Houston opened with three field goals in a 14-9 loss to Los Angeles, failing to convert late chances as penalties and pass protection woes lingered. C.J. Stroud faced steady pressure (three sacks, 41.2% of dropbacks) and the run game struggled behind a shuffled line. Tight ends Dalton Schultz and Cade Stover helped move the sticks, while Calen Bullock and Derek Stingley Jr. battled through a secondary miscue in the second half. Azeez Al-Shaair forced a key fumble late, but Nate Landman sealed the win with a ball-popping strip on Dare Ogunbowale.

On the other side, Matthew Stafford and the Rams exploited Houston’s eye discipline with a late 68-yard drive capped by a Davis Allen TD and a 36-yard connection to Xavier Smith, signaling a prolific Week 1 ceiling for LAR’s pass game even with a handful of injuries and shuffles. The Rams’ defense showed resilience, while Houston’s unit environments promised adjustments ahead of next week.