The 2025 NFL Regular Season is finally here, and it’s time to rejoice that our beloved pigskin-based sport has returned! The Houston Texans, just like last year, have Super Bowl-sized expectations entering the 2025 season. In their very first game after a divisional round exit to the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2024 NFL playoffs, the Texans will travel to SoFi Stadium to square off against the Los Angeles Rams to kick off the 2025 NFL regular season. Texans quarterback CJ Stroud and new offensive coordinator
Nick Caley seek to get the offense back on track, and get the Texans to their first Super Bowl appearance and championship in franchise history.
But, who are all the new faces? Which player will become Stroud’s favorite new target? Who will be the top tailback while starting running back Joe Mixon is on IR? Who in the world is Aireontae Ersery? Answers to all those questions are all coming up next as we cover five things to watch in game one of the regular season!
1. How Will new Safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson Meld into Houston’s defense?
One of the most surprising moves of the offseason was the Philadelphia Eagles trading their starting safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson and a 2026 sixth-round pick to the Houston Texans for guard Kenyon Green (who was waived) and a 2026 fifth-round pick. This was maybe the most head-scratching move by Eagles general manager Howie Roseman made this offseason, and a game-changer for the Texans. Gardner-Johnson is a very talented, multi-purpose safety that utilizes his speed, instincts, and hard-hitting style to become a feared defensive back to any opposing offense.
Much like current Texans nickelback Jalen Pitre, Gardner-Johnson can roam all over the field and still be in the right place at the right time. Against the Rams today, expect to see just that: Gardner-Johnson showing up in the box, backing up a few yard off the line of scrimmage, lining up against receivers in coverage, and playing traditional safety. With both Pitre and him on the field at the same time, the Texans defense should be a whole lot more confusing to diagnose for opposing quarterback Matthew Stafford.
2. Rookie LT Aireontae Ersery’s First Regular Season NFL Action!
Rookie left tackle Aireontae Ersery, taken 48th overall in the 2025 NFL Draft out of Minnesota, has been one of the most exciting developments out of training camp this year. Ersery was originally projected to be the backup tackle behind big free agent signee Cam Robinson, but a lingering injury kept Robinson out of practice and kept Ersery on the field for reps with the first-string offense, where he did more than just impress: he took the starting job in his first year!
Back in April, I had these first impressions on Ersery after the draft:
Ersery is strong against speed rushers (check out his Abdul Carter highlights), but his size doesn’t prevent him from being a quality blocker in space when clearing a path for the tailback. For being such a big lineman, he’s faster than expected, but he’s not as bendy as other NFL tackles, nor does he have that deadly first punch that so many top prospects do. That lack of elasticity could make him weak to NFL edge rushers with a bevy of counter moves, but since he was literally the Big Ten offensive lineman of the year, I’m willing to bet on his upside.
It’s safe to say Ersery has lived up to this bumming and then some! Now, it’s hard to judge a player before their first regular season snaps, but his quick ascension to the top of the depth chart has to be encouraging. Against the Rams today, Ersery will have his first real test as he lines up to face star edge rusher Jared Verse, one of the most dominant ends in the NFL in just his rookie year. It may be a rough showing for Ersery in game one, but don’t give up hope if he flounders! Ersery will be learning on the job all season long, the Texans will need him to play just “good enough” to keep Stroud comfortable, and he should be prepared for that in the long run of the regular season.
3. Check Out the Season-Debuts of new Texans RBs Nick Chubb and Woody Marks!
Since pro-bowl running back Joe Mixon has been placed on IR to start to season due to a “non-football ankle/foot injury” which has kept him out of football activities the divisional round game against the Kansas City Chiefs in January. The scant comments that been made by Texans’ brass about his mysterious injury have been about as discouraging as possible, as well. Texans beat reporter DJ Bien-Aime had this to say:
Caserio was asked Wednesday morning if Mixon would suit up at all this season but did not provide any clarity on the status of the team’s leading rusher from last season.
“We’ll see. We’ll take it one day at a time,” Caserio said. “We’ll evaluate those players after four weeks and see where they are in their progression and then make a determination.” – DJ Bien-Aime
Well…a quote like that makes this injury sound like it’s far more serious than just a stint on IR. If this is what the general manager is saying before the season even starts, then the chances of Joe Mixon even appearing on the field this year aren’t very high at all. Given that…upsetting development…Houston’s depth at running back will be put to the test. Enter first year Texans players Nick Chubb and Woody Marks, who will likely receive the bulk of carries while Mixon is gone. Dameon Pierce is here, too, but considering the similar rushing styles both Chubb and Pierce have and the fact that Marks can be an exceptional receiving back, I think Pierce will end up with the fewest carries of the bunch.
Nick Chubb was once the heart of the Cleveland Browns, becoming their best offensive weapon since being drafted by them in 2018, all the way to 2022. In 2023, Chubb suffered a devastating knee injury while facing off against the Pittsburgh Steelers, forcing him off the field and into rehab until halfway through the 2024 season. Upon returning to the field for the Browns, Chubb was not as fast or agile as he was in ‘22, leading to his departure from the team where he had become a legend. Now on the Texans roster as the #2 tailback, Chubb and the Texans are hoping that another offseason of training will get him back to pro-bowl form. Early reports from training camp aren’t flowing for Chubb, but against the Rams, he’ll have a chance to remind us all of running back Cam Akers’ stretch in September 2024 and flip the script when nobody was giving him a chance.
Woody Marks, on the other hand, has all the juice you could need in a running back. A rookie taken in the fourth round out of USC, Marks has looked good in training camp, good in the preseason, and now may have the opportunity to look good in real games! He’s much more of a receiving scatback than any other Texans tailback on the roster, so expect to see him come in on passing downs and in gadget plays. I may be a little too excited for the debut of a rookie fourth round pick, but I think Marks has the chance to keep Houston’s ground game in check while Mixon heals up.
4. What Does new O.C. Nick Caley’s Offense Look like, and Who’s Getting Targeted Today?
This will be the most interesting question that will be partially answered today. Nick Caley spent the last two seasons with the Rams as their Tight Ends coach and Passing Game Coordinator, so the Rams coaches on the other side of the field today will have plenty of experience on learning how to stop Caley’s machinations. Caley will also be without starting slot receiver Christian Kirk for the first game, which could be a real issue if the Rams defense is putting a lot of pressure on Stroud.
Rookie wide receiver Jaylin Noel will have to sub in and be prepared for targets in his very first NFL game, because Nico Collins and Dalton Schultz aren’t going to be able to catch everything. The Rams have a good defense, so whatever plan they have to cover Collins will probably work. The responsibility of keeping the chains moving will probably end up on the shoulders of the new players on offense, so is Jaylin Noel up for it? We’ll find out in just a few more minutes!
And that’s my quick hits for the Houston Texans vs. Los Angeles Rams game! How do you think the Texans will fare in their 2025 debut? This is certainly a bigger challenge than facing the Indianapolis Colts in week one, so the pressure will be on CJ Stroud and Co. right away! Personally, I expect a close Texans win, led by a swarming defense and some crucial, MVP caliber passes from Stroud targeting Nico Collins and Jaylin Noel, taking the victory with a final score of 27-24. How well do you think this first game will go? Let us know down in the comments below!
GO TEXANS!!! BEAT THE RAMS!!!
