Houston Texans vs Carolina Panthers

atTexans at Panthers

Preseason

August 28 · 7:00 PM EDT

· HOU -1.5 · O/U 36.5

Texans hunt first win in Carolina

Houston comes in having dropped its first three before stringing together two straight wins, while Carolina opened 2-0 before losing back to back. Both clubs arrive at Bank of America Stadium trying to shake off recent skids rather than build on them.

Keys to the game

Texans right tackle Braden Smith was carted off during Wednesday's joint practice with Carolina but avoided a long-term foot injury, a scare that briefly clouded Houston's offensive line outlook heading into kickoff.
Houston will also be without Dylan Horton and Marte Mapu, both on Injured Reserve, thinning the roster options the Texans can lean on against Carolina.
Nico Collins headlines the Houston skill players on the field, with Kayshon Boutte and Lewis Bond also part of the receiving mix as the Texans look to move the ball in Carolina.
Carolina's offensive group includes AJ Dillon and Jonathon Brooks in the backfield with Jalen Coker and Elijah Cooks among the receivers, giving the Panthers plenty of options to work with at kickoff.

Our predictionMedium confidence

Where they standLast 5Last 5Record

Houston Texans4th in the AFC South, 2 backLLLWWL20-0Away

Carolina Panthers2nd in the NFC South, 0.5 backWLWLLW10-0Home

Our pick, projected final

Texans21

Panthers23

Panthers to win

Injury report

Who is unavailable, in each club’s own words to the league. A day-to-day designation still allows a start, so a name here is not always a scratch; an injured-list stint is.

Houston Texans5 listed

Ali GayeDE · is questionable. Back 2026-09-13.

Jadeveon ClowneyDE · is questionable. Back 2026-08-28.

Braden SmithOT · is questionable. Back 2026-09-13.

Dylan HortonDE · is listed injured reserve. Back 2027-02-15.

Marte MapuLB · is listed injured reserve. Back 2027-02-15.

Carolina Panthers5 listed

Devin LloydLB · is questionable. Back 2026-09-13.

Haynes KingQB · is questionable. Back 2026-09-13.

Xavier LegetteWR · is questionable. Back 2026-08-28.

Chuba HubbardRB · is questionable. Back 2026-09-13.

Jaelan PhillipsLB · is questionable. Back 2026-08-28.

Drafted players

Preseason game

In the preseason a roster is in flux: these are 90-man camp rosters that get cut to 53, and the depth chart behind them describes the season rather than tonight. So rosters and projected lineups are held for the regular season and the playoffs. What is settled is who each club took in April, in pick order.

Houston Texans8 picks

1st

Keylan RutledgeOGGeorgia TechNo. 26#66

2nd

Kayden McDonaldDTOhio StateNo. 36#93

2nd

Marlin KleinTEMichiganNo. 59#83

4th

Febechi NwaiwuOGOklahomaNo. 106#64

4th

Wade WoodazLBClemsonNo. 123Questionable

5th

Kamari RamseySUSCNo. 141#27

6th

Lewis BondWRBoston CollegeNo. 204#82

7th

Aiden FisherLBIndianaNo. 243#59

Carolina Panthers7 picks

1st

Monroe FreelingOTGeorgiaNo. 19#57

2nd

Lee HunterDTTexas TechNo. 49#92

3rd

Chris Brazzell IIWRTennesseeNo. 83Injured Reserve

4th

Will Lee IIICBTexas A&MNo. 129#24

5th

Sam HechtCKansas StateNo. 144#75

5th

Zakee WheatleySPenn StateNo. 151#38

7th

Jackson KuwatchLBMiami (OH)No. 227#46

League standings

The full ladder, with both clubs marked.

