First Look: Rams head to Houston to take on Texans in Week 8
The Rams (6-1) are back on the road this week with a trip to Houston to take on the Texans (1-6), seeking to extend their win streak to four games. Kickoff from NRG Stadium in Houston is scheduled for 10 a.m. pacific time on FOX.
In advance of the contest, here is your First Look at Rams at Texans:
Notable Texans additions:
Signed RB Mark Ingram to a 1-year deal in March: After spending the last two seasons with the Ravens, Ingram followed former Baltimore passing game coordinator David Culley (now the Texans head coach) to Houston and signed a one-year deal with the club as an unrestricted free agent. Ingram is the Texans' leading rusher so far with 92 carries for 294 yards and one touchdown through the first seven games.
Drafted QB Davis Mills in the third round of this year's draft: Mills was the Texans' first selection since they didn't have a first- or second-round selection this year. The former Stanford product began the season as the backup to Tyrod Taylor, whom the team signed to a one-year deal in March, but was called into action early in his rookie season after Taylor landed on IR with a hamstring injury in Week 2.
Top performers in Week 7
Mills completed 23 of 32 pass attempts for 135 yards in the Texans' 31-5 loss to the Cardinals.
RB David Johnson led the backfield with seven carries for 25 yards.
Johnson (27 yards) and WR Brandon Cooks (21) each posted five catches, but rookie WR Nico Collins led Houston's receivers with 28 yards.
S Lonnie Johnson Jr. led the Texans defense with nine total tackles and an interception, while DE Jacob Martin tackled Cardinals QB Kyler Murray in the endzone for a safety.
On special teams, P Cameron Johnston averaged 49.1 yards per punt across seven punts, while K Ka'imi Fairbairn made his lone field goal attempt.
Early storylines to watch, and what they mean for the Rams
Taylor will return return to practice this week, according to Texans head coach David Culley's postgame comments to Houston reporters, with more known about his status on Wednesday.
Accordingly, the Rams will have to prepare for both Mills, as well as the possibility of Taylor playing, provided the Texans end up activating his 21-day window to return and actually move him back onto the active roster before Sunday's game.
In the five and a half games since taking over for the injured Taylor, Mills has completed 111 of 171 pass attempts for 1,047 yards with five touchdowns and seven interceptions. Taylor, meanwhile, had completed 31 of 44 pass attempts for 416 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions prior to sustaining the hamstring injury that landed him on IR.
Taylor is more mobile than Mills, so if he's healthy enough to return, that skillset is something the Rams will have to be mindful of this weekend.
However, regardless of who's under center for Houston, the primary concern in the passing game for the Rams defense will be wide receiver Brandin Cooks, who has still produced even with a rookie throwing to him – he had nine catches for 112 yards against the Panthers in Week 3, then nine catches for 89 yards against the Colts in Week 6.
