The one Rams player who could flip Week 1 on its head

Los Angeles Rams outside linebacker Jared Verse is coming off a sensational inaugural NFL campaign. It won't just be a tough act to follow, but also a great challenge to build off the incredible groundwork he laid. However, the team's 2025 regular-season opener against the Houston Texans presents a prime opportunity to carry that momentum into the new year.

Verse has a clear advantage over either one of Houston's tackles, second-round rookie Aireontae Ersery or seventh-year veteran Tytus Howard. The reigning Defensive Rookie of the Year should feast on the Texans, whether he lines up on the left or right side. But more importantly, for the Rams, his dominance can single-handedly tip the scales in an interconference clash between two clubs with playoff aspirations.

Jared Verse could will Rams to Week 1 victory vs. Texans

Ersery has reportedly done enough to beat out veteran free-agent acquisition Cam Robinson to protect Texans franchise quarterback C.J. Stroud's blindside. While that's an encouraging long-term development for Houston, the Minnesota product has physical limitations that Verse has the skill set to exploit. For better or worse, the Rams' burgeoning star could give him an unforgettable pro debut.

At 6-foot-6, 331 pounds, Ersery is a uniquely massive human with tremendous strength. Consequently, he lacks the nimbleness to move laterally consistently. This weakness was exposed when facing faster, more athletic edge rushers. Hopefully, for Houston's sake, he won't have many (or any) one-on-one matchups with Verse.

Pro Football Focus (PFF) graded Howard as the 30th-best pass-blocking tackle out of 140 qualified options in 2024. He earned the right to be the lone returning starter from a Houston offensive line that tied for the third-most sacks allowed last season. Nonetheless, the 29-year-old lacks the power to counter Verse's "overwhelming" strength and bull rush.

Houston and L.A. each finished 10-7 en route to claiming their respective division crowns and reaching the Divisional Round in 2024. In other words, the margins are thin here. As of this writing, oddsmakers tend to agree, with the Rams being listed as 2.5-point favorites (h/t DraftKings Sportsbook). That makes any chance to gain the upper hand crucial, so Verse stands out as a difference-maker.

Yes, Verse tallied 4.5 sacks last year, which isn't necessarily an eye-popping number, to say the least. But don't let that fool you; he's a legitimate one-man wrecking crew. One rival executive even boldly predicts he'll be "the league’s best defensive player this season," according to Jeff Howe of The Athletic ($).

More Los Angeles Rams news and analysis