Dexter Lawrence Shares His Keys to Stopping the Texans’ Offense

The Bengals star nose tackle knows how dangerous the Texans offense can be.

Sep 13, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Bengals defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence II (97) runs on the field before the game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Paycor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Dexter Lawrence emerged victorious in his Bengals debut after the team beat the Buccaneers 33-27. Now, as the team prepares to travel to Houston and take on an injury-riddled Texans team, Lawrence recognizes how dynamic the Texans' offense can be after a 36-31 loss to the Bills.

Lawrence emphasized the strength of running back David Montgomery, whom the Texans traded for this offseason, and spoke of how dangerous he can be. He said that the key to stopping Montgomery is to make a wall on the defensive line early, forcing him to stop his feet.

"He's dangerous if we don't get on him, up front we just have to make a wall and make him stop his feet," Lawrence said at his locker.

Getting Pressure on C.J. Stroud is Key

Sep 13, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) runs with the ball during the game against the Buffalo Bills at Reliant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Lawrence acknowledged Stroud's speed and ability to scramble through open gaps in the trenches for big gains. He added that collapsing the pocket and making Stroud uncomfortable will be key to forcing inaccurate throws.

"He's dangerously fast, if we give him some gaps within the rush, he'll take it and go for like 15 [yards]," Lawrence said. "His arm is very accurate, so we've just gotta collapse the pocket on him, get our hands up tip some balls, just make him real uncomfortable."

Stroud is coming off a performance against the Bills in which he completed 26-of-38 attempts for 274 yards and two touchdowns. He also rushed twice for 15 yards.

The addition of Montgomery this offseason has clearly helped him get off to a faster start, too, as Montgomery ended last week with three touchdowns in his Texans debut.

The offensive line remains a question mark in Houston, though not as much as PFF's 31st ranking may suggest, as the unit was solid for the most part in week one. Lawrence believes they can exploit the Texans' unit's weaknesses if the Bengals' d-line forces their o-linemen into one-on-one situations.

Lawrence knows another dominant performance from the Bengals' defensive line is critical for the team to move to 2-0 for the second time in the Joe Burrow era. Plenty of reasons suggest they can have another defining game this week, though, since two of the teams four forced fumbles last week came from defensive linemen.

The Bengals are hoping to start 2-0 for the second consecutive season and just the second time in the Zac Taylor era.

For more on the Cincinnati Bengals' matchup with the Houston Texans on Sunday, watch the video below: