Matthew Stafford passed for 245 yards and a touchdown and a stifling defensive performance propelled the Los Angeles Rams to a 14-9 victory over the visiting Houston Texans on Sunday.
The Rams (1-0) sacked Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud three times and forced two turnovers, one to seal the win with less than two minutes to play with the Texans (0-1) pursuing the go-ahead score.
Linebacker Nate Landman punched the ball free from Texans running back Dare Ogunbowale, and defensive end Braden Fiske recovered at the Rams’ 24-yard line. Puka Nacua (10 catches, 130 yards) delivered the final blow with a 24-yard reception on third down, streaking free down the left sideline to run out the clock.
Stafford became the 10th quarterback in history to surpass 60,000 passing yards and said immediately after the game the accomplishment was meaningful because of “a lot of memories.”
Stafford said the Landman play was timely but not surprising.
“We’ve seen it all of training camp,” Stafford said. “He called his shot this week. He said he was going to get one.”
Stroud passed for 188 yards and was intercepted once as the Rams collectively kept top receiver Nico Collins in check (three receptions, 25 yards). Ka’imi Fairbairn kicked three field goals for the Texans, who amassed only 265 yards and committed 11 penalties.
Running back Nick Chubb led the Texans with 13 carries for 60 yards.
Trailing 6-0 late in the second quarter, the Rams covered 65 yards in nine plays to pull ahead. Nacua had first-down receptions of 19 and 23 yards before the Texans appeared to stall the drive in the red zone. But the Rams called a daring pitch on fourth down that Kyren Williams took for a 1-yard scoring run with 53 seconds left.
The Texans replied with a 42-yard march keyed by a 13-yard Stroud scramble. Fairbairn drilled a 53-yard field goal as the half expired. Houston took a 9-7 lead into the break, but the Rams fashioned a reply in the third.
Buoyed by a 36-yard pass play from Stafford to Xavier Smith down to the Houston 18-yard line, the Rams reclaimed their lead when Stafford hit Davis Allen for a 13-yard touchdown at the 12:28 mark of the third. The Rams moved 68 yards in five plays while surging ahead for good.
Fairbairn capped a 15-play, 62-yard drive initiated at the Houston 5 with a 51-yard field goal for a 3-0 lead with 1:15 left in the first quarter. The Texans converted two third downs on their first scoring drive, and Stroud converted a 4th-and-2 at the Rams’ 19 in their second. But Jaylen McCollough sacked Stroud on third down, forcing the Texans to settle for a 45-yard Fairbairn field goal.
Despite an eight-minute edge in time of possession, the Texans led 6-0 with 4:47 left in the half.
