A Fourth-Quarter Surge
The Las Vegas Raiders survived a sluggish first half to defeat the Houston Texans 22-20 in a preseason contest at Reliant Stadium. The game remained tightly contested until Aidan O'Connell delivered the decisive blow late in the fourth quarter, capping a comeback that overcame an early deficit and a dominant opening period by Houston.
Early Dominance by Houston
The Texans seized control immediately, outscoring the Raiders 17-0 in the first quarter. Woody Marks provided the initial spark with a 20-yard touchdown run, followed by Ka'imi Fairbairn's successful extra point. The defensive unit amplified the lead when Wade Woodaz intercepted a pass and returned it 80 yards for another touchdown. Fairbairn added a 51-yard field goal to push the score to 17-0 before halftime.
The second quarter saw both teams trade field goals. Matt Gay connected from 52 yards out for Las Vegas, narrowing the gap to 17-3. However, Fairbairn answered with a 57-yard kick, extending Houston's lead to 20-3 at the break. The Texans' defense held firm through three quarters, preventing any scoring plays by the Raiders in the second and third periods.
Late Rally Falls Short
Las Vegas began its offensive resurgence in the third quarter when Dylan Laube scored on a 4-yard run, bringing the score to 20-10. The momentum shifted again in the fourth quarter as Dare Ogunbowale rushed for 19 yards and a touchdown. Despite Kansei Matsuzawa's failed extra-point attempt, the Raiders trimmed the deficit to 20-16.
