Rams Pull Victory Out of the Fire in Season Opener

INGLEWOOD, Ca. -- In a gritty, gutsy battle, the Los Angeles Rams came out on top to win the first game of the season with a 14-9 win over the Houston Texans.

First Half

The offensive output in the first half was not good and then it turned to awful once Puka Nacua was forced to enter concussion protocol. Nacua's absence started to compound problems for the Rams including a bad snap that flew over Matthew Stafford's head with the quarterback racing towards his own end zone to corral the ball.

However, once Nacua came back into the game after clearing concussion protocol, the offense started to roll, leading to their first score of the game. However, one the Rams' entered the red zone, those issues began to pop up once again until Kyren Williams punched the ball in on fourth down.

The defense stayed strong, preventing the Texans from entering the end zone, despite surrendering the lead on a closing Houston field goal.

Second Half

The Rams wasted no time taking back the lead as a big time throw and catch from Stafford to Xavier Smith would set up a Davis Allen touchdown. Smith, who was one of the Rams' shining stars throughout preseason, displayed the hands and feet on the sideline catch.

Something interesting to think about was the Rams' use of speed on that play. Their fastest receivers, Smith and Tutu Atwell played off each other to find the opening.

The Rams defense found their footing with an acrobatic interception by Cobie Durant. While the Texans continued to drive their way into Rams' territory, often aided by a penalty by their secondary, the defensive line remained in control of the line of scrimmage and thus, through three quarters, the Rams prevented the Texans from scoring a touchdown.

The Final Frame

In the fourth quarter, Davante Adams decided this was his moment. The Texans blanketed him all night and Sean McVay had enough. McVay schemed up Adams early with a beautiful back shoulder throw, setting up a Rams first down on third and long to start the quarter. Leading 14-9, a touchdown would be paramount.

However, the Rams offense began to stall with Stafford suffering a sack from inside pressure. Despite the Texans doing everything in their power to give the Rams' yards, the Rams surrendered another sack.

On the ensuing drive, Texans' OC Nick Caley, a former McVay assistant, began to call McVay-style plays with quick passes and a receiver jet sweep. However, in a pivotal moment, the Texans countered the Rams beautifully with a misdirection on a run play. Somehow, Byron Young figured it out, blew up the play, and his efforts forced a punt.

The Rams gave the ball to Stafford and told him to win it. They quickly advanced the ball into Texans' territory by dialing up passes to Davante Adams and Puka Nacua with Stafford becoming a member of the 60,000 passing yards club in the process.

Once they slowed the game down, the Rams decided with a five point lead to burn some clock behind Kyren Williams. However, disaster almost struck as a pass to Colby Parkinson on play action was broken up in an apparent fumble. The play was ruled as an incomplete pass before Houston challenged the call. The call was reversed and Houston took over with the Rams just 12 yards away from victory.

This was the defenses moment. Could they somehow come up with one more stop, preventing the Texans' offense from scoring a touchdown?

The defense. Bruised, tired, weakened, began to give up big gains on the ground. Then the break they needed happened. Houston tried to go up-tempo and committed an illegal shift. Josaiah Stewart came up big with a massive pass breakup and on third down and 11, the Rams needed to come up big.

Shula, staying true to his principles, sent the blitz and while the Rams got home, forcing an incomplete pass, Kobie Turner was flagged for one of the softest roughing the quarterback penalties we've seen in a while. That took us to the two-minute warning.

The Final Two Minutes

The Rams said enough was enough with Rams' linebacker Nate Landman punching the football out as the Texans hit the red zone. The Rams recovered the fumble and only needed a first down to end the game.

The problem is that on the first play on offense, the Rams would be called for holding. On third and eight, with the Texans holding one timeout with 1:27 left in the game, the Rams gave the ball to Stafford once again and he hit Puca Nacua off play action for the game-winning first down.

Stafford and Nacua won this game for the offense but the defense won this game for the team.

Byron Young

Young was everything for the Rams. He was a critical part of their run defense, secured the team's first sack of the day and has taken on the Michael Hoecht role, making it his own.

Young played the edge, a little off-ball linebacker, and both as a rusher or in coverage, Young was excellent. He had the game of his career.

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