Overview
- Cincinnati beat the Houston Texans 20-6 on Sunday, with the Bengals holding Houston without a touchdown and winning on the road.
- Defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence made the decisive play by stuffing a fourth-and-1 run, and the Bengals finished with key stops that kept the Texans 0-for-4 in the red zone.
- Joe Burrow played through back tightness, called himself “incredibly average” after the game, said he was “good to go,” and later joked that Texans pass rushers had “popped my rib back into place.”
- The Bengals’ offensive line struggled early, allowing five sacks, 10 hits on Burrow, and multiple pre-snap penalties, a performance that left left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. publicly disappointed.
- The win underscores Cincinnati’s offseason defensive gains and gives the team momentum, but the pass-protection issues pose a clear risk the coaching staff must fix before the next game.