The Houston Texans left Los Angeles with a 24-20 preseason victory over the Rams. Each of Houston's three quarterbacks led a touchdown drive, culminating in another dramatic fourth-quarter comeback by backup Jeff Driskel.
QB Davis Mills was 10-of-17 for 87 yards, one touchdown, no interceptions and a 94.2 passer rating through the first two quarters. In the second half, Kyle Allen completed 9-of-12 for 71 yards, one touchdown, no interceptions and a 117.0 rating. Driskel entered the game in the fourth quarter and threw the game-winning touchdown to TE Mason Schreck with just over one minute remaining.
"We didn't get a chance to see Kyle Allen play last week," Head Coach Lovie Smith said. "I like the way Kyle Allen, when he was out there, how he led the offense and I liked the way Jeff Driskel came in and finished it up. The plan was to play Davis Mills more, played him for the entire first half which was good. You wanted to see them finish that way, offensively.
Nico Collins caught a team-high four passes for 48 yards and one touchdown. Houston's ground game put up 115 net yards of rushing led by RB Royce Freeman who had nine carries for 30 yards and Marlon Mack who added 29 rushing yards on eight carries. Rookie RB Dameon Pierce, who led the Texans with 49 yards rushing in last week's preseason win over the New Orleans Saints, did not play.
"Dameon Pierce did not play tonight," Smith said. "That was the plan was to let Marlon have a lot more carries. Thought he and Royce did some good things throughout. We're a running football team so we have to have running backs that can put the ball in there. Thought we did a decent job for the most part."
Rookie DB Derek Stingley Jr. made his NFL Debut and finished with one tackle and a pass breakup in roughly 15 snaps. Houston's defense recorded 6.0 sacks and one fumble recovery.
After a slow offensive start consisting of four punts and a fumble, the Texans took a 7-6 lead with 0:01 remaining in the first half. Mills led the offense on a seven-play, 75-yard drive that ended in an 18-yard touchdown pass to WR Nico Collins.
"It was awesome, obviously made some big-time plays, didn't have much going on before that so it was nice to end the half with a score," Mills said. "Phil (Phillip Dorsett) made a really nice catch down on that sideline. We picked up the penalty to get some extra yards. Nico capped it off by going up and making a big play over one of the defenders."
Allen led back-to-back scoring drives in the second half, connecting with rookie TE Teagan Quitoriano on a six-yard touchdown pass. Houston's defense forced a punt on the Rams next possession, but fumble on the return resulted in an eight-yard scoop-and-score by L.A.
A 42-yard field goal kick by Ka'imi Fairbairn gave the Texans a 17-13 lead early in the fourth quarter, but the Rams responded with a seven-yard touchdown run by RB Trey Ragas.
Trailing 20-17, Driskel orchestrated an eight-play, 82-yard scoring drive that took 4:06 off the clock. A defensive pass interference call moved the ball 46 yards to the Rams 12-yard line. Two plays later, Driskel found Schreck at the back of the endzone for the score.
Houston improves to 2-0 and will close out their 2022 preseason with a home game against the San Francisco 49ers on Thursday, Aug. 25.
