Our late afternoon slate of games kicks off with the Houston Texans (3-5) traveling to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum to take on the Los Angeles Rams (6-2) Sunday.
It’s a game that lost a bit of its luster with the injury to Deshaun Watson a couple of weeks ago, but I’ll still be watching it. It will be broadcast on your local CBS station at 4:05 p.m. EST.
The Game: Houston Texans at Los Angeles Rams (-12.5)
O/U: 45.5
The History
The Rams and Texans have played three games since 2005. Los Angeles/St. Louis leads the all time series (if you can call it that) 2-1.
The two teams last met up on October 13, 2013 with the Rams winning 38-13 at Reliant Stadium. Sam Bradford out-dueled the Matt Schab/T.J. Yates tandem with a 12 of 16 day for 117 yards and three touchdown passes. Of the players that caught a pass from Bradford that day, only Tavon Austin is still on the roster.
HOUSTON TEXANS (3-5)
The future is insanely bright for the Texans. The only problem is, there’s still eight games left in the present. Tanking at this point won’t do the team any good. They traded their first and second round picks in 2018 in a package to move up and take Deshaun Watson in last April’s NFL Draft. It’s a move nobody regrets, even with Watson’s knee injury. He’ll be back next year and pick up right where he left off.
The problem is, Houston still has to play out this stretch. Nobody believes a team led by Tom Savage or T.J. Yates is a contender in the AFC South, but there’s still some talent to work with here, especially on offense. DeAndre Hopkins remains an elite receiver and Lamar Miller is one of the league’s better running backs.
The defense has to be the biggest disappointment and head coach Bill O’Brien should probably look at firing his old buddy Romeo Crennel the second the final whistle sounds on the 2017 season. Yes, the Texans lost their two best defensive players (J.J. Watt and Whitney Mercilus) to season ending injuries and another, linebacker Brian Cushing, to steroids, but there’s still talent on that unit. There’s no excuse for the performances Houston has put on the field this year.
Inside linebacker Dylan Cole and defensive end Joel Heath are both out on the injury report.
LOS ANGELES RAMS (6-2)
If you remember back to my preseason predictions, I saw this Rams team competing for the NFC West and making the playoffs. I knew the addition of Sean McVay would make that much a difference to a roster that was “too talented to go 7-and-f–king-9 again.” Well, it turns out I underestimated how good McVay could make the Rams. They have a game lead in the NFC West and a date with the top-seeded Philadelphia Eagles coming up to possibly decide home field advantage. What a time to be alive.
Los Angeles has just one player listed as out on the injury report, back up running back Malcolm Brown. He’ll be replaced in the line up by former Dallas Cowboys runner/receiver Lance Dunbar. Tight end Derek Carrier is doubtful with a hamstring. Outside linebacker Robert Quinn is also hit the doubtful tag with an illness. He’ll probably be a gameday decision. Everybody else should play.
Here’s a fun fact. All the current division leaders in the NFC (the Rams, Philadelphia Eagles, Minnesota Vikings and New Orleans Saints) missed the playoffs last season.
The Pick
This Texans squad has just taken too many gut punches this season. If they don’t just pack it in and go to the house at this point, O’Brien might deserve a few votes for Coach of the Year. He’ll be facing the guy in McVay who might lock up that award in the next few weeks and one of the most prolific offenses in the NFL. It could get ugly. Rams 41, Texans 13
This week
Straight up: 1-0
Against the spread: 1-0
Last week
Straight up: 9-4
Against the spread: 11-2
Season
Straight up: 78-54
Against the spread: 69-62
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