Rams healthy for opener as Stafford starts against shorthanded Texans

The Los Angeles Rams will open their regular season Sunday at SoFi Stadium against the Houston Texans with the Rams appearing largely healthy and the Texans facing a depleted receiving corps, according to team reports and league media. The kickoff is scheduled for 1:25 p.m. Pacific, 4:25 p.m. Eastern, and the game will be broadcast on CBS.

Rams veteran quarterback Matthew Stafford is expected to start after saying he will play despite a lingering disk issue in his back. "I'm going to go play the game," Stafford said, adding that he is not letting the condition become a distraction. His availability gives Los Angeles a full complement of starters, including new target Davante Adams, who said the two have used extra time while Stafford managed the injury to build timing and chemistry.

The Texans could be significantly shorthanded on the outside. Multiple NFL reports said Christian Kirk and Braxton Berrios missed practice early in the week with hamstring injuries, and one high-profile report indicated Kirk is expected to miss Sunday. Other accounts noted the receivers returned to the practice field on Thursday and that Friday's session would be decisive for game-day status....