Cincinnati held Houston to 6 points in a 20-6 win and ranks eighth in scoring defense through two games, giving Joe Burrow more room to manage games instead of carrying the offense. The Bengals are 2-0, but Burrow cautioned that two weeks prove little.
After ranking 31st in yards allowed and 30th in points allowed last season, Cincinnati ranks 16th in yards allowed through two games. It traded the 10th pick in the 2026 draft for defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence II and added safety Bryan Cook, outside linebacker Boye Mafe and defensive tackle Jonathan Allen. The Bengals say a lighter load could help Burrow finish healthy; he missed at least six games in three of his six previous seasons. The priority, offensive coordinator Dan Pitcher said, is competing for division titles and playoff seeding, rather than chasing passing totals.
Lawrence stopped Houston on fourth-and-inches at Cincinnati’s 17-yard line, forcing a turnover on downs. The Texans gained 1 yard per carry on 12 run snaps with Lawrence in the game, compared with 8 yards per carry on six without him, according to Next Gen Stats. Cincinnati visits Pittsburgh on Sunday seeking its first 3-0 start since 2015.
