AFC South-leading Texans chase 4th straight victory as they visit Green Bay

Houston (5-1) at Green Bay (4-2)

Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT, CBS

BetMGM NFL odds: Packers by 2 1/2.

Against the spread: Texans 2-3-1; Packers 4-2.

Series record: Packers lead 4-1.

Last meeting: Packers beat Texans 25-20 in Houston on Oct. 25, 2020.

Last week: Texans won 41-21 at New England; Packers won 34-13 at home over the Arizona Cardinals.

Texans offense: overall (6), rush (14), pass (5), scoring (14).

Packers offense: overall (4), rush (2), pass (10), scoring (T-8).

Texans defense: overall (3), rush (13), pass (4), scoring (T-15).

Packers defense: overall (18), rush (8), pass (25), scoring (T-9).

Turnover differential: Texans even; Packers plus-9.

DE Will Anderson Jr. had his best game of the season last week against the Patriots to earn AFC Defensive Player of the Week honors. Last year’s AP Defensive Rookie of the Year had eight tackles, three sacks and four tackles for losses — all career highs. Anderson also deflected a pass that was intercepted in the fourth quarter Sunday. 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 in 2011.

QB Jordan Love has thrown 12 touchdown passes in his four starts this season, and he has thrown for four scores in each of his past two home games. Although he’s thrown six interceptions already this year, he was picked off only once against the Cardinals, and that came when intended receiver Bo Melton slipped on a route.

Texans passing game vs. Packers secondary. C.J. Stroud threw touchdown passes to three different players (Stefon Diggs, Tank Dell and Joe Mixon) against New England. Diggs’ arrival this season adds to the array of playmakers Stroud has alongside him. He’s going to be matching up against a ball-hawking secondary that has picked off nine passes this season. Green Bay’s Xavier McKinney had an interception in each of the Packers’ first five games.

Texans: CB Kamari Lassiter (shoulder) will miss a second straight game. ... LB Azeez Al-Shaair (knee), LB Henry To’oTo’o (concussion), S Jimmie Ward (groin) and WR Robert Woods (foot) also are out. ... DT Folorunso Fatukasi (shoulder) and WR Steven Sims (back) were questionable.

Packers: DL Devonte Wyatt (ankle) will miss a third straight game. … WR Dontayvion Wicks (shoulder) and DL Colby Wooden (knee) were questionable.

The Packers have won their past three meetings with the Texans and have averaged 32.7 points in those games. That streak started when Aaron Rodgers tied a franchise single-game record by throwing six touchdown passes — three to Jordy Nelson — in a 42-24 victory in 2012. … The Texans’ lone victory over the Packers was a 24-21 decision at Lambeau Field in 2008, with Kris Brown making a 40-yard field goal as time expired.

The Texans need a victory for their first four-game winning streak since reeling off nine straight wins in 2018. ... Texans RB Joe Mixon had 102 yards rushing with a scoring run and a TD reception against New England in his return after missing three games with an ankle injury. ... Texans RB Dameon Pierce had a season-best 76 yards rushing with a touchdown last week after missing four games with a hamstring injury. ... Diggs had six receptions for 77 yards and a touchdown against the Patriots for his fourth straight game with at least 65 yards receiving. He had 108 yards receiving and a touchdown in his most recent game against Green Bay in 2022 with Buffalo. He has nine TD receptions in 10 games against the Packers. ... Texans TE Dalton Schultz had a touchdown reception in his previous game against Green Bay in 2022 with Dallas. ... Texans DE Danielle Hunter had a sack and his first forced fumble of the season against the Patriots. He forced two fumbles and had a sack in his previous game at Green Bay in 2023 with Minnesota. ... Texans S Calen Bullock had an interception and his first career fumble recovery against New England. He’s the only rookie with two interceptions this season. ... The Packers are 10-2 against AFC teams at home during Matt LaFleur’s six-year coaching tenure. … The Packers have 1,003 yards rushing this season. That’s their highest total through the first six games of a season since 1963, when they had 1,041. … The Packers rank second in the NFL with 55 explosive plays and the Texans are third with 54. An explosive play is defined as a run of 12-plus yards or a pass of 16-plus yards. The Baltimore Ravens have a league-high 59. … The Packers have a league-high 17 takeaways. … Love’s 12 TD passes put him in a tie for second place in the league, behind the 15 of Tampa Bay’s Baker Mayfield. Love ranks that high despite missing two games with a knee injury. … McKinney has a league-leading five interceptions. ... Packers WR Romeo Doubs had his first two touchdown catches of the season against Arizona after serving a one-game suspension. The suspension came after he missed two practices leading up to Green Bay's 24-19 victory over the Los Angeles Rams.

The Packers made a kicking change this week, bringing in veteran Brandon McManus to replace rookie Brayden Narveson. Although Narveson had made just 70.6% of his field goals, he was tied for second in the league in attempts before the Packers released him. McManus should get plenty of opportunities as well, and he figures to convert more of them. He’s worth picking up off the waiver wire.

