David Culley has had a horrible start to his career as head coach of Houston, losing his last six games with the Texans. Can he stop the rut in Week 8 and record his second win against Los Angeles in the Rams vs Texans showdown?
Los Angeles Rams installed as -14.5 favorites
The Los Angeles Rams extended their winning streak to three games on Sunday with a 28-19 victory over the Detroit Lions. It was a critical victory for the Rams, who kept pace with the still undefeated Arizona Cardinals, trailing them by just a game heading into Week 8.
Matthew Stafford led the Rams in this crucial win, completing 28 of 41 passes for 334 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions. Cooper Kupp was his favorite target in Week 7, with the star wide receiver catching a season-high 10 passes for 156 yards and two touchdowns.
It is the second time this campaign that Kupp has breached the 150-yard receiving mark and the fourth time that he has recorded two touchdowns. Kupp is making a solid case that he is the league's best wide receiver as he leads the NFL not only in receiving yards (809) but also in touchdowns (9) and receptions (56).
Stafford and Kupp will be licking their chops at the prospect of facing a Houston Texans team that is seventh-worst in the NFL in total defense, allowing 392.0 yards per game this season.
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Houston Texans enter Week 8 as +14.5 underdogs
The losses are piling up for the hapless Texans. Houston crashed to its sixth consecutive defeat on Sunday, absorbing an embarrassing 31-5 loss at the hands of the Arizona Cardinals. The Texans built a 5-0 lead in the second quarter, but their joy was short-lived as the Cards scored 31 unanswered points the rest of the game.
It was a humiliating defeat for the Texans, who once again did not score a single touchdown. They have now failed to find the end zone in three of their last four games. Rookie Davis Mills struggled once again under center, completing 23 of 32 passes for 135 yards. He is now 0-5 as the Texans starter. The Cards dominated the Texans, with Arizona enjoying a 397-160 advantage in total yards.
There is some good news, however, for the Texans ahead of their clash with the Rams. According to head coach David Culley, starting quarterback, Tyrod Taylor will be designated to return from the injured reserve and may be available for Sunday's game against LA.
Taylor played well before injuring his hamstring at the Texans' Week 2 loss to the Cleveland Browns. He completed 31 of 44 passes for 416 yards with three touchdowns in the win over Jacksonville and the first half against Cleveland. Taylor also did some damage on the ground, rushing for 55 yards with a touchdown in those two games.
Writer's Prediction
Los Angeles wins and covers the spread.
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