Overview
- The Bengals beat the Houston Texans 20-6 on Sunday with two Ja’Marr Chase touchdown catches and a defense that held Houston to only two field goals.
- Chase’s 32-yard toe-tap score came on a contested sideline grab he described as instinctive, and he finished the game with seven catches for 75 yards and two TDs.
- Cincinnati’s defense, coordinated by Al Golden and boosted by offseason addition Dexter Lawrence, produced four sacks and key stops that kept the Texans out of the end zone for the first time since Week 3, 2022.
- Joe Burrow played through back tightness, completing 20 of 31 passes for 207 yards and two touchdowns, and his midweek practice status will be closely watched ahead of Sunday’s game in Pittsburgh.
- The win moves Cincinnati to 2-0 and alone atop the AFC North and signals a shift in identity where a stronger defensive front could reduce pressure on the offense and change game plans going forward.