Ram Digest

Texans Edge Past Rams 24-20 With Late Touchdown: Live Game Log

Follow along with Ram Digest as we update you on NFL preseason Game 2 as it happens.

Ram Digest Staff

The Los Angeles Rams host the Houston Texans in Week 2 of the NFL preseason, as the team introduces some new faces to the roster and adjusts to some roster losses from last season. Free agents and rookies continue to introduce themselves in the locker room and take over for stars from last season like Von Miller, Andrew Whitworth, and Odell Beckham Jr.

While the 2022-23 Rams squad mostly stayed intact from last season, there are some new faces as LA begins its defense of the Super Bowl LVI title.

Once again, the majority of Los Angeles starters will not play, including quarterback Matthew Stafford, who will once again sit after an elbow procedure during the offseason.

That means some more playing time for signal-caller Bryce Perkins who will attempt to build on a strong showing last week when he completed 10 of 17 passes for 133 yards and two touchdowns.

via ESPN
via ESPN

Also looking to build on a big week is undrafted rookie wideout Lance McCutcheon, who caught five passes last week for 87 yards and two touchdowns.

After the game in the locker room, coach Sean McVay told his players that “no one showed up more” than McCutcheon.

The Rams beat cross-town rival Chargers 29-22 in their preseason opener. With the regular season approaching, evaluating rookies and roster hopefuls will continue vs. the Texans.

Follow along with Ram Digest as we update you through the night on Rams vs. Texans from SoFi Stadium on Friday night.

Updates will appear below after the game starts.

FIRST QUARTER: Rams 3, Texans 0

The Rams begin the game with the ball from the 27.

John Wolford took first crack at quarterback for L.A. on the first drive of the game, but they could only go three-and-out to begin the game. 

Bradley Dixon punted 53 yards to the Houston 20, but an offsides penalty on Houston gave the Rams a first down at the L.A. 32.

Wolford was sacked and then completed a short pass to Calais before an incomplete pass and another fourth-down punt. The Rams drive went 11 yards in six plays in 3:01.

Dixon punted 52 yards to the Houston 18 and King returned the kick 14 yards for the Texans to the 32.

Davis Mills began the game at quarterback for Houston.

Mills passed to Nico Collins for seven yards then the Rams' Durant forced a fumble. Collins recovered and ran another 10 yards for a first down.

Mack ran left tackle for five yards, Mills passed to Collins for five yards before Mills was sacked at the L.A. 44. Mack ran again for three yards and MIlls passed to Burkhead for a gain of only one forcing a fourth down punt. The Texans' drive went  29 yards in six plays in 3:45.

Rather than trying a 58-yard field goal, the Texans punted for a touchback. L.A. had the ball at its own 25 with 8:14 left in the first quarter.

On the first play of the Rams' next drive, Wolford hits Lance McCutcheon for 22 yards to the L.A. 42. Wolford then hit Landon Akers to the Houston 37 for 21 yards.

On 3rd and 1 from the Houston 28, the Texans lined up offside for a Rams' first down at the 23.

On 3rd and 11 from the Houston 24, the Texans sacked Wolford for a loss of one yard for a 43-yard field goal attempt.

FIELD GOAL RAMS: Matt Gay hits from 43 yards out to put the Rams on the board first. The scoring drive went 55 yards in eight plays and took 3:25 off the clock. With 4:49 left in the first quarter, it's 3-0 Rams.

Tremon Smith returned the kickoff 26 yards to the Houston 23. 

On 3rd and 6, Jonah Williams sacked Mills who fumbled at the Houston 4. Johnston punted 66 yards to the LA 30 and returned 12 yards by Trammell to the LA 42. The Texans' drive went -19 yards in three plays.

Wolford got sacked at the LA 32 for a loss of 10 yards on 1st and 10. Then the Rams' offensive line fails again on 3rd and 9 as Wolford was sacked for a loss of six yards. The drive went three plays and -5 yards in 1:16.

Houston took over at their own four yard line. A heavy dose of Mack running the ball on 1st and 2nd down ends the first quarter with a 3rd and 4 from the Houston 11.

SECOND QUARTER: Texans 7, Rams 6

Mills starts the second quarter with an eight-yard pass to Collins to the Houston 19. But the Texans can muster only two more yards on the drive and punt on 4th and 9. The Texans drive went 15 yards in six plays and took 3:16 off the clock.

Johnston punted 53 yards to the LA 27 with an Akers return for no gain with 12:47 left in the half.

On 3rd and 7 Wolford found Trammell at the LA 39 for a nine-yard gain. Three plays later, the Rams go for it on 4th and 2, and Wolford found Hopkins across the middle for a six-yard gain.

Calais carried for five and seven yards for another first down before Wolford fumbles the snap on 1st and 10. Two plays later Wolford is sacked on 3rd and 12 forcing a punt from the Houston 37.

Dixon punted 44 yards for a touchback. The Texans took over at their own 25 with 6:01 left in the half.

The Texans can only go three-and-out, gaining just one yard on the drive and taking just 1:03 off the clock. Johnston punts 54 yards to the LA 25, where Akers returns four yards to the 29. An illegal blindside block call on LA pushes the ball back to the 14.