AFC East

#ClubW-LPCTStreak

1Buffalo Bills2-01.000W2

2New England Patriots1-0.750W1

3New York Jets1-1.500W1

4Miami Dolphins0-2.000L2

AFC North

#ClubW-LPCTStreak

1Cincinnati Bengals2-01.000W2

2Baltimore Ravens2-01.000W2

3Pittsburgh Steelers1-1.500L1

4Cleveland Browns0-2.000L2

AFC South

#ClubW-LPCTStreak

1Tennessee Titans2-01.000W2

2Jacksonville Jaguars1-1.500L1

3Indianapolis Colts0-1.250L1

4Houston Texans0-2.000L2

AFC West

#ClubW-LPCTStreak

1Los Angeles Chargers1-1.500L1

2Las Vegas Raiders1-1.500W1

3Denver Broncos1-1.500L1

4Kansas City Chiefs0-2.000L2

NFC East

#ClubW-LPCTStreak

1Dallas Cowboys2-01.000W2

2Washington Commanders1-1.500L1

3New York Giants1-1.500W1

4Philadelphia Eagles0-2.000L2

NFC North

#ClubW-LPCTStreak

1Detroit Lions1-1.500W1

2Minnesota Vikings1-1.500L1

3Green Bay Packers1-1.500W1

4Chicago Bears1-1.500L1

NFC South

#ClubW-LPCTStreak

1Tampa Bay Buccaneers2-01.000W2

2Carolina Panthers2-1.667W1

3Atlanta Falcons1-1.500W1

4New Orleans Saints0-2.000L2

NFC West

#ClubW-LPCTStreak

1Los Angeles Rams2-01.000W2

2San Francisco 49ers1-1.500W1

3Arizona Cardinals1-2.333L1

4Seattle Seahawks0-2.000L2

Texans at Panthers

Houston

Texans

Carolina

Panthers

Post Game SummaryStat Savant

atTexans at Panthers

Preseason

August 28 · 7:00 PM EDT

· HOU -1.5 · O/U 36.5

Texans hunt first win in Carolina

Keys to the game

Texans right tackle Braden Smith was carted off during Wednesday's joint practice with Carolina but avoided a long-term foot injury, a scare that briefly clouded Houston's offensive line outlook heading into kickoff.
Houston will also be without Dylan Horton and Marte Mapu, both on Injured Reserve, thinning the roster options the Texans can lean on against Carolina.
Nico Collins headlines the Houston skill players on the field, with Kayshon Boutte and Lewis Bond also part of the receiving mix as the Texans look to move the ball in Carolina.
Carolina's offensive group includes AJ Dillon and Jonathon Brooks in the backfield with Jalen Coker and Elijah Cooks among the receivers, giving the Panthers plenty of options to work with at kickoff.

Our predictionMedium confidence

Where they standLast 5Last 5Record

Houston Texans4th in the AFC South, 2 backLLLWWL20-0Away

Carolina Panthers2nd in the NFC South, 0.5 backWLWLLW10-0Home

Our pick, projected final

Texans21

Panthers23

Panthers to win

Injury report

Who is unavailable, in each club’s own words to the league. A day-to-day designation still allows a start, so a name here is not always a scratch; an injured-list stint is.

Houston Texans5 listed

Ali GayeDE · is questionable. Back 2026-09-13.

Jadeveon ClowneyDE · is questionable. Back 2026-08-28.

Braden SmithOT · is questionable. Back 2026-09-13.

Dylan HortonDE · is listed injured reserve. Back 2027-02-15.

Marte MapuLB · is listed injured reserve. Back 2027-02-15.

Carolina Panthers5 listed

Devin LloydLB · is questionable. Back 2026-09-13.

Haynes KingQB · is questionable. Back 2026-09-13.

Xavier LegetteWR · is questionable. Back 2026-08-28.

Chuba HubbardRB · is questionable. Back 2026-09-13.

Jaelan PhillipsLB · is questionable. Back 2026-08-28.

Drafted players

Preseason game

Houston Texans8 picks

1st

Keylan RutledgeOGGeorgia TechNo. 26#66

2nd

Kayden McDonaldDTOhio StateNo. 36#93

2nd

Marlin KleinTEMichiganNo. 59#83

4th

Febechi NwaiwuOGOklahomaNo. 106#64

4th

Wade WoodazLBClemsonNo. 123Questionable

5th

Kamari RamseySUSCNo. 141#27

6th

Lewis BondWRBoston CollegeNo. 204#82

7th

Aiden FisherLBIndianaNo. 243#59

Carolina Panthers7 picks

1st

Monroe FreelingOTGeorgiaNo. 19#57

2nd

Lee HunterDTTexas TechNo. 49#92

3rd

Chris Brazzell IIWRTennesseeNo. 83Injured Reserve

4th

Will Lee IIICBTexas A&MNo. 129#24

5th

Sam HechtCKansas StateNo. 144#75

5th

Zakee WheatleySPenn StateNo. 151#38

7th

Jackson KuwatchLBMiami (OH)No. 227#46

League standings

The full ladder, with both clubs marked.

AFC East

#ClubW-LPCTStreak

1Buffalo Bills2-01.000W2

2New England Patriots1-0.750W1

3New York Jets1-1.500W1

4Miami Dolphins0-2.000L2

AFC North

#ClubW-LPCTStreak

1Cincinnati Bengals2-01.000W2

2Baltimore Ravens2-01.000W2

3Pittsburgh Steelers1-1.500L1

4Cleveland Browns0-2.000L2

AFC South

#ClubW-LPCTStreak

1Tennessee Titans2-01.000W2

2Jacksonville Jaguars1-1.500L1

3Indianapolis Colts0-1.250L1

4Houston Texans0-2.000L2

AFC West

#ClubW-LPCTStreak

1Los Angeles Chargers1-1.500L1

2Las Vegas Raiders1-1.500W1

3Denver Broncos1-1.500L1

4Kansas City Chiefs0-2.000L2

NFC East

#ClubW-LPCTStreak

1Dallas Cowboys2-01.000W2

2Washington Commanders1-1.500L1

3New York Giants1-1.500W1

4Philadelphia Eagles0-2.000L2

NFC North

#ClubW-LPCTStreak

1Detroit Lions1-1.500W1

2Minnesota Vikings1-1.500L1

3Green Bay Packers1-1.500W1

4Chicago Bears1-1.500L1

NFC South

#ClubW-LPCTStreak

1Tampa Bay Buccaneers2-01.000W2

2Carolina Panthers2-1.667W1

3Atlanta Falcons1-1.500W1

4New Orleans Saints0-2.000L2

NFC West

#ClubW-LPCTStreak

1Los Angeles Rams2-01.000W2

2San Francisco 49ers1-1.500W1

3Arizona Cardinals1-2.333L1

4Seattle Seahawks0-2.000L2

Houston Texans vs Carolina Panthers — Aug 28, 2026

Texans hunt first win in Carolina

Keys to the game

Injury report

Drafted players

League standings

Houston Texans vs Carolina Panthers — Aug 28, 2026

Texans hunt first win in Carolina

Keys to the game

Injury report

Drafted players

League standings