**Packers Poised to Exploit Texans' Defensive Woes on Sunday**

As the Green Bay Packers gear up to face the Houston Texans this Sunday, all signals point towards a heavy reliance on their running game. Josh Jacobs, their standout running back, is expected to be a central figure in their game plan, especially given the Texans' beleaguered defense.

The Texans' defense has faced a rough patch this week, particularly in the core of their lineup. At defensive tackle, the team’s most-used player, Mario Edwards Jr., received a suspension for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy. Worse still, the team’s second-most utilized defensive tackle, Foley Fatukasi, has been plagued by a shoulder injury, being limited in practices and listed as questionable for the game.

Although the Texans are welcoming back Denico Autry from suspension, his conditioning and readiness are uncertain as he has been away from the facility since the preseason. His performance remains a significant question mark, though the team is in dire need of his impact on the field.

Compounding their issues at the defensive tackle position, the Texans' linebacker corps has been decimated too. Both starting linebackers, Azeez Al-Shaair and Henry To’oTo’o, have been ruled out due to injuries, leaving a massive gap in their defensive spine. Their replacements, Neville Hewitt and Jake Hansen, bring limited game experience this season with a combined 42 defensive snaps compared to Al-Shaair and To’oTo’o’s total of 520. Hewitt, predominantly a special teams player in recent seasons, and Hansen, a relatively untested player since his rookie year, now shoulder more than they might be ready for.

Further exacerbating their weaknesses, the Texans typically favor a lighter defensive approach with a nickel personnel set, employing five defensive backs over 90 percent of the time regardless of the opponent's formation. This tendency possibly leaves them even more susceptible against a robust running attack.

Given these defensive uncertainties, the Packers are likely to capitalize by running the ball extensively. Josh Jacobs, who has reached the 20-carry mark only once this season, seems primed for a busy outing. There is even optimism that Jacobs could score his first receiving touchdown, addressing a long-standing gap in his otherwise stellar career.

In summary, with the Texans’ defense severely undermanned and leaning heavily on inexperienced backups, expect the Green Bay Packers to exploit this weakness with a powerful ground game led by Josh Jacobs.