Raiders Rally Past Texans 22-20 in Preseason

The Las Vegas Raiders earned a 22-20 preseason victory over the Houston Texans on Thursday night, rallying from a 20-point deficit behind a resilient second-half turnaround at Reliant Stadium. Las Vegas trailed 17-0 after one quarter and 20-3 at halftime, but it scored 19 unanswered points after the break to leave Houston with a valuable road win.

For a Raiders team using the preseason to sort out roster spots and build rhythm, the response mattered as much as the final score. Las Vegas did not score in the opening quarter, then found only a field goal in the second. Yet the Raiders tightened the game with a 7-0 third quarter before delivering 12 more points in the fourth. Houston, which put up 17 first-quarter points and added three more before halftime, could not add to its total over the final 30 minutes.

The result moved Las Vegas to 1-1 in the 2026 preseason, while Houston fell to 0-2. There was no overtime: the Raiders completed their comeback during regulation and held the Texans scoreless throughout the entire second half.

Key Performers

Aidan O’Connell gave Las Vegas a steady presence through the air, finishing 15/24 for 166 yards. The supplied game summary did not list touchdown or interception totals for O’Connell, but his completion total and yardage helped the Raiders sustain the offensive push after halftime. In a preseason setting, that kind of efficient work within the offense can carry real weight as coaches evaluate the quarterback room and the supporting cast around it.

Mike Washington Jr. led the Raiders on the ground with 9 carries for 56 yards. His 6.2-yard average gave Las Vegas useful balance as it worked back from the early hole, and the run game helped prevent Houston from exclusively focusing on the passing attack.

Brandon Johnson paced the Raiders receiving group with 2 receptions for 41 yards. While Johnson’s total came on limited catches, his 20.5 yards per reception supplied the most explosive receiving production listed in the game summary. Those chunk gains are especially valuable when an offense is trying to erase a multi-score deficit.

NerdSports Stat: The Raiders became the first team in this game to score after halftime, then outscored Houston 19-0 over the final two quarters to turn a 20-3 halftime deficit into a 22-20 win.

The available summary does not provide a full scoring-play breakdown, turnover ledger, sack totals, red-zone results, or fourth-down details. What is clear from the quarter-by-quarter scoring is that Las Vegas made the necessary adjustments after halftime, while Houston’s offense was unable to extend drives into points when the game tightened in the fourth quarter.

For the Texans, the fast start remains a positive to take from the night. Building a 17-0 first-quarter lead showed the potential of the group, but finishing preseason games is part of the evaluation process, too. Houston will look to pair its early-game execution with a stronger late-game close when it hosts Carolina next week. The Raiders, meanwhile, will try to carry their comeback momentum into their preseason meeting with San Francisco as they continue narrowing their roster decisions before the regular season.

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