Carolina Panthers vs. Houston Texans: Panthers win first game of season on late field goal

The Panthers — finally — have won an NFL game.

Put this in ink: Panthers 15, Texans 13.

No. 1 draft pick Bryce Young led the Panthers on a game-winning drive late in the fourth quarter, starting at the Carolina 9 with 6:17 to go and never allowing Houston to get the ball back. With some impressive passes, and some impressive courage in the face of a fierce Texans rush, Young guided the Panthers inside the Texans’ 20. Then, kicker Eddy Piñeiro, who had missed an extra point earlier in the game, kicked the 23-yard winner with 3 seconds left.

With that, Young got his first NFL win and Frank Reich got his first win as Carolina’s coach.

“I think we were all walking off (the field) thinking, ‘Now, we’re getting going,” Reich said afterwards. “This is just the beginning. We’ve tried to set a very high standard for ourselves and there’s no turning back....This is a great win to build confidence off of. (Houston) makes you beat them. I thought we did that today. We didn’t beat ourselves and we put our best football on the field for 60 minutes and came away with a win.”

With offensive coordinator Thomas Brown calling plays for the first time, Young seemed to play a little more freely, making a few of the type of plays he used to make at Alabama, improvising after the snap. Young was pressured heavily all game, but outplayed No. 2 overall pick CJ Stroud.

Young, who was sacked six times, finished with 235 passing yards and a score, compared to just 140 passing yards for Stroud.

And Young was really good late.

“I think he was in a good rhythm,” Panthers coach Frank Reich said of his No. 1 draft pick. “You could just tell he was comfortable.”

On the game-winning drive, Young converted a fourth-and-2 near midfield with a pinpoint pass to Adam Thielen. Then he hit Chuba Hubbard with a pass on the next play to get into the scoring zone. Hubbard got the bulk of the snaps for the Panthers, who still didn’t have much of a run game. Prized free agent Miles Sanders, returning from injury, barely played.

Carolina ran 24 times for 44 yards, and much of that came on the final drive with Hubbard making some big runs, including converting a third and 2, with a mini-Superman type dive over a defender, that allowed the Panthers to then run down the clock and set up the field goal.

“We struggled all day (to run),” Reich said, “but man did we need those runs. He got what we needed. It was really clutch. Chuba came up big.”

STAT STUFFERS

Bryce Young, Panthers: the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NFL draft looked the part, especially late, leading his first game-winning drive like a seasoned pro. He finished 22-of-31 for 235 yards passing and a touchdown. He ran for 11 yards.

Frankie Luvu, Panthers: Luvu batted down two passes from Texans’ QB CJ Stroud and finished with 12 total tackles, including seven solos. He had a sack and two tackles for a loss.

Adam Thielen, Panthers: Carolina’s new Mr. Reliable caught eight passes for 72 yards, including the fourth-and-2 catch on the game-winning drive and a 31-yard reception.

Eddy Pineiro, Panthers: After he missed a PAT, the Panthers kicker then made the field goals in a row, including the 23-yard game-winner as time expired.

Photos from Sunday’s Game

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What’s Next

Carolina will host Reich’s old team, the Colts, Sunday, Nov. 5, at 4:05 p.m.

NFL Scoreboard

Third-quarter updates

▪ After Houston took the lead, Raheem Blackshear’s 52-yard return gave Carolina the ball at the Texans’ 47. A third-down sack by Jonathan Greenard on Bryce Young ended the drive.

TEXANS 13, PANTHERS 12: Long drive gives Houston back the lead

After the Panthers had scored 12 straight points, Houston started its second long drive of the game, aided by a brilliant third-down run from Dameon Pierce and a 31-yard pass from CJ Stroud. Houston got into the red zone. On third-and-goal at the Carolina 1, Pearce was stopped short by linebacker Frankie Luvu.

On fourth down at the 1, CJ Stroud scored on a sneak over the right side with 35 seconds left in the third quarter.

The drive was 12 plays, 75 yards. Houston went for 2 on the PAT, and Stroud’s pass was incomplete.

