The Carolina Panthers wrapped up their preseason with a gritty 16-13 victory over the Houston Texans. It was a win that certainly wasn’t pretty, full of defensive stops and offensive head-scratchers, but it gave fans plenty to talk about heading into the real deal. If you were hoping for an offensive fireworks show in the rain with no starters, well, you were probably disappointed, but the defense absolutely brought the energy.
Defense Delivered Early, Offense Stalled
From the jump, this game screamed “preseason, no starters, and wet weather.” The defense was locked in, though. Trevis Gipson and Trevin Wallace absolutely brought the heat, each snagging a sack to force an early punt from the Texans. That felt good! But then the offense went three and out, punting it right back. Luckily, the D had their backs, with more pressure up front leading to a Lathan Ransom interception that flipped the field. Kenny Pickett got a couple of first downs on the next drive, but couldn’t connect on a 4th and 4, turning the ball over. DeVonta Smith then broke up a couple of passes to get the ball back to the home team. Pickett finally found Ja’seem Reed over the middle for a 17-yard gain as the first quarter closed out.
The second quarter wasn’t much different. A false start by John Metchie III immediately put the Panthers behind the chains, and they just couldn’t recover. After a Sam Martin punt pinned the Texans deep, the defense held tough again, forcing another punt. Kyle Trask checked in at quarterback and, uh, immediately threw a very poor interception, handing the Texans a field goal. So frustrating to watch! But just a few plays later, the defense once more stepped up, recovering a botched exchange by Cam Gill. Again, the offense couldn’t punch it in, settling for a field goal of their own. Ryan Fitzgerald knocked in his second kick of the night after Trask strung together a couple of nice passes late in the half, giving the Panthers a narrow lead.
The Second Half Grind and a Muffed Opportunity
Coming out of the half, the Panthers offense showed a pulse. Trask connected with Ja’Seem Reed again, this time for a 20-yard gain to get things moving. The drive sputtered at midfield, forcing a punt. And then things got weird: the Texans muffed the punt, recovering it deep in their own territory, but a flag for too many players on the field handed the Panthers a first down. Jimmy Horn Jr. had a nice run on a screen pass, but that got called back too. Still, Trask showed some grit, connecting on a couple more passes to get them into the red zone. They couldn’t get into the end zone, though, and Ryan Fitzgerald booted his third field goal, putting the Panthers up 9-3. The Texans then nickel and dimed their way down the field for a field goal of their own, making it 9-6 as the fourth quarter started.
The fourth quarter saw a few quick passes that moved the Panthers further out. While the specifics of how they got there are tight-lipped, what matters is the Panthers ultimately secured the 16-13 victory. This was definitely a defensive slugfest, with flashes of offensive potential mixed with plenty of “oof” moments. For both the Panthers and Texans, cleaning up those offensive miscues and special teams flubs will be priority number one as they get ready for the regular season. It’s time to iron out the wrinkles, because the games start counting soon!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Cat Scratch Reader.
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