Game Day Review of the Bengals over Texans. Troy T the Editor

THE POWER PLAYERS MAGAZINE - GAME FILE: BENGALS 20, TEXANS 6

Sunday, Sept 20, 2026 • NRG Stadium (Reliant Stadium), Houston • CBS Final: Houston Texans 6 — Cincinnati Bengals 20

Quarter by Quarter:

Bengals move to 2-0, Texans fall to 0-2 for the third time in four years. And this one hurts worse than the record.

The Hard Truth - No More Excuses

This was not a "hard-fought loss." This was an offensive embarrassment at home. Houston outgained Cincinnati 374-267 and had 10 more first downs, and still got shut out of the end zone. The Bengals did not allow a touchdown for the first time since Week 3 of 2022. That's coaching, that's preparation, that's DeMeco Ryans' defense keeping you in it while Bobby Slowik's offense wastes it.

1. C.J. Stroud - Empty Calories

Stat line looks pretty: 30/55, 353 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT. That's a career-high 55 attempts and ZERO points to show for it.

My critique as a fan: He played scared and stat-padded. Spikes on 1st-and-10 twice in the 4th quarter instead of running offense. Held the ball. Took 4 sacks for 39 yards lost including two drive-killers in the final 51 seconds by Shemar Stewart and Cedric Johnson. When you go 0-for-4 on fourth down and 0-for-4 in the Red Zone, that's your QB not being elite.

2. The Run Game - Non-Existent

David Montgomery: 6 carries, 10 yards. Woody Marks: 8 carries, 8 yards. Combined 13 yards on 10 carries before halftime. Outside of a Jaylin Noel jet sweep for 13, Houston couldn't get anything going.

You can't be one-dimensional against a Bengals front that added Dexter Lawrence II. Lawrence stuffed Montgomery on 4th-and-1 at the Cincinnati 18 in Q2 — a 12-play, 76-yard drive for nothing. That play told the whole story. Soft interior. Trent Brown flagged for false start and holding. No push.

3. Third Down & Red Zone - Coaching Failure

5 of 17 on third down. Same as Cincinnati, but they finished drives. We didn't. 0-for-4 on fourth down attempts. Penalties: 9 for 83 yards killing momentum. Fumbled snap by punter Kai Kroeger on 4th-and-4 at the CIN 16 — you practice that?

Dalton Schultz was the ONLY bright spot: 12 catches on 14 targets for 140 yards, a career high. When your tight end is your entire offense because Nico Collins is out and Jaylin Noel is playing returner, your GM failed you.

4. Defense Did Its Job - And Got No Help

Will Anderson Jr. was a terror: 8 tackles, 1 sack, 3 TFLs, 2 QB hits — Texans Wire Player of the Game even in a loss. Danielle Hunter and Sheldon Rankins added sacks. Held Bengals to 267 total yards and 85 rushing yards.

But Dax Hill had a career-high 4 passes defended and 10 tackles, Cedric Johnson had his first multi-sack game taking Stroud down twice in the 4th. They made Stroud look ordinary when it mattered.

Bengals stars did what stars do: Joe Burrow 20/31, 207 yards, 2 TDs, Ja'Marr Chase 7 catches 75 yards 2 TDs including a 32-yarder over Derek Stingley Jr. and an 18-yarder on a scramble drill — his 14th career multi-TD game. Tee Higgins added 95 yards on 5 catches. Evan McPherson hit from 51 and 57. That's finishing.