A Tight Finish in Charlotte
The Carolina Panthers defeated the visiting Houston Texans 16-13 on Friday at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina. The game, which drew a crowd of 72,041, saw both teams trade field goals in the second half before settling into a defensive battle in the final minutes. Carolina improved to 3-1 on the season, while Houston fell to 0-3.
The contest featured a high volume of special teams contributions and a late-game scoring sequence that kept the margin of victory narrow until the final whistle.
Second-Half Field Goal Battle
The first quarter ended scoreless, setting the stage for a field goal-heavy affair. Ka'imi Fairbairn kicked a 38-yard field goal for Houston early in the second quarter, giving the Texans a 3-0 lead. Ryan Fitzgerald responded with a 30-yard field goal to tie the game at 3-3.
Shortly after, Fitzgerald extended Carolina's lead with a 37-yard kick, making it 6-3. The third quarter continued this trend, as Fitzgerald added a 28-yard field goal to push the Panthers ahead 9-3. Fairbairn trimmed the deficit with a 47-yard kick late in the third, bringing the score to 9-6 heading into the fourth quarter.