Houston Texans at Carolina Panthers

Injuries noted

Houston Texans: Tank Dell (Questionable) — Dell (knee) participated in "full-team drills" Monday, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston reports.; Jake Hansen (Questionable) — Hansen (ankle) is considered week-to-week, Jonathan M. Alexander of the Houston Chronicle reports.; E.J. Speed (PUP-P) — Quadriceps; M.J. Stewart (PUP-P) — Quadriceps; British Brooks (Questionable) — Brooks (hand) underwent surgery Wednesday to fix a broken hand, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston reports.; Brevin Jordan (Questionable) — Coach DeMeco Ryans said Monday that Jordan (knee) is day-to-day, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston reports.; Jawhar Jordan (Questionable) — Jordan is dealing with a hip flexor strain and will be sidelined for "roughly a week," Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston reports.; Ja'Marcus Ingram (Questionable) — Ingram suffered a shoulder injury in Thursday's preseason opener against the Chargers, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston reports.; Graham Mertz (Out) — Mertz (knee) suffered a torn ACL during Thursday's preseason opener against the Chargers, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston reports.; Josh Pitsenberger (Questionable) — Pitsenberger will be sidelined for a "couple weeks" due to an ankle injury, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston reports.; Collin Wright (Questionable) — Undisclosed

Carolina Panthers: Ikem Ekwonu (PUP-P) — Knee; Taylor Moton (NFI-A) — Illness; Tershawn Wharton (PUP-P) — Wharton (neck) still does not have a clear return timeline, Steve Reed of the Associated Press reports.; Dan Chisena (IR) — Undisclosed; Nic Scourton (IR) — Knee - ACL; Chris Brazzell II (IR) — Knee; Derrick Brown (Questionable) — Brown (knee) was a limited participant in Sunday's practice, Joe Person of The Athletic reports.; Nick Hampton (IR) — Hampton (undisclosed) reverted to the Panthers' injured-reserve list Monday, Alex Zietlow of The Charlotte Observer reports.; Haynes King (Questionable) — King (hamstring) has been ruled out ahead of next Saturday's preseason game against the Bills, Steve Reed of the Associated Press reports.; Chuba Hubbard (Questionable) — Head coach Dave Canales said Thursday that he's confident Hubbard (hamstring) will be available for the Panthers' regular-season opener against the Bears, Joe Person of The Athletic reports.

QUARTERBACK

• CAR's passing game is +85.5 yards per game

  85.5 YPG

  HOU is at 119.5 team passing yards per game over 2 games; CAR is at 205 over 3 games. Those are current-2026 team-game results through 2026-08-27.

• CAR averages +1.17 yards every time it drops back

  1.17 Y/A

  HOU is at 4.1 yards per pass attempt over 2 games; CAR is at 5.27 over 3 games. Those are current-2026 team-game results through 2026-08-27.

TRENCHES

• CAR gets +1.38 more yards a carry

  1.38 Y/C

  HOU is at 3.55 yards per rush attempt over 2 games; CAR is at 4.93 over 3 games. Those are current-2026 team-game results through 2026-08-27.

• CAR is +21.8 rush yards per game

  21.8 YPG

  HOU is at 94.5 rushing yards per game over 2 games; CAR is at 116.3 over 3 games. Those are current-2026 team-game results through 2026-08-27.

PASS RUSH

• CAR's offense takes 0.83 fewer sacks per game

  0.83 SACKS

  HOU is at 2.5 sacks taken per game over 2 games; CAR is at 1.67 over 3 games. Those are current-2026 team-game results through 2026-08-27.

• CAR's pocket leaks 5.7 fewer yards per game

  5.7 YDS

  HOU is at 15 sack yards lost per game over 2 games; CAR is at 9.3 over 3 games. Those are current-2026 team-game results through 2026-08-27.

PACE & SCRIPT

• CAR is scoring +13.5 points per game

  13.5 PPG

  HOU is at 13.5 points per game over 2 games; CAR is at 27 over 3 games. Those are current-2026 team-game results through 2026-08-27.

