NFL Game Preview: Cincinnati Bengals (1-0-0) vs. Houston Texans (0-1-0)

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Regular Season: HOU leads series, 7-5 (HOU won 4 of past 5)

Last meeting: 11/12/23: HOU 30 at CIN 27

Zac Taylor (CIN) vs. Opp. (incl. postseason): 1-1 Reg. Season: 53-63-1 (.457)

DeMeco Ryans (HOU) vs. Opp. (incl. postseason): 1-0 Reg. Season: 32-20 (.615)

CBS: Kevin Harlan, Trent Green, Melanie Collins (field reporter)

BENGALS NOTES

• QB JOE BURROW completed 25 of 35 atts. (71.4 pct.) for 254 yards & TD & had 20 rush yards in Week 1. Has 70+ comp. pct., 230+ pass yards, 2+ TD passes & 100+ rating in 3 of his past 4. Aims for his 11th in row on road with TD pass. Completed 27 of 40 atts. (67.5 pct.) for 347 yards & 2 TDs in last meeting. • RB CHASE BROWN had 78 scrimmage yards (56 rush, 22 rec.), 5 catches & rush TD last week. Aims for his 5th in row with 75+ scrimmage yards & TD overall & 3rd in row on road with 2+ scrimmage TDs. • RB SAMAJ E PERINE had 50 scrimmage yards (30 rec., 20 rush) in Week 1. Aims for his 3rd in row with 50+ scrimmage yards. • WR JA’MARR CHASE needs 7 catches to surpass DeAndre Hopkins (528) for 4thmost receptions by player in 1st 6 seasons all-time. Has 7+ receptions & 105+ rec. yards in 2 of his past 3 on road. Had 5 catches for 124 yards & TD in last meeting. • WR TEE HIGGINS had 59 rec. yards last week. Aims for his 4th in row on road with 50+ scrimmage yards & rec. TD. Had 6 catches for 99 yards & TD in his only career game vs. Hou. (12/27/20). • TE MIKE GESICKI had 5 receptions for 78 yards & TD in Week 1. Aims for his 3rd in row on road with TD catch. • LB BARRETT CARTER led team with 8 tackles & had TFL, 1st-career FF & 1stcareer 0.5 sack last week. • LB DEMETRIUS KNIGHT had 7 tackles & 1st-career FR-TD in Week 1. • DT JONATHAN ALLEN had 3 tackles & sack in his Cin. debut. Had 3 TFL & 2 sacks in his last game vs. Hou. (11/20/22 w/ Was.). • DE BOYE MAFE had sack, FF & FR in his Cin. debut. Had PD in his only career game vs. Hou. (10/20/25 w/ Sea.). • CB DAX HILL had 7 tackles last week. Aims for his 5th in row on road with PD. Had 7 tackles & 2 PD in last meeting. • S BRYAN COOK had 6 tackles, FF & FR in his Cin. debut.

TEXANS NOTES

• QB C.J. STROUD completed 26 of 38 atts. (68.4 pct.) for 274 yards & 2 TDs with 106.7 rating in Week 1. Has 200+ pass yards & TD pass in 4 of his past 5, incl. playoffs. Had 356 pass yards & 2 TDs (1 pass, 1 rush) in last meeting. • RB DAVID MONTGOMERY had 79 scrimmage yards (60 rush, 19 rec.) & 3 TDs (2 rush, 1 rec.) in his Hou. debut, becoming 8th player in SB era with 3+ scrimmage TDs in 1st game with new team. Aims for his 3rd in row vs. Cin. with 70+ scrimmage yards. Had 71 scrimmage yards (65 rush, 6 rec.) & rush TD in his last game vs. Cin. (10/5/25 w/ Det.). • RB WOODY MARKS had 42 rush yards last week. Has 40+ rush yards in 4 of his past 5 at home. • WR NICO COLLINS led team with 82 scrimmage yards (75 rec., 7 rush) & 7 receptions & had TD catch in Week 1. Has TD catch in 2 of his past 3 at home. Aims for his 11th in row with 55+ rec. yards. • DE WILL ANDERSON had 3 tackles & 0.5 sack last week. Ranks 6th-most with 46 TFL since entering NFL in 2023. Has 0.5+ sacks in 5 of his past 6, incl. playoffs. • DE DANIELLE HUNTER has 20.5 sacks in 18 games at home. • DE JADEVEON CLOWNEY had sack in Week 1. Has sack in 2 of his past 3 vs. Cin. • LB AZEEZ AL-SHAAIR led team with 8 tackles & had TFL last week. Has 5+ tackles in 11 of his past 12, incl. playoffs. Had 9 tackles, 2 PD & TFL in his last game vs. Cin. (10/1/23 w/ Ten.). • CB DEREK STINGLEY had 4 tackles & FF in Week 1. Ranks tied-3rd in INTs (15) & 5th in PD (51) since entering NFL in 2022. Has PD in 3 of his past 4. • CB KAMARI LASSITER had 3 tackles, TFL & PD last week. Has PD in 15 of his past 16, incl. playoffs. • S REED BLANKENSHIP had 6 tackles in his Hou. debut. Had 9 tackles & PD in his only career game vs. Cin. (10/27/24 w/ Phi.). • S CALEN BULLOCK had 6 tackles & PD last week. Has PD in 2 of his past 3, incl. playoffs.

Game Odds

Cincinnati Bengals           46

Houston Texans                – 2.5

Odds Courtesy of Sports Odd Direct as of Saturday, September 19, 2026

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