Football is back baby!
No more waiting. No more wondering. NFL football returns this week with a slate chock full of exciting matchups.
The one we care about the most hits at 3:25pm on Sunday when your Houston Texans take on the Los Angeles Rams at Sofi Stadium in LA.
Historically, these matchups have not gone well for the Texans, with the Rams leading the series 4-1, having won the last 3. However, the Rams haven’t faced Demeco Ryans, C.J. Stroud, Derek Stingley Jr and the rest of the 2025 Texans.
Since their last matchup
on 10/31/21, Ryans and general manager Nick Caserio have done a great job not only rebuilding the roster, but the team culture as well, capturing back to back AFC South Championships along the way.
Meanwhile, Sean McVay and Matthew Stafford have kept the wins coming in LA for the Rams.
NFL Communications
Houston at the Los Angeles Rams (4:25 p.m. ET, CBS, Sunday): The reigning AFC South champion Texans and reigning NFC West champion Rams are set to meet for the first time since 2021. Houston running back Nick Chubb and Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Davante Adams are expected to make their club debuts on Kickoff Weekend.
While the Texans stars like Stroud, Stingley and Nico Collins dominate the minds of the fanbase, the offensive line is where this game gets decided.
Speaking of Stafford, he’s 1st in line in 2025 to face the formidable Texans secondary. Trying to complete passes against Sting, CJGJ, Jalen Pitre, Calen Bullock and Kamari Lassiter will test each and every opposing single caller all season long. Can newly minted Rams receiver Davante Adams git r done? Or will Stafford spend more snaps handing the rock to running back Kyren Williams? If Adams wants to make an impact, he’ll need to make sure he doesn’t get impacted too often.
Houston Texans Week One Stats
QB C.J. STROUD totaled 3,727 pass yards & 20 TD passes in 2024 & is 1 of 7
QBs in NFL history with 3,500+ pass yards & 20+ TD passes in each of 1st 2
seasons. Is 1 of 6 QBs all-time to win playoff game in each of 1st 2 seasons. Has
476 pass yards (238 per game) & 2 TDs vs. 0 INTs in 2 career starts in Week 1.
RB NICK CHUBB can make Hou. debut after totaling 7,885 scrimmage yards
& 56 TDs (51 rush, 5 rec.) over past 7 seasons with Cle. Had 131 scrimmage
yards (96 rush, 35 rec.) in only career game vs. LAR (9/22/19 w/ Cle.).
RB DAMEON PIERCE had career-high 176 rush yards in Week 18 last season.
WR NICO COLLINS totaled 68 catches for 1,006 yards & 7 TDs in 12 games in
2024, 2nd-straight 1,000-yard season. Had 50+ rec. yards in 5 of his 6 road
games last season. Had 55 rec. yards in last meeting.
WR CHRISTIAN KIRK can make Hou. debut after spending past 3 seasons
(2022-24) with Jax. Had 86 rec. yards in his last game vs. LAR (12/13/21 w/ Ari.).
WR JAYDEN HIGGINS was selected No. 34 overall in 2025 NFL Draft.
TE DALTON SCHULTZ had 53 catches for 532 yards in 2024 & is 1 of 2 TEs
(Travis Kelce) with 50+ catches & 500+ rec. yards in each of past 5 seasons.
DE DANIELLE HUNTER led team with 12 sacks & 17 TFL last season, 5th-
career season with 12+ sacks, tied 2nd-most among active players. Aims for
his 3rd in row vs. LAR with sack.
DE WILL ANDERSON had career-high 11 sacks & 16 TFL in 2024. Anderson &
Hunter were 1 of 2 pairs of teammates each with 11+ sacks last season.
DT TIM SETTLE had career-high 10 TFL with 5 sacks in 2024.
LB HENRY TO’OTO’O led team with career-high 104 tackles last season.
CB DEREK STINGLEY ranked 2nd in NFL with career-high 18 PD & had 5 INTs in
2024. Aims for his 4th in row vs. NFC with PD.
S C.J. GARDNER-JOHNSON can make Hou. debut. Had 6 INTs in 2024 with Phi.
S CALEN BULLOCK led rookies with 5 INTs last season.
Los Angeles Rams Week One Stats
QB MATTHEW STAFFORD ranks 10th in NFL reg. season history with 59,809
pass yards & 377 pass TDs. Has 64 career games with 300+ pass yards, 8th-
most all-time. Passed for 305 yards & 3 TDs vs. 0 INTs for 127.7 rating in last
meeting. Has 275+ pass yards in 8 of his past 9 Week 1 starts.
RB KYREN WILLIAMS set career highs in scrimmage yards (1,481), rush yards
(1,299) & rush TDs (14) in 2024 & became 5th player since 2000 with 1,000+
rush yards & 12+ rush TDs in 2 of his 1st 3 career seasons. Has TD in 12 of
his past 14 home games. Has 50+ scrimmage yards in 28 straight games,
longest active streak in NFL.
WR DAVANTE ADAMS makes LAR debut. Ranks 10th in NFL history with 103
reg. season rec. TDs. Ranks 4th among active players in receptions (957) &
rec. yards (11,844). Had 7 catches for 91 yards & TD in his last game vs. Hou.
(10/31/24 w/ NYJ).
WR PUKA NACUA had 5+ catches & 50+ rec. yards in each of his final 8 games
last season. Since 2023, is 1 of 3 (A.J. Brown & Amon-Ra St. Brown) with 12+
games (12) with 100+ rec. yards.
LB JARED VERSE ranked 2nd among rookies with 11 TFL in 2024.
LB BYRON YOUNG is 1 of 3 (Harold Landry & T.J. Watt) with 60+ tackles & 7+
sacks in each of past 2 seasons.
DE KOBIE TURNER set career highs with 62 tackles, 10 TFL & 4 PD & added 8
sacks last season.
DE BRADEN FISKE led team & all rookies with 8.5 sacks in 2024.
CB AHKELLO WITHERSPOON had 7 PD in his final 4 games last season.
S KAM CURL had career-high 9 PD last season. Is 1 of 4 DBs with 75+ tackles
in each of past 5 seasons.
S QUENTIN LAKE ranked 6th among DBs with career-high 111 tackles in 2024,
incl. 4 games with 10+ tackles.
Catch the game on CBS, Sirius XM or NFL Sunday Ticket.
