Houston Texans vs Los Angeles Rams

The Week 1 clash between the Houston Texans and Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium was a defensive slugfest from start to finish, ending in a narrow 14–9 victory for the home side. Houston struck first with a long 51-yard field goal from Ka’imi Fairbairn and added another 45-yarder shortly after, building a 6–0 lead that briefly put the Rams on the back foot. But L.A. responded before the half as Kyren Williams punched in a 1-yard touchdown run to flip the momentum and take a 7–6 lead into the break.

Coming out of halftime, Matthew Stafford made history by surpassing 60,000 career passing yards on the opening drive, becoming just the 10th quarterback in NFL history to achieve the feat. He capped off that same possession by finding tight end Davis Allen in the end zone for a 13-yard touchdown strike, extending the Rams’ lead to 14–6. Houston answered with a third field goal, cutting the deficit to 14–9, but their struggles inside the red zone continued to stall drives and kept them from taking control.

The second half turned into a defensive battle, with both teams trading stops and big hits. Puka Nacua was the offensive spark plug for L.A., hauling in 10 catches for 130 yards despite briefly leaving the game after a hard hit. His ability to consistently win one-on-one matchups and keep drives alive proved crucial for a Rams offense that had to grind for every yard against Houston’s tough front seven.

Houston’s last chance came in the final minutes as C.J. Stroud engineered a potential game-winning drive, moving the ball deep into Los Angeles Rams territory. But with just over a minute to play, linebacker Nate Landman delivered the play of the night, forcing a fumble from Dare Ogunbowale that was recovered by rookie Braden Fiske, ending the Texans’ hopes. Stroud finished with 188 yards passing on 19-of-27 completions but threw a costly interception and never found the end zone.

After the game, Sean McVay praised his team’s composure and defensive toughness, noting that “finding a way to win ugly is a good sign early in the season.” For Houston Texans, the loss was a reminder that field goals rarely beat good teams on the road, especially when turnovers swing momentum late. For the Rams, the win not only opened their season on a high note but also highlighted the balance between Stafford’s veteran leadership, Nacua’s explosive playmaking, and a defense capable of closing out tight games.