Halftime: Texans 7, Rams 6; Derek Stingley Makes Debut
As Ka’imi Fairbairn delivered a booming kick to the back of the end zone at SoFi Stadium, eyes weren’t fixated on the field. Pupils were on the Houston Texans sideline, looking for the No. 24 jersey.
Rookie cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. made his professional debut against the Los Angeles Rams as Houston leads 7-6 at the half. Prior to the game, Texans coach Lovie Smith told the broadcast team that Stingley would be limited to roughly 10 snaps.
How many snaps did he actually play? The number ended up being 17.
Stingley, the No. 3 pick in April’s draft, might be the most talked about rookie the franchise has seen since former Pro Bowl quarterback Deshaun Watson was drafted in 2017. Considered by scouts as one of the more polished defensive back prospects in recent memory, the former LSU cornerback certainly had his “welcome to the NFL” moment early.
On the Rams' second drive, quarterback John Wolford connected with receiver Lance McCutcheon for a 22-yard gain against Stingley. The 6-foot, 190-pound defensive back forced him to work inside, but his eyes were focused on Wolford, thus giving him a cushion to make the catch.
A play later, miscommunication between Stingley and safety Jonathan Owens led to a gain of 21 by receiver Laden Akers. Stingley ended up getting the last laugh on McCutcheon with a pass breakup on second down.
Houston’s pass rush continues to be a storyline to follow after a woeful 2021 campaign. Linebacker Christian Kirksey recorded his first sack of the preseason during the Rams' opening drive. Defensive tackle Damone Harris came up big on third down, forcing the Rams to settle for a 43-yard field goal from Matt Gay.
Both defensive end Jonathan Greenard and defensive tackle Roy Lopez recorded sacks on the Rams’ third drive, forcing a three-and-out. Greenard, who led Houston with eight sacks last fall, is expected to be the team’s top pass rusher, according to Smith.
Safety Grayland Arnold delivered a fifth sack in the second quarter on third down, forcing another punt from Los Angeles.
Second-year quarterback Davis Mills found more consistency in the downfield passing game after struggling to move the ball in Houston's 17-13 win against the New Orleans Saints last Saturday. On the opening drive, he connected with second-year receiver Nico Collins for a pair of first downs.
Not all was positive from the Houston offense, however. A sack on first down forced a second-and-12, eventually leading to a Texans’ punt. On the ensuing drive, Mills was stripped-sacked by Rams defensive lineman Jonah Williams after Max Scharping missed the block up the middle.
Mills' best drive of the night came on his final one. On third down, Mills connected downfield for a 33-yard gain to receiver Phillip Dorsett. Thanks to an unnecessary roughness call tacking on 15 yards, Mills connected with Collins for an 18-yard touchdown with one second remaining on the clock.
Mills finished 10 of 17 passing for 87 yards and a score. Collins tallied four catches for 49 yards. Running back Marlon Mack recorded eight carries for 29 yards, averaging 3.6 yards per play.
The Texans will receive the ball to begin the second half.
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