Steelers Fall 20-12 in Preseason Opener; Texans Ride Big First Half to Victory

The Pittsburgh Steelers preseason opener didn't go as they had hoped, as the Houston Texans will walk out of Acrisure Stadium with a 20-12 win. Giving the Texans a 1-1 preseason record following last week's loss to the Chicago Bears, while the Steelers will fall to 0-1.

The Steelers had a tall task coming out of halftime. Their mistake-prone first half of play dug them into an early 17-0 deficit . Despite the Texans having a chance to extend their lead to start the new half, the Steelers' defense produced an early stop.

That is where the momentum shifted in the Steelers' favor, as Kyle Allen led the second-team offense on a long 78-yard drive in 10 plays. Which finally ended with the Steelers finding the endzone, as Allen found Connor Heyward for a six-yard touchdown pass.

Yet, the execution issues still reared their ugly heads, as Matthew Wright's extra-point attempt was wide lift. The reduced deficit would only last a drive as the Texans managed to tack on a 51-yard field goal to give them a 20-6 lead.

The Steelers' chance to respond was promising as Allen found veteran receiver Scotty Miller for a big 38-yard completion, putting Pittsburgh in a scoring position.

From there, it would be the undrafted free-agent running back Daijun Edwards who finished the drive off with a one-yard touchdown run, which followed up a big 24-yard gasher from the former Georgia Bulldog.

Back within striking distance, the Steelers' defense got the stop they needed to hold the Texans' lead at 20-12, thanks to Ka'imi Fairbairn's missed 32-yard field goal. With Fairbairn's missed kick, the deficit remained at eight points heading into the final four minutes of regulation.

However, even with momentum following the missed field goal, the Steelers' drive lasted just three plays as a sack, and a false start forced them into a third-and-25.

Related: Big Plays Key Steelers Touchdown Drive

Yet, the Steelers' defense didn't give up hope, as they forced a three-and-out to give the offense one last chance.

However, after picking up two first downs, an errant throw from Allen was intercepted by Brandon Hill, ending the Steelers' hope of a late fourth-quarter comeback and securing the Texans a 20-12 preseason win.