The Houston Texans closed out their preseason going 0-3 between contests against the Los Angeles Chargers, Las Vegas Raiders and now the Carolina Panthers.
Dropping a 16-13 ballgame, head coach DeMeco Ryans and co. aimed for caution in their final dress rehearsal, opting to fully rest their starters in favor of a plethora of backend players that most likely won't be back in Houston by September 13th. Even still, there were notable storylines still playing themselves out as the coaching staff is making its way to a final 53-man roster.
Who would step up with one last gasp to fill positions like RB3, DE4 and/or CB3? Would Houston suffer anymore significant injuries to key depth pieces after already losing a lot of bodies in the months leading up> And ultimately, could they win a preseason game in 2026?
(spoiler alert: they didn't.)
The Houston Texans fell 16-13 to the Carolina Panthers to close out their winless preaseason
1st Quarter (Texans and Panthers tied 0-0 to end the quarter after abysmal offensive showings)
The first quarter was anemic for both offenses on the night, featuring two three-and-outs, three combined punting drives, one turnover on downs and an interception thrown by Texans backup quarterback Davis Mills on a pass intended to wide receiver Lewis Bond.
2nd Quarter (Texans trail Panthers 6-3 to end the half after trading field goals)
The first three drives to start the second quarter was much of the same from the first, with punts exchanged by both teams and then an interception thrown by Panthers backup quarterback Kyle Trask on a pass intended to former Texans wide receiver John Metchie.
The scoring finally got started when Texans kicker Ka'imi Fairbairn nailed a 38-yarder to give Houston a 3-0 lead with roughly nine minutes left in the half. Unfortunately, the Panthers responded with two field goals of their own across the final nine minutes, giving them a 6-3 lead heading into halftime.
3rd Quarter (Texans trail panthers 9-6 after both teams exchange more field goals
The field goal party reappeared in the third quarter, as both teams exchanged lengthy scoring drives that resulted in made tries to keep it a three-point lead for Carolina at 9-6 (Only one drive each per team for the quarter).
4th Quarter (Touchdowns, finally! But, Texans finished the game down 16-13 to the Panthers)
We finally got our first touchdowns of the game. The first came courtesy of a goal line rush by Panthers running back Miles Davis, and then second on a tough, contested catch by the Texans' newly-added wide receiver in Zay Jones.
Sadly, Houston's third-string quarterback in Brett Rypien lost the football to a fumble recovery by Carolina linebacker Jeremiah Moon with roughly one minute left in the ballgame to end the potential threat of a Texans walk-off victory.
Final Result: Houston Texans lose 16-13 to the Carolina Panthers, finish 0-3 in the preseason
What's next? (Houston Texans vs. Buffalo Bills in week 1)
The Texans take on the Buffalo Bills from Reliant Stadium to kick off their 25th anniversary season.
It'll be the third meeting between Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud and Bills signal caller Josh Allen, with Stroud's team having the 2-0 advantage in the series since the 2024 season.
Week one details:
- Date: Sunday, September 13th
- Time: 12:00 p.m. CST (1:00 p.m. EST)
- Location: Reliant Stadium
- Fun fact: A Texans win would give them only their second opening day victory since the 2021 season (would be 2-4 in week one's in that span if successful)
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