PANTHERS 12, TEXANS 7: Carolina turns turnover into points

After the quick turnover, Carolina ended up with a fourth-and-2 after Raheem Blackshear was stopped on a third-down run. Pineiro made a 37-yard field goal to extend the lead.

PANTHERS GET A TURNOVER

After the Panthers’ score, Carolina’s Xavier Woods picked up a fumble after a first-down pass from CJ Stroud to Andrew Beck. Donte Jackson swiped at the ball as he made the tackle and the ball came loose. Woods gave the Panthers offense the ball at the Texans 30.

PANTHERS 9, TEXANS 7: Young’s biggest pass of season leads to points

A big pass from Bryce Young to Jonathan Mingo moved the Panthers from their 30 to the Houston’s 30 on the Panthers first possession. The 40-yard completion was the longest of Young’s career. Before that pass, he hadn’t had a pass of more than 30 yards.

The drive stalled after that, and Eddy Piñeiro made a 46-yard field goal to give Carolina a two-point lead. He has made 22 consecutive field goals at home and made up for missing a first-half PAT.

Second-quarter updates

HALFTIME: Houston 7, Carolina 6

Bryce Young outplayed CJ Stroud in the first half, but Stroud’s team is ahead by 1.

Young completed 13-of-19 passes for 131 yards and a score. Stroud was 10-14 for 75 yards. But Caroiina failed to score with a few chances inside the Houston 5 early. When the Panthers did score down 7-0, Caroiina missed a PAT.

And that’s the difference.

TEXANS 7, PANTHERS 6: Carolina mounts drive led by QB Young

After a defensive stop, Carolina got the ball at its 40 and drove down the field behind some nice passes from Young. A holding penalty on first and goal at the 5 pushed the Panthers back to first and goal at the 14 with 1:56 left in the half.

On first down, Young improvised, rolling left and coming back left before he hit Adam Thielen with a pass that Thielen stretched to the Texans 3.

On second-and-goal, Young was forced to scramble and was stopped the 1, running to his left. On third-and-goal at the 1, Young hit Tommy Tremble, running to the right side of the end zone with 95 seconds left. But on the point after, kicker Eddy Piñeiro missed to the right.

PROMISING PANTHER DRIVE COMES UP SHORT

Down seven, new offensive coordinator Thomas Brown tried to open the playbook, calling a deep pass (Bryce Young’s facemask was grabbed before he could finish the throw) and a flea flicker. Neither played did much but the Panthers did move down the field.

On second-and-8 in Houston territory, Young was nearly sacked and escaped, spun left and hit Adam Thielen with a pretty pass and catch for 31 yards. Thielen reached back around Houston defensive back Tavierre Thomas to make the catch. That got Carolina inside the 10. But on third-and-goal at the 1, Chuba Hubbard was stopped on a run to the right.

On fourth-and-goal at the 2, Young threw an incomplete pass, looking for Thielen on a slant. Thomas and Denzel Perryman had good defense at the goal line.

TEXANS 7, PANTHERS 0: long drive, key 3rd down pass give Houston lead

Houston continued a long drive it began in the first quarter. On third and 10, CJ Stroud was nearly intercepted by Xavier Woods but completed a pass to the Panthers’ 2. On the next play, Dameon Pearce appeared to scored from the 2 with just over 13 minutes left in the quarter. He was ruled short. On second and gola ta the 1, Andrew Beck got his third carry of the year and his first touchdown.

Houston’s drive was 16 plays for 91 yards and took 9:12. At the time of the score, Houston had outgained the Panthers 106-18 and possessed the ball for 11:50. Carolina had the ball for less than four minutes.

First-quarter updates

The first quarter ended with no score and the Texans driving. In two possessions, Carolina had 18 yards

PANTHERS GET STOP, GO BACKWARD

▪ After the Panthers got a 3-and-out on defense to start the game, aided by a batted pass from Derrick Brown on third down, a holding penalty on the punt backed the Panthers up to their 10. Next, Bryce Young was sacked on first down. From the 2, Chuba Hubbard got a big run around left end to get out near the 20-yard line, and out of trouble, but a hold on Tommy Tremble nullified the run and stuck the Panthers back inside the 1.

Carolina ended up punting from its 6, and Houston got possession at the Panthers 49.

