A Narrow Finish in Houston
The Las Vegas Raiders secured a fragile 22-20 victory over the host Houston Texans on Friday, August 21, 2026, at Reliant Stadium. The win improves Las Vegas to 1-1, while the Texans drop to 0-2 as they continue their preseason campaign before an attendance of 69,765 fans.
Early Dominance by Las Vegas
Las Vegas established early control, jumping out to a commanding lead in the first period. The Raiders' defense set the tone with two critical scores. First, Woody Marks capped an opening drive with a 20-yard run, followed by a kick from Ka'imi Fairbairn, giving Las Vegas a 7-0 advantage.
Shortly after, Wade Woodaz returned an interception 80 yards for a touchdown, extending the lead to 14-0. Houston managed to put points on the board before the half ended when Ka'imi Fairbairn kicked a 51-yard field goal, making the score 17-0 at one point, though the scoring plays indicate Houston's first points came later.
Houston finally broke through in the second quarter with Matt Gay’s 52-yard field goal, bringing the score to 17-3. However, Las Vegas answered immediately as Fairbairn connected on a 57-yard field goal, pushing the halftime lead to 20-3. The Raiders' offense remained silent after that first half, failing to add any points in the second period despite holding a significant buffer.
Texans Fight Back in Second Half
The Texans began their comeback attempt in the third quarter. Dylan Laube broke through for a 4-yard touchdown run, with Kansei Matsuzawa adding the extra point to make it 20-10. Houston kept the pressure on heading into the final period, narrowing the gap significantly.