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL

Arizona Cardinals defensive tackle Naquan Jones loses his helmet as he tackles Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs (8) during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024, in Green Bay. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

Green Bay Packers defensive end Karl Brooks (94) celebrates after recovering a fumble during the second half of an NFL football game against the Arizona Cardinals, Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024, in Green Bay. (AP Photo/Mike Roemer)

Green Bay Packers cornerback Jaire Alexander walks off the field after an NFL football game against the Arizona Cardinals, Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024, in Green Bay. (AP Photo/Mike Roemer)

Green Bay Packers defensive end Rashan Gary (52) pressures Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray (1) during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024, in Green Bay. (AP Photo/Mike Roemer)

Houston Texans wide receiver Tank Dell (3) celebrates his touchdown with running back Joe Mixon (28) during the first half of an NFL football game against the New England Patriots, Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Houston Texans wide receiver Stefon Diggs (1) reacts after his touchdown behind New England Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez (0) during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Houston Texans running back Joe Mixon (28) celebrates after his touchdown with wide receiver Stefon Diggs (1) and center Juice Scruggs (70) during the second half of an NFL football game against the New England Patriots, Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A California utility shut off power in 19 counties in the northern and central part of the state as a major “diablo wind” — notorious in autumn for its hot, dry gusts — spiked the risk of power lines sparking a wildfire.

About 16,000 customers were without electricity Friday after Pacific Gas and Electric shut off power.

The “diablo wind” is forecast to cause sustained winds reaching 35 mph (56 kph) in many areas, with possible gusts topping 65 mph (104 kph) along mountaintops, according to the National Weather Service. The strong winds are expected to last through part of the weekend.

The utility began cutting power Thursday to customers in 12 counties, including Alameda, Contra Costa, Napa, Solano and Sonoma in the Bay Area, and some customers farther north in Colusa, Glenn, Tehama and Shasta counties, PG&E said.

A total of about 20,000 customers could lose power temporarily in the next couple of days, PG&E said in a statement Friday.

“The duration and extent of power outages will depend on the weather in each area, and not all customers will be affected for the entire period,” the utility said.

Forecasters have issued red flag warnings for fire danger until Saturday from the central coast through the San Francisco Bay Area and into northern Shasta County, not far from the Oregon border.

“This could end up being the most significant wind event for this year so far,” said meteorologist Brayden Murdock with the service’s Bay Area office. “We want to tell people to be cautious.”

During a diablo wind, common in the fall, the air is so dry that relative humidity levels plunge, drying out vegetation and making it ready to burn. The name — “diablo” is Spanish for “devil” — is informally applied to a hot wind that blows near the San Francisco region from the interior toward the coast as high pressure builds over the West.

Targeted power shutoffs were also possible in Southern California, where another notorious weather phenomenon, the Santa Ana winds, are expected Friday and Saturday.

Santa Anas are dry, warm and gusty northeast winds that blow from the interior of Southern California toward the coast and offshore, moving in the opposite direction of the normal onshore flow that carries moist air from the Pacific into the region.

The National Weather Service issued red flag warnings for the valleys and mountains of Los Angeles County, portions of the Inland Empire, and the San Bernardino Mountains.

Winds around greater Los Angeles won’t be as powerful as up north, with gusts between 25 and 40 mph (40 and 64 kph) possible in mountains and foothills, said Mike Wofford, a meteorologist with the weather service’s Los Angeles-area office.

The strongest winds were being recorded in the Santa Monica and San Gabriel mountains, where Friday there were gusts between 45 and 55 mph (72 and 88 kph) with isolated gusts up to 60 mph (96 kph), he said.

“Humidities are drying out and we have the winds, if we had a fire spark it could really spread quickly because of the current conditions,” Wofford said.

Meanwhile, some mountaintops around Lake Tahoe received light snowfall overnight Friday, according to the National Weather Service in Reno, Nevada. Near sub-freezing temperatures are expected again Friday night into Saturday

Wind sensors in two peaks west of Lake Tahoe registered 75 and 104 mph (120 kph and 167 kph) winds Friday with strong winds expected to continue through the night before tapering off Saturday morning, the National Weather Service said.

The service also issued its first freeze warning of the season along the Sierra’s eastern front effective from 2 a.m. to 9 a.m. Friday from south of Carson City to the north through Reno into Lassen, Sierra and Plumas counties in California where temperatures could dip into the low 20s Fahrenheit (-5 Celsius).

“Frost and freeze conditions could kill crops, other sensitive vegetation and possibly damage unprotected outdoor plumbing,” the service said.

FILE - A firefighter sprays water in front of an advancing wildfire Friday, Oct. 11, 2019, in Porter Ranch, Calif. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez, File)