The Rams opened the season with a low-scoring but action-packed victory over the Texans at SoFi Stadium. Quarterback Matthew Stafford left any doubts about his health behind by throwing for 245 yards and a touchdown, 130 of which went to wide receiver Puka Nacua.
Meanwhile, the defense locked down Houston's offense, allowing zero touchdowns. Inside linebacker Nate Landman's punch-out late in the fourth quarter helped Los Angeles seal the victory, while an interception from Cobie Durant and three total sacks helped keep Houston out of the end zone all game.
Here are five interesting stats from the Rams' 14-9 victory over the Texans (all ranks pre-Monday Night Football):
Rams had the seventh-highest defensive pressure rate in Week 1, via Next Gen Stats
The Rams pressured quarterback C.J. Stroud on 41.2% of his dropbacks on Sunday. Reigning Defensive Rookie of the Year Jared Verse led the way with four, while safety Quentin Lake, outside linebacker Byron Young and inside linebacker Omar Speights all registered two.
Seven other players tied with one, including safety Jaylen McCollough and defensive end Tyler Davis, who both collected sacks along with Young. L.A. ranked ninth in sack rate at 8.8%.
Stafford's five big time throws led the league, via Pro Football Focus
A big-time throw is defined as "a pass with excellent ball location and timing, generally thrown further down the field and/or into a tighter window." Stafford didn't complete five such throws in a single game once last season, but did so in the season opener against one of the toughest defenses in the league.
His back injury, which held him out of training camp and the majority of preseason practices, seemed like a thing of the past. Stafford said he "felt great" in the season opener.
The Texans did not get farther than the Rams' 15-yard line all game
Not only did Houston not run a play inside the Rams' 15-yard line, the ball didn't cross that threshold in its possession. They reached the 15 in the second quarter, but then McCollough sacked Stroud for a 12-yard loss and it had to settle for a field goal.
The Texans converted on just two of their nine third down tries, and of their 57 offensive plays, just four came in the red zone. L.A.'s defense kept a high-powered Houston offense at bay throughout the entire game with timely playmaking and excellent execution at all three levels.
Landman's punch-out upped the Rams' win percentage from 69% to 96%, via Next Gen Stats
The next time the Texans entered the red zone was in the fourth quarter, with the game on the line, they fumbled before even running a play inside the 20. When Dare Ogunbowale fell forward at the 18, Landman punched the ball out and defensive end Braden Fiske went full extension to recover it, giving the Rams' offense a chance to seal the victory. That play increased their chances of victory by 27%.
Matthew Stafford had a 145.0 passer rating on 11 play-action pass dropbacks, via Next Gen Stats
Play-action passing is a cornerstone of the Rams' offense, and Stafford was nearly flawless when they ran it on Sunday (13.3 points away from a perfect passer rating, to be exact). He completed nine of 10 play-action pass attempts for 108 yards and a touchdown.
Head coach Sean McVay said postgame that Stafford was "in great command all day," and his elite execution off play-action fakes was an integral part of that success.