• CAR runs +7.2 more plays per game

  7.2 PLAYS

  HOU is at 55.5 offensive plays per game over 2 games; CAR is at 62.7 over 3 games. Those are current-2026 team-game results through 2026-08-27.

TURNOVERS

• CAR commits 0.83 fewer turnovers per game

  0.83 TO

  HOU is at 1.5 turnovers committed per game over 2 games; CAR is at 0.67 over 3 games. Those are current-2026 team-game results through 2026-08-27.

• HOU's defense takes the ball away 0.83 more times per game

  0.83 TO

  HOU is at 1.5 takeaways per game over 2 games; CAR is at 0.67 over 3 games. Those come from the opposing team boxes in the games each side has already played this 2026 season, through 2026-08-27.

• CAR puts 0.67 fewer fumbles on the ground per game

  0.67 FUM

  HOU is at 1 fumbles lost per game over 2 games; CAR is at 0.33 over 3 games. Those are current-2026 team-game results through 2026-08-27.

EXPLOSIVE PLAYS

• CAR owns a +1.22 yards-per-play gap

  1.22 Y/P

  HOU is at 3.85 yards per play over 2 games; CAR is at 5.07 over 3 games. Those are current-2026 team-game results through 2026-08-27.

RED ZONE

• CAR gets inside the 20 3.67 more times per game

  3.67 TRIPS

  HOU is at 1 red-zone trips per game over 2 games; CAR is at 4.67 over 3 games. Those are current-2026 team-game results through 2026-08-27.

• CAR scores on +21.4% more of its red-zone trips

  21.4%

  HOU is at 50% red-zone scoring rate over 2 games; CAR is at 71.4% over 3 games. Those are current-2026 team-game results through 2026-08-27.

COACHING

• CAR's staff goes for it 1.33 more times per game on fourth down

  1.33 GOES

  HOU is at 1 fourth-down attempts per game over 2 games; CAR is at 2.33 over 3 games. Those are current-2026 team-game results through 2026-08-27.

MISMATCH

• CAR's passing attack against HOU's — 205 pass yards a game to 119.5

  205 VS 119.5

  Carolina's throwing the ball with real rhythm, and Houston hasn't found any answers through the air. On the road, that turns Houston into a one-dimensional offense Carolina's defense can play downhill against, while Carolina keeps moving the chains and controlling down and distance. Houston needs a low-possession, mistake-free game to have a shot, because it isn't winning this one through the air.

REPLACEMENT

• Haynes King (QB) is questionable for CAR

  QUESTIONABLE

  A hamstring that's already kept him out of one game and still has him tagged questionable is the kind of injury teams manage slowly, especially with a roster spot in play, and tonight against Houston is no different. That means extended live reps for the other quarterbacks in Carolina's camp, and more tape for coaches making roster and depth-chart calls. This sits entirely on the offensive side of the ball, and it's King's absence, not anything he does on the field, that's shaping that competition right now.

• Graham Mertz (QB) is out for HOU

  OUT

  A torn ACL in the preseason opener means Mertz is done for the year, not just tonight — that's a real depth-chart spot now up for grabs in Houston's quarterback room. Every practice rep he would've gotten the rest of the summer shifts to the other arms in camp, and that competition just got a lot more consequential for whoever's fighting to stick on the roster. This is strictly a quarterback story, and it doesn't touch tonight's trip to Carolina beyond who's holding a clipboard.

• British Brooks (RB) is questionable for HOU

  QUESTIONABLE

  Brooks (hand) underwent surgery Wednesday to fix a broken hand, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston reports. Reported Aug 5.

• Tank Dell (WR) is questionable for HOU

  QUESTIONABLE

  Dell (knee) participated in "full-team drills" Monday, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston reports. Reported Aug 10.

SITUATIONAL

• HOU (0-2) at CAR (2-1)

  +27 PT GAP

  Houston's problem isn't just losing, it's losing ugly — minus-22 over two games says this roster's still finding itself. Carolina's 2-1 flatters them some, since a plus-5 margin means the record's a bit shinier than the scoreboard backs up. Neither team's played a true home or road game yet, so tonight's the first real look at how that cuts.