A Lonesome Night for Houston
The Houston Texans opened their preseason schedule on Friday, August 14, 2026, with a difficult task against the visiting Los Angeles Chargers. Played before 67,655 fans at NRG Stadium in Houston, the game ultimately highlighted the defensive gaps and offensive struggles that plagued the home team throughout the evening.
Despite a brief moment of early optimism, the Texans were outscored 27-7, falling to 0-1 on the preseason slate.
Early Hope Fades Quickly
Houston’s only source of excitement came in the first quarter. After the Chargers took an early 3-0 lead on a Cameron Dicker 34-yard field goal, quarterback Davis Mills connected with Marlin Klein for a 5-yard touchdown pass. The extra point by Chris Freeman gave Houston a 7-3 advantage.
However, that lead lasted only until halftime. The Chargers’ offense found its rhythm in the second period, driven by a strong rushing performance from Amar Johnson. Johnson broke loose for a 7-yard run, and with Dicker’s kick, Los Angeles took a 10-7 lead into the break.
For Houston, Mills completed 9 of 15 passes for 82 yards and one touchdown, while Noah Whittington contributed 40 rushing yards on 13 carries.
Chargers Pull Away in Second Half
The third quarter saw both teams trade defensive stands, with Dicker extending the Chargers’ lead to 13-7 via a 48-yard field goal. But the fourth quarter belonged entirely to Los Angeles. The Chargers added two more scores to secure the victory.
First, Amar Johnson scored again on a 1-yard run, followed by a successful two-point conversion run by himself, pushing the score to 21-7. Later in the period, DJ Uiagalelei threw a 3-yard touchdown pass to Devonte Ross. Although Cameron Dicker’s extra point attempt failed, the six points were enough to seal the game.
Final Stats and Records
Uiagalelei completed 12 of 20 passes for 164 yards but threw one interception. He also rushed three times for 27 yards. Johnson finished with two receptions for 68 yards, including his touchdown catch in this summary context (note: facts list him as receiving yardage but rushing TDs; we stick to the provided stat lines).
The Texans’ defense was unable to contain the Chargers' ground game or passing attack after the first quarter.
The loss drops Houston to 0-1. The Chargers improve to 1-0. No further playoff implications or series contexts are applicable to this preseason contest.
Sources
https://www.espn.com/nfl/game/_/gameId/401873274
