Bengals stymie Texans 20-6 as Houston drops first two games again
NBC Sports • • sports
Key Points:
- The Bengals defeated the Texans 20-6, improving their record to 2-0 for the 2026 season, while Houston started 0-2 for the second consecutive year despite a playoff run after a similar start last season.
- Cincinnati's defense was dominant, sacking Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud four times and limiting Houston to just two field goals, with the Texans going 0-for-4 in the red zone and struggling on third and fourth downs.
- Stroud threw a career-high 55 passes for 353 yards without his top three receivers, highlighting the Texans' offensive challenges, as their ground game was also stifled with only 60 rushing yards on 18 carries.
- Despite being sacked five times and limited to 267 total yards, Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow connected on two touchdown passes to Ja’Marr Chase, who had a strong receiving performance alongside Tee Higgins.
- Bengals running back Chase Brown contributed significantly with 80 yards on 20 carries, supporting Cincinnati's balanced offensive effort.
