that this game, I’ve got to be very smart with the football and just take my shots when they come,” Stroud said. “But if they don’t come, then just be smart with the football.”

Fond memories

The Texans have just one win in this series, and it came at Green Bay in 2008. Texans coach DeMeco Ryans, a former linebacker, had nine tackles and a sack in Houston’s 24-21 victory.

“Last time at Lambeau, I remember it being cold. That is what I remember,” Ryans said. “Lambeau is a special place. … You talk about the history of football. It is always special to play there, and it is even more special when you can get a victory in Lambeau because they always have a tough team.”

Packers’ new kicker

Green Bay switched kickers this week, signing 33-year-old veteran Brandon McManus and releasing rookie Brayden Narveson.

McManus had been out of a job since the summer, when two women sued him and the Jacksonville Jaguars alleging he sexually assaulted them when they were working as flight attendants on the Jaguars’ trip to London. The NFL said late last month it didn’t find sufficient evidence that McManus violated the league’s personal conduct policy, and attorneys on both sides said this week that the civil claims had been settled.

The former Jaguars and Denver Broncos kicker has made 54.9% of his career attempts from 50-plus yards (45 of 82) and has been accurate on 90.8% of his other attempts (208 of 229). Narveson was 12 of 17 on field goals without attempting any from beyond 49 yards.

‘Watt’ a mentor

Texans defensive end Will Anderson had eight tackles, three sacks, four tackles for losses and deflected a pass last week to earn AFC Defensive Player of the Week honors. He has 12 1/2 sacks through his first 21 games, which ranks second in franchise history in that span behind J.J. Watt, who had 13 from 2011-12.

Anderson, last year’s AP Defensive Rookie of the Year, said Watt texts him often.

“No. 99 is one of the best of all time,” Anderson said. “I respect his game so much, and I look up to J.J., man. He’s been a great role model in my life. He’s been helping me and keeping me encouraged.”

Right at home against the AFC

The Packers are 10-2 at home against AFC opponents under coach Matt LaFleur, who took over in 2019. The Packers have won their last four games against AFC teams, including a 16-10 home victory over the Indianapolis Colts and a 30-14 triumph at Tennessee this season.

Slowik comes home

Texans offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik is a Green Bay native. Slowik broke into the NFL as a video assistant with Washington in 2010, and he and LaFleur were both on that team’s staff from 2010-13.

“I always knew he was a smart guy, and it’s not a surprise to me that he’s been able to have the success that he’s had,” LaFleur said.