Dameon Pierce impressed in his last preseason game of 2023.
The second-year running back carried five times in the first quarter, gaining a total of 30 yards.
He picked up three yards on the Texans' first offensive snap, then went to the sidelines with the rest of the offense after a pair of C.J. Stroud passes went incomplete.
Houston's defense came up with a 3-and-Out, and rookie receiver Tank Dell's 27-yard punt return set up Stroud, Pierce and the Texans with a 1st-and-10 at the New Orleans' 43-yard line with 10:43 left in the first quarter.
Pierce then carried for two yards to the left side, and followed it up with a six-yard gain to the right on second down.
Two plays later, Pierce burst ahead up the middle and into the secondary, slamming into a Saints safety and driving him back. It was good for a gain of 13 yards, his longest of the day.
Pierce then ran for a six-yard gain to the left, and Stroud followed that up with a touchdown pass to Nico Collins.
"I love the way that Dameon ran," Head Coach DeMeco Ryans said. "That's what we want to see from him. That's his style and we love the angry style. That's what we want to continue to see from him."
It was a touchdown drive fueled by Pierce's four runs for 27 yards. Devin Singletary came in at running back on Houston's next possession. Stroud was especially appreciative of Pierce's contributions.
"It's hard to do anything without running the ball," Stroud said. "D.P. is the type of person where every time he touches it, he wants to score. Every single run, he was running hard, and that's what you can really expect from him."
Pierce and the Texans will practice again on Wednesday at the Houston Methodist Training Center.
