C.J. Stroud’s TD pass helps Texans defeat Panthers 20-3 in

HOUSTON (AP)– C.J. Stroud threw a goal pass in restricted work in his preseason debut to assist the Houston Texans to a 20-3 win over the Carolina Panthers on Saturday.Stroud, who remained in recently’s 20-10 loss at Minnesota, played two series Saturday, going 6 for 8 for 44 backyards. The Texans punted on their very first belongings before Stroud connected with Nico Collins on a 5-yard goal pass on 4th to top the 2nd drive and make it 7-0. Ad Collins is coming off successive 1,000-yard seasons after he led the Texans

with 68 receptions for 1,006 lawns and 7 touchdowns in spite of missing five games with an injury.Nick Chubb ran 5 times for 25 yards in his Texans’launching after spending his very first seven seasons in Cleveland

. Chubb played with the starters with Joe Mixon out recovering from a foot injury he sustained this offseason.Stroud, who has led the Texans to the postseason in both of his first 2 seasons, has a new offending planner this year in Nick Caley after the former Patriots and Rams assistant was employed this offseason following the shooting of Bobby Slowik.Carolina’s Bryce Young, the very first total pick in the 2023 draft when Stroud was taken second, stopped working to move the offense in two drives. He was 0 for 2 and was sacked once Saturday after directing the offense

for two drives with a TD pass in recently’s 30-10 loss to Cleveland.Advertisement Andy Dalton changed him and was 2 of 4 for 22 lawns before leaving with a right elbow injury.Rookie Ryan Fitzgerald’s 52-yard basket cut the lead to 7-3 about two minutes before halftime.Ka’imi Fairbairn made a 41-yard basket prior to halftime and included

a 35-yard kick early

in the 3rd quarter to push the result in 13-3. The Texans obstructed third-string quarterback Jack Plummer on successive drives in the 2nd half. Damon Arnette got the second one and 3 plays later the Texans made it 20-3 when British Brooks scored on a 1-yard run.Arnette, a first-round pick in 2020, is trying a return after his career was thwarted by legal problems and he played just 13 games over 2 seasons before being released by the Raiders. He hasn’t appeared in a regular-season NFL game given that 2021 and last played for the UFL’s Houston Roughnecks.Advertisement Remaining Carolina cornerback Jaycee Horn didn’t play

since of a thumb injury and left guard Damien Lewis also remained since of a shoulder injury.Up next Panthers: Conclude the preseason Thursday night when they host Pittsburgh.Texans: End their preseason Saturday at Detroit. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL