INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — C.J. Stroud began his first NFL gameday in his native Los Angeles area by gratefully reflecting on the people and places that made him into the Houston Texans' franchise quarterback.

He ended his Sunday with measured frustration about the state of the Texans after their season-opening 14-9 loss to the Los Angeles Rams.

Stroud went 19 of 27 for 188 yards with several impressive throws, but Houston was held scoreless in the second half and kept out of the end zone entirely. Ka'imi Fairbairn made three long field goals, but the Texans never got closer to the Rams' end zone than the Los Angeles 15.

Houston’s defense was mostly solid, but the Texans also committed a whopping 11 penalties for 80 yards. None of it was good enough for Stroud, one of the league’s top y

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