Deciding Moments
The Carolina Panthers defeated the Houston Texans 16-13 on Friday, August 28, 2026, at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C. The contest was decided in the final minutes by a sequence of scoring plays that swung momentum back and forth. In the fourth quarter, Miles Davis crossed the goal line on a one-yard rush to give Carolina a 16-6 lead.
However, Houston responded immediately when Brett Rypien connected with Zay Jones on a six-yard touchdown pass, narrowing the deficit to 16-13. No further points were scored, allowing the home team to hold on for the win.
Game Flow
The first quarter ended scoreless, with neither offense managing to find the end zone or convert on long-range attempts. The scoring began in the second quarter when Ka'imi Fairbairn kicked a 38-yard field goal for Houston. Ryan Fitzgerald then answered with a 30-yard field goal to tie the game at 3-3.
Shortly after, Fitzgerald extended the Panthers' lead with a 37-yard field goal, making it 6-3. The third quarter saw Fitzgerald add another 28-yard field goal to push the score to 9-3. Fairbairn then struck back with a 47-yard kick to cut Houston’s deficit to three points, setting the stage for the fourth-quarter drama.