Who’s inactive for Sunday’s game?

There weren’t any surprising scratches on Sunday morning for the Carolina Panthers ahead of their matchup with the Houston Texans.

Laviska Shenault, the Panthers’ returner and wide receiver who also takes a few handoffs out of the backfield, is out with an ankle injury he sustained against the Dolphins. He’s the only offensive skill position player ruled out for Sunday.

Expect Raheem Blackshear, Chuba Hubbard and Miles Sanders — who showed up on the injury report this week but said he feels great — to split the running responsibilities pretty evenly.

The Panthers will also be without safety Vonn Bell, safety Alex Cook, outside linebacker Luiji Vilain, offensive tackle Ricky Lee, OG Brett Toth and OG Nash Jensen.

Safety Xavier Woods will likely make his return and start Sunday after missing a few weeks, adding some much needed depth to a injury-ravaged secondary. Right guard Austin Corbett will also make his 2023 debut, which should add some stability to the Panthers’ offense.

Brian Burns, who also showed up on the injury report this week with an elbow injury and entered Sunday questionable, appears good to go. Same with inside linebacker Frankie Luvu (hip) and offensive lineman Taylor Moton (knee).

Inactives for the Houston Texans include: WR Robert Woods (one of CJ Stroud’s favorite targets), TE Brevin Jordan, QB Case Keenum, DE Myjai Sanders, G Nick Broeker and DT Sheldon Rankins.

Fans can catch the game on FOX. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m.

Charlotte Observer predictions for Panthers-Texans game

Keeping accountable, the faithless Scott Fowler is a reluctantly perfect 6-0 on the season. Mike Kaye and Alex Zietlow are each 4-2, with Langston Wertz Jr. sitting at 3-3.

Scott Fowler: Texans 31, Panthers 23. Win one for Pep and Moose! That’s what the Panthers should try to do anyway, as two of their all-time greats — Julius Peppers and Muhsin Muhammad — will be inducted into the team’s Hall of Honor at halftime. This is actually a winnable game, and if Bryce Young throws for 300 yards and doesn’t turn the ball over, Carolina will win it. Alas, I don’t think both those things will happen.

Mike Kaye: Texans 27, Panthers 24. With offensive coordinator Thomas Brown now in charge of calling plays for Bryce Young and company, there’s an element of intrigue to this matchup. But the Texans are playing relatively well on offense, and Carolina is heavily banged up on defense. While I think the Panthers will show signs of major growth on offense coming out of the bye (because they have to), I expect them to come up short here in a back-and-forth affair.

Langston Wertz Jr.: Panthers 31, Texans 28. This is the week, y’all. The Panthers will get it done Sunday. Bryce Young will be extra motivated going against CJ Stroud (he’s heard the whispers), and new offensive coordinator Thomas Brown and returning offensive lineman Austin Corbett will give the Carolina offense some extra juice. To start the second half, the place — and the team — should be buzzing after the Panthers honor two legends: Muhsin Muhammad and Julius Peppers.

Alex Zietlow: Texans 28, Panthers 24. I’ve been on the record saying that Carolina, at some point during their post-bye three-game stretch, will end up in the winning column. I just don’t think it’ll happen this week. The Panthers expect to get some key guys back — including offensive lineman Austin Corbett and running back Miles Sanders and maybe safety Xavier Woods — but I don’t think that’s enough to derail the Texans, who by and large are playing great football. If there’s any consolation, I expect Bryce Young to have another big game against one of the worst passing defenses in the league.

What other experts are saying

CBS Sports: Pete Prisco has the Texans winning by one score. He notes that both teams are coming off their respective byes and that CJ Stroud has played well in his rookie year.

ESPN.com: The Texans are favored by eight of the website’s nine NFL Nation experts.

The Ringer: The Panthers are the choice for their first win despite an assertion that the Texans are the better team. Bryce Young started to look more comfortable before the bye, the site contends, and the Houston defense is gettable.

Yahoo! Sports: Like The Ringer, Yahoo! Sports notes Houston is the better team but picks the home underdog Panthers. The Texans, the site states, aren’t a team that will overwhelm the Panthers, talent-wise.

PHOTOS: Texans at Panthers