It’s just a preseason game, but a win is also a win.
Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud connected early with wide receiver Nico Collins on a 6-yard touchdown to serve as the nail in the coffin on the Carolina Panthers‘ comeback chances in a 20-3 victory at NRG Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
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Stroud, who enters his third season, also connected with Christian Kirk and Jayden Higgins for a pair of first-down conversions in two drives before taking the bench. He finished 6-of-8 passing for 44 yards and the lone score.
While Stroud and Collins headlined the offensive personnel, they weren’t the only two impressive pieces under new play-caller Nick Caley. Former Pro Bowl running back Nick Chubb ran five times for 25 yards in his Texans’ debut after spending seven seasons with the Cleveland Browns. With the second-team offense, tight end Irv Smith Jr. finished with a team-leading five catches for 46 yards.
As for the defense, Houston set the tone on the opening play against former No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young when Derek Stingley secured an interception on a pass intended for 2025 first-round pick Tetoria McMillian, but a holding call by Will Anderson Jr. negated the takeaway. Even without the interception, Young was 0 for 2 passing and was sacked once Saturday in two drives.
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Once the second-team unit took over, takeaways became common. Rookie Jaylin Smith intercepted third-string quarterback Jack Plummer before Damon Arnette joined in on the fun. Following his pick, Houston extended its lead by 17 thanks to a British Brooks 1-yard score with eight minutes remaining in the fourth quarter.
Houston hits the road once more on Wednesday for a joint practice ahead of Saturday’s game against the Detroit Lions. It’s unclear if the Texans will play starters, but after Saturday, it’s not really needed.
This article originally appeared on Texans Wire: Recap: C.J. Stroud’s TD pass propels Texans to 23-3 win over Panthers