Carolina took the lead for good in the fourth quarter when Miles Davis punched in a 1-yard rush at 8:41, capping a scoring run that had been built almost entirely on Ryan Fitzgerald's leg. Fitzgerald hit field goals of 30, 37, and 28 yards across the second and third quarters to keep the Panthers ahead through most of the contest. Houston answered with a late touchdown — a 6-yard pass from Brett Rypien to Zay Jones at 3:25 of the fourth — to close to 16-13, but Carolina did not yield again. Ka'imi Fairbairn contributed two field goals for the Texans, including a 47-yarder late in the third, but Houston could not manufacture the tying or go-ahead score in the final minutes.

With no standings or playoff bracket at stake in a Week 3 preseason exhibition, the result carries weight mainly as a measure of where each roster stands heading into final cuts. For Carolina, Fitzgerald converting all three of his attempts — including the late-second-quarter 37-yarder — provided consistent reliability from a position that demands it as rosters are trimmed. Davis's touchdown run on 11 carries for 34 yards gave the Panthers a back contributing in both volume and at the goal line. For Houston, Rypien's 13-of-23 outing with a touchdown and an interception presents a more mixed picture, and the inability to sustain drives until the fourth quarter's closing minutes will be the sharpest point of review as the Texans finalize their depth ahead of the regular season.