Houston Texans @ Los Angeles Rams
Final Score: Rams 14, Texans 9
Writer: Cesar Escajeda
Both offenses took their time getting into the groove of things to start, but Stafford (just the tenth QB in history to hit 60,000+ yards for his career) and company got just enough going to seal the win behind a defense that stymied the Texans all afternoon.
Three Up
- Mathew Stafford, QB (LAR) – The veteran didn’t have a mind-blowing performance to start the new season, but 60K career yards is nothing to scoff at – and considering the lack of a training camp filled with major injury rumors, he performed as well as you’ve come to expect him to.
- Davante Adams, WR (LAR) – The connection between #17 and Stafford took some time to warm up, but it was positive how often the Rams’ QB looked Adams’ way in the second half. Puka Nacua is still certainly the WR1 in this offense, but it’s encouraging that the two vets’ rapport is building here in Week 1.
- Nick Chubb, RB (HOU) – With Joe Mixon out to start the year, there were worries the Texans’ rushing attack would struggle behind the oft-injured Chubb. It’s early, but he may have put those notions to bed this afternoon in LA, averaging a healthy 4.6 yards per carry and pacing all other rushers out of the backfield with 13 totes.
Two Down
- Nico Collins, WR (HOU) – Talk about a disappearing act. Collins tied for the most receptions for Houston but only managed to bring in three catches for 25 yards on the day. For all the hype Collins carried this past offseason as the undisputed WR1 in a pass-happy offense, his performance left a solid dud on a number of fantasy rosters to start the year.
- C.J. Stroud, QB (HOU) – This is more indicative of the poor o-line play Stroud had to deal with on the day, but he simply looked a bit overwhelmed on the road in this one, especially in the second half. Sacked three times, with an unlucky interception plucked out of the hands of his rookie wideout Jaydin Higgins, he simply could not overcome the poor performances of the rest of his offense.
Houston Texans
Quarterback
C.J. Stroud: 19/27, 188 Yards, INT | 5 Carries, 32 Yards
A stagnant road performance from the talented QB.
Notes
- Stroud didn’t make mistakes of his own volition, but his play wasn’t nearly great enough to overcome the offensive struggles Houston put forth throughout the game. Line injuries to an already patchwork unit amplified the issues, and no one really rose up to help take the weight off Stroud’s shoulders. It’s too early in the season to panic just yet – but it’s worth monitoring as the weeks wear on.
Missed Opportunities
- Every time Stroud began to find his rhythm and push down the field, a mistake would kill the drives for Houston. Higgins had the aforementioned INT ball ripped away by Rams’ cornerback Cobie Durant, and in the fourth quarter, running back Dare Ogunbowale found himself on the receiving end of a peanut punch that forced a fumble and sealed the loss.
Running Back
Nick Chubb: 13 Carries, 60 Yards | 1 Target
Not quite washed just yet.
Notes
- Chubb looked decently physical at the point of attack and didn’t shy away from contact. He routinely tried to make more out of every carry he had and fought to not give himself up so easily – a promising sign in spite of all the offseason concern regarding his past injuries. His fantasy line wasn’t great, but Chubb showed he’s the RB to own in Houston for the immediate future.
Dare Ogunbowale: 2 Carries, 9 Yards | 2 Targets, 2 Receptions, 17 Yards, FUM (Lost)
The fumble the passing-down running back had killed any hope Houston had of mounting a fourth-quarter comeback.
Notes
- Standout Rams’ linebacker Nate Landman delivered as efficient a peanut punch as I’ve ever seen, landing the knockout blow squarely on the ball as Ogunbowale fought for extra yards after his catch. It just about summed up how unluckily woeful Houston had it on offense all afternoon.
Dameon Pierce: 3 Carries, 5 Yards | 1 Target
Woody Marks: 3 Carries, 3 Yards
Wide Receiver/Tight End
Nico Collins: 5 Targets, 3 Receptions, 25 Yards
There are a number of fantasy managers upset about this performance today.
Notes
- It’s hard to exactly pin the culprit for the slow start Collins had, but the offensive line woes are likely first in line for blame. Stroud didn’t exactly have ample time on every play to find his WR1, but still, it’s concerning how little he looked Collins’ way.
