Rams will attack this glaring Texans offensive weakness all game long

The Los Angeles Rams face a formidable and daunting task this season. Since winning Super Bowl LVI, early-season success has been hard to come by. Over the past three years, the Rams have opened with a 1-2 record each time. And if you dare to look at the first five games in those seasons, you’ll find starts of 2-3, 2-3, and 1-4, respectively.

Now they’ll host the Houston Texans, back-to-back AFC South champions with 10-7 records in each of the last two seasons. Houston had no trouble jumping out to a 6-2 start in 2024 and will come into SoFi confident and prepared. But the visiting team does have a glaring weakness, and it happens to align perfectly with the Rams’ biggest defensive strength. The Texans allowed 54 sacks last season, third-most in the NFL.

Related: 3 unresolved offensive decisions keeping Rams from being Week 1 ready

To their credit, they didn’t sit idly this offseason. They acquired interior lineman Ed Ingram in a trade with the Vikings and selected tackle Aireontae Ersery in the draft, who’s now projected to start at left tackle in Week 1. But they also traded away All-Pro veteran Laremy Tunsil to Washington, and the Rams’ defensive front is licking its chops.

Rams pass rush will feast on a suspect Texans OL in Week 1

This defense is ready to pick up where it left off in last year’s playoffs, that is, bringing relentless heat. With a fully healthy group of quarterback hunters, fans can expect plenty of sacks in Week 1. The unit was so dominant in the 2025 postseason that the combined offensive firepower of Minnesota and Philadelphia was held to just 114 net passing yards per game.

So, who’s tasked with keeping this pass rush in check? Here’s the expected Houston offensive line:

• LT Aireontae Ersery - 23-year-old rookie
• LG Laken Tomlinson - 33-year-old IOL - 59.7 run blocking grade | 66.0 pass blocking grade
• C Jake Andrews - 25-year-old IOL
• RG Ed Ingram - 26-year-old IOL- 58.1 run blocking grade | 49.1 pass blocking grade
• RT Tytus Howard - 29-year-old OT - 58.9 run blocking grade | 76.2 pass blocking grade

While I’m not predicting a full-on bloodbath for CJ Stroud, I will say this: he’s going to be under pressure all afternoon. His 2024 season-high for sacks taken was five. That number could very well be surpassed in Week 1. This Rams defense averaged 8.0 sacks per game during the playoffs, and may be even better now.

Some have suggested that this game will be decided in the trenches. If so, the edge goes to the Horns. It’s a classic case of irresistible force meeting a very movable object. Houston may have pieced together an offensive line that holds up over 17 games, but this one matchup doesn’t stack up. Not compared to what the Eagles or Vikings brought. And we already know how those games ended.

This group has been burning to make a statement since getting torched twice by Saquon Barkley last year. They get their shot in Week 1.

As always, thanks for reading.

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