Wolford finds McCutcheon again on first down for 29 yards to the LA 43, then finds Hopkins for 11 yards to the Houston 46 with 3:59 left in the half.

The Rams come up short on 3rd and 15 and are forced to punt. The drive went 42 yards in five plays and went 2:27.

Dixon punts 28 yards to the Houston 16 where it's fair caught by Rogers.

At the two-minute warning, it's 2nd and 6 at the Houston 20.

FUMBLE RECOVERY RAMS: On 2nd and 7, Mills found Burkhead at the Houston 35 but he fumbled, recovered by LA's Kendrick who returns it six yards to the Houston 20.

Wolford and the Rams' offense could not move the ball forcing a 36-yard field goal try.

FIELD GOAL RAMS: Gay is good from 36 making the score 6-0 Rams. The scoring drive went two yards in four plays and took :50 off the clock with just :40 left in the half.

The Texans started the next drive at their own 25. A flurry of passes by Mills took the ball to the Houston 35. A deep pass to Dorsett was competed for 33 yards to the LA 32 and an unnecessary roughness penalty took the ball to the LA 18 with just :07 left on the clock.

TOUCHDOWN TEXANS: On the next play, Mills found Collins for 18 yards in the corner of the end zone for a touchdown. The Fairbairn extra point was good for a Houston 7-6 lead with :01 remaining.

THIRD QUARTER: Texans 14, Rams 13

Houston got the ball to start the second half from its own 16 after the kickoff. Kyle Allen came in at quarterback for the third quarter, and the Texans went three-and-out. The Texans' drive went nine yards in three plays and took 2:12.

Johnston punted 48 yards to the LA 22.

Bryce Perkins came in at quarterback for the Rams in the third quarter.

Rose ran for two yards on first down, but two incompletions from Perkins forced a punt. Dixon punted 54 yards to the Houston 22. Rogers returned the kick 30 yards to the LA 48. The Rams' drive went three plays, two yards, and took 1:02 off the clock with 11:46 left in the third period.

On 2nd and 19 from the Houston 43, Allen found Freeman for 18 yards down the right sideline. Then Freeman ran for four yards on 3rd and 1 to extend the drive.

TOUCHDOWN TEXANS: On a 2nd and goal from the LA 6, Allen found Quitoriano for six yards on the right flat for a touchdown. Fairbairn's extra point is good for a 14-6 Texans lead with 5:58 left in the third quarter.

Fairbairn's kickoff goes into the end zone. The Rams took the ball back over at the 25.

Perkins returns as quarterback after a 3-and-out on his first drive. 

On a 3rd and 2 from the LA 47, Rose fumbled the ball on the handoff exchange to bring up a 4th down and a punting situation.

TOUCHDOWN RAMS: Dixon punted 48 yards to the Houston 8 and Rogers fumbled. The Ball was recovered by Carter who ran it in for the touchdown. The two-point conversion was no good but there was an offensive holding call pushing the ball back to the 15. Gay's extra point is good for a 14-13 Texans lead with 3:11 left in the third quarter.

The Rams got the ball at their own 25 after the kick. The Rams started missing tackles and Ogunbowale was able to take the Texans to two first downs in six plays as the third period expired.

FOURTH QUARTER: Texans 24, Rams 20

Allen couldn't connect on a deep ball to the end zone on a 3rd and 7 from the LA 24.

FIELD GOAL TEXANS: Fairbairn is good from 42 to extend the Texans' lead to 17-13 with 12:46 left in the game.

LA took over from their own 25. On 4th and inches from the Houston 41, the Rams Ragas runs up the middle for two yards to extend the drive. Then on 3rd and 3 from the Houston 27, Perkins found Trammell for 14 yards to the Houston 13. It's just the second third-down conversion of the game for LA.

TOUCHDOWN RAMS: Ragas ran up the middle for seven yards for a touchdown. Gay's extra point was good for a score of 20-17 Rams with 5:11 left in the game. The scoring drive went 75 yards in 13 plays and took 7:35 off the clock.

Houston took over from its own 18 after the kick, as Jeff Driskel took over at quarterback for the Texans.

An offensive facemask penalty pushed the ball back to the 15. On a 3rd and 15 Driskel scrambled right and was half a yard short of a first down. Houston went for it and ran Ogunbowale up the middle for a first down with 2:00 left.

Two-minute warning

On 1st and 10, Driskel missed Dorsett deep on the right side, but Isom was called for a pass interference play, a 46-yard penalty to the LA 12.

TOUCHDOWN TEXANS: Driskel passed complete to Schreck for eight yards in the end zone for the touchdown. Fairbairn's extra point was good for a 24-20 Texans lead with 1:05 left in the game.

LA took over from its own 25 and was helped by an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for a helmet-to-helmet hit on an incomplete pass. The penalty stopped the clock and gave the Rams 15 yards. 

LA got down to the Houston 47 with :12 left and called its final timeout.

Perkins passed deep to the right side to McCutcheon who inexplicably stayed in bounds at the Houston 10 rather than getting out to stop the clock.

END OF GAME

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