The Texans haven’t admitted their mistake in trading Laremy Tunsil - but Week 1 made it clear
Going into the 2025 offseason, it was expected that the Houston Texans would make significant moves to revamp their roster after a disappointing sophomore season for C.J. Stroud. The quarterback exploded on the NFL scene during his rookie year in 2023, and the Texans looked primed to be a legitimate AFC threat as soon as possible.
That led to high expectations for his second season, only for the quarterback to seemingly regress despite playing in more games, with most of the decline attributed to brutal offensive injuries that depleted his receiving corps.
Part of the biggest issues remained with the offensive line, so big decisions were projected to be made. But it wasn't expected that five-time Pro Bowl tackle Laremy Tunsil would be traded to the Commanders, even if the offense clearly needed a reset.
The deal was mostly applauded, but it didn't take long for it to look like a major regret, as the Texans took on a very tough Rams team in Week 1 on Sunday.
Trading away Laremy Tunsil is already looking like a massive mistake, even if the Texans won't admit it
Protecting your franchise quarterback is always going to be an emphasis for any NFL team, and that is exactly what the Texans were hoping to do this offseason by upgrading their offensive line, which apparently included trading away a pillar of the group in Tunsil.
There might be an argument to make that it was time to move on, something even NFL insider Albert Breer shared shortly after the trade was made official. However, based on how they performed in this game and the trouble they had protecting Stroud, it's clear they're already missing Tunsil, and it has only been one game without him.
To be fair, the offensive line did suffer several injuries, so backups were put into positions they weren't necessarily prepared for. That will always have an impact on an offense's performance, and that showed throughout the game.
But, at the same time, they're lacking a leader like Tunsil who could have rallied them together, or, at the very least, provided some sort of stability that could have made a slight difference in their production.
The only silver lining out of the devastating loss is that it wasn't entirely unexpected for the Texans to struggle against the Rams, who are only a few years removed from winning the Super Bowl. They have a tough defense, and they were an immediate test to a new Houston offensive line; unfortunately, they weren't able to be consistent enough to avoid becoming a problem.
There is definitely room to consider that improvements need to be made before the situation even worsens. The problem is that top-quality offensive linemen don't often become available, and the remaining free agent list looks scarce. That means the Texans are really going to have to evaluate things moving forward, or risk further harm to their offense and their quarterback.
It took one game to prove the Saints picked the right starting quarterback
Football has finally returned! It had been 245 days since the New Orleans Saints put on the pads for a regular season contest. The squad opened up the season at home versus the Arizona Cardinals., as they fell short 20-13. Don't point the finger at Spencer Rattler, though.
Many fans were eager to watch Rattler under center as the team’s starting quarterback, to open up the season. Although the team fell short, he showed up in critical moments and was close to leading a game-tying drive in the closing seconds.
During the offseason, the Saints coaching staff was looking for a quarterback who was consistent, sound in decision making, and careful with the football. Rattler would ultimately win the starting role, by demonstrating these characteristics.
Solid home opener for Saints starting quarterback
Rattler had a solid opening debut he continued to demonstrate why he won the job. He made quick decisions, took care of the ball, and stayed poised under pressure. He finished the day 27-46 and 243 total yards, and was sacked only once.
He showed a strong chemistry with Chris Olave and Juwan Johnson, as he consistently relied on them as his main targets. The two pass catchers accounted for 60% of his passing yards, combining for 15 catches and 130 yards.
The offense managed to move the ball downfield on several possessions. However, they struggled to finish drives with scores, which amounted to points being left off of the board. The Saints only scored 13 points in 7 total series. Penalties and offensive line issues were a major cause for the offense’s inability to put points on the board.
Growing pains are to come but Saints made right decision at quarterback
The Saints had an opportunity to tie the game on their final possession, but fell short by turning the ball over on downs, with 4 straight incompletions. They didn’t get the end result that they were looking for, but it is very early in the season, as growing pains were expected with a new starting quarterback and coaching staff.
After a solid season opener for the young quarterback, signs are indicating that the Saints might have made the correct decision. Rattler will continue to improve as he becomes more comfortable in Kellen Moore’s new offensive system.