Jayden Higgins: 3 Targets, 2 Receptions, 32 Yards
Notes
- The rookie wideout stepped up in the absence of Christian Kirk and led all Texans’ pass catchers in yardage. Obviously, the volume left many wanting in this offense, but it’s a promising start that Stroud looked his way down the field.
Missed Opportunities
- Having a catch manhandled away from you for a turnover is the very definition of a “missed opportunity.”
Dalton Schultz: 5 Targets, 3 Receptions, 28 Yards
Notes
- Schultz tied Collins for the team lead in targets, getting open as well as he could against a rangy linebacker corps for LA. Like everyone else in Houston, though, there wasn’t much meat on the bone with his performance.
Xavier Hutchinson: 2 Targets, 2 Receptions, 30 Yards | 1 Carry, 5 Yards
Justin Watson: 2 Targets, 2 Receptions, 27 Yards
Cade Stover: 4 Targets, 4 Receptions, 22 Yards
Jaylin Noel: 2 Targets, 1 Reception, 7 Yards
Los Angeles Rams
Quarterback
Mathew Stafford: 21/29, 245 Yards, TD | 4 Carries, -2 Yards, FUM (Recovered)
Second fastest QB in history to 60K career yards, even with a slow start on the afternoon.
Notes
- Stafford’s health (back) was the subject of all kinds of speculation during training camp, and while he got off to a bit of a slow start, he put those rumors to bed with the last drive before halftime and never looked back. The velocity was there, his passes were on point, and he got the ball where it needed to be en route to the low-scoring win.
Missed Opportunities
- It remains to be seen what having the likes of Nacua and Adams looks like when the offense is firing on all cylinders, but Stafford needed some adjustments for the latter on a number of plays before finally getting in sync.
Running Back
Kyren Williams: 18 Carries, 66 Yards, TD | 2 Targets, 1 Reception, 3 Yards
A decent day for the unquestioned Rams’ RB1.
Notes
- Like the rest of the LA offense, it took Williams a minute to get going, but he had a solid outing at home to open up the season. His 3.7 yards per carry left many wanting, but his one-yard score to close out the first half rewarded fantasy managers for their trust in him. It also helps that only two other Rams players received touches out of the backfield on Sunday, and one of them was a wide receiver. There’s not a ton of competition for snaps, and the lethality of the passing attack should open up the run game moving forward, creating a promising situation for Williams as the season goes on. You just hope he can earn more than just two targets going forward, though.
Blake Corum: 1 Carry, 2 Yards | 1 Target, 1 Reception, 14 Yards
Wide Receiver/Tight End
Puka Nacua: 11 Targets, 10 Receptions, 130 Yards | 1 Carry, 1 Yard
Lots and lots of volume for the young standout wideout.
Notes
- Nacua was unleashed against the Texans’ secondary, making catch after catch in space to the tune of 13.0 yards per reception and leading all players in total yardage. This was done even with him missing almost an entire quarter due to concussion protocol early on. It was an impressive day at home, and with Adams drawing coverage opposite Nacua, there’s bound to be more opportunities with the offense getting up to speed.
Missed Opportunities
- Missing most of the first and second quarters of the game capped already great numbers. The fact that Nacua was in concussion protocol to begin with is due to his style of play. He routinely seeks out contact with defenders and took two solid hits to the helmet that left the man bleeding from his head. It’s awesome seeing a receiver that doesn’t shy away from anyone, but obviously could lead to missed time should injury strike because of it.
Davante Adams: 8 Targets, 4 Receptions, 51 Yards
Nacua or Adams on every play – what a problem to have.
Notes
- Second in targets for LA, Adams was just as dangerous as Nacua with the ball in his hands, finding the gaps in coverage throughout the game. Stafford had a harder time connecting with him at the start, but after halftime, it was seemingly smooth sailing for the duo as they built that connection. It was a good start to what really could be explosive.
Xavier Smith: 1 Target, 1 Reception, 36 Yards
Davis Allen: 2 Targets, 1 Reception, 13 Yards, TD
Jordan Whittington: 1 Carry, 5 Yards
Tutu Atwell: 1 Target, 1 Reception, 4 Yards
Colby Parkinson: 2 Targets, 2 Receptions, -6 Yards, FUM (Lost)