Texans' 3 Biggest Keys to Victory in Week 2 Matchup vs. Bengals

The Houston Texans have their second game of the 2026 regular season on the horizon against the Cincinnati Bengals for Week 2.

And there's no doubt this game holds some real importance for the Texans to take advantage of. Fresh off of a 31-36 Week 1 loss to the Buffalo Bills, this Houston squad is surely motivated to avoid a similar 0-2 hole to begin the year like they did this time last season.

But to take down a talented team like the Bengals and their star-studded offense, it won't be an easy task to do so. The Texans will have to ensure they're a bit more prepared than they were to open the year last week–– especially on the defensive side of the ball–– or else that ugly start to then new season could be a humbling reality.

Let's break down three of the biggest keys to victory the Texans will have to keep top of mind to ensure they can claim a Week 2 win over Cincinnati:

Keep Building Momentum on the Ground

Sep 13, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans running back David Montgomery (32) 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

The Texans showed last week against the Bills that they were going to hold a heavier emphasis on running the ball this season. David Montgomery set the tone in his debut with 20 carries, logged nearly 80 all-purpose yards, and recorded three total touchdowns as a true generator of offense for this Texans team.

Despite coming up short, the Texans have to have the same mindset of pounding the rock against the Bengals.

And that comes for two glaring reasons. For one, the Texans will be without their primary source of offense in the passing game as Nico Collins will be out due to a hamstring injury.

Without Collins' presence as a vertical, downfield threat, it becomes even more important for Houston to establish the run early and not put themselves in a hole against this Bengals offense.

But the Bengals' run defense also presented some holes last week against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. They allowed 4.5 yards per carry and two touchdowns on the ground, and could set up a perfect opportunity for Montgomery to best his 3.0 yards per carry last weekend, and spearhead Houston's scoring attack in Week 2.

Will Anderson, Danielle Hunter Step Up to the Occasion

Nov 16, 2025; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Houston Texans defensive end Will Anderson Jr. (51) celebrates with defensive end Danielle Hunter (55) after his sack of Tennessee Titans quarterback Cameron Ward (1) during the second half at Nissan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Texans' pass rush, which led this team to several wins as recently as last season, did not look like themselves against Buffalo. This group as a whole only recorded two sacks on the day, with the duo of Will Anderson and Danielle Hunter logging just 0.5 combined sacks on their own.

The performance was a particularly quiet one for Hunter. He recorded just one pressure on 25 pass-rush snaps, and thus led to Josh Allen having a field day on the opposing end with over 400 passing yards and four total touchdowns. So this defense knows just what a consistent lack of pressure can lead to against an elite quarterback.

This week, the Texans have Joe Burrow on the schedule; someone who's right up there with Allen in terms of his pure talent as a thrower, and as someone who works primarily in the pocket, sending that consistent and impactful pressure off the edge becomes even more important for the defense to key in on.

The Texans' defensive line, and specifically Anderson and Hunter, have to make sure they do more damage to this Bengals' front. Burrow was taken down for just two sacks last week against the Buccaneers, and that same fate this weekend might be what leaves Houston coming up short.

A Much Better Performance in Pass Coverage

Sep 13, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans cornerback Kamari Lassiter (3) reacts after a play during the game against the Buffalo Bills at Reliant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Another aspect of the Texans defense that just wasn't up to par against Buffalo: their pass coverage.

Houston allowed both D.J. Moore and Dalton Kincaid to record 100-plus yards receiving, and the duo of Kamari Lassiter and Reed Blankenship had a pretty poor performance on their behalf because of it. This week, the weapons this secondary will be tasked to cover might be the toughest assignment they'll see all season, headlined by Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins.

We know the Texans have the personnel to handle whatever this Bengals offense throws at them. Just last season, Houston had three Pro Bowl selections within their secondary, and that doesn't even include Jalen Pitre or the addition of Blankenship.

Maybe the Texans' secondary just had to be punched in the mouth at the beginning of the year to ensure better results moving forward. Because if this week against the Bengals' receivers looks anything similar from what the Bills and their pass-catchers saw, it'll be tough for Houston's depleted offense to stack up.

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