Cincinnati Bengals vs Houston Texans Final — September 20, 2026
Final score and result vs the closing line
Cincinnati Bengals 20, Houston Texans 6
Cincinnati Bengals won by 14.
- Against the closing spread (Houston Texans -2.5): Cincinnati Bengals covered.
- Combined score 26 vs the closing total of 45.5: Under.
- Cincinnati Bengals closed at +125 on the moneyline (a 43% no-vig market-implied chance).
The pre-game matchup
The Bengals (1-0) visited the Texans (0-1) at NRG Stadium on Sunday, September 20 at 1:00 PM ET in Week 2.
The Bengals have the 17th-ranked offense by EPA per play (expected points added per snap) and the 8th-ranked defense. Meanwhile, the Texans have the 13th-ranked offense and the 28th-ranked defense. When the Bengals have the ball, a 17th-ranked offense (−0.002 EPA per play) meets a 28th-ranked defense (+0.229 allowed); when the Texans have it, a 13th-ranked offense (+0.069) meets a 8th-ranked defense (−0.185 allowed).
By success rate (the share of plays that gain expected points), the Bengals offense is at 46.8% (10th) and the Texans offense at 46.6% (11th). Through the air, the Bengals average −0.036 EPA per dropback (21st) against a Texans pass defense ranked 29th; the Texans average +0.097 (14th) against a Bengals pass defense ranked 6th. The Bengals score 33.0 points per game (7th) and allow 27.0 (18th); the Texans score 31.0 (8th) and allow 36.0 (28th).
Joe Burrow has a 55.0% success rate (7th of 32 qualified quarterbacks) compared to C.J. Stroud's 48.8% (12th). Per dropback, Burrow is at −0.036 EPA to Stroud's +0.097, with 1 touchdown pass and 1 interception to Stroud's 2 and 0. Joe Burrow is listed as questionable on the injury report.
The Bengals are 1-0 and 1-0 against the spread; their last game was a 33-27 win over the Buccaneers. The Texans are 0-1 and 0-1 against the spread; their last game was a 36-31 loss to the Bills.
The Texans closed as 2.5-point favorites at home against the Bengals. The spread closed where it opened. The total closed at 45.5, down from 47.5 at the open. After removing the vig, the closing moneyline (Bengals +125, Texans -150) prices the Bengals at 43% and the Texans at 57%.
Written from the numbers available before kickoff.
Tale of the tape
Bengals2026 regular season to date, captured before kickoff. League rank in small type (32 teams); the gold side ranks higher. Bars show rank, longest = 1st. Source: play-by-play via the public NFL Lab tables (raw EPA, not opponent-adjusted).
Quarterback matchup
- Dropbacks37
- Success rate55.0%7th
- EPA per dropback−0.03621st
- Completion %71.4%10th
- CPOE+6.410th
- Yards per attempt7.317th
- TD–INT1–1
- Sack rate2.7%9th
- Dropbacks42
- Success rate48.8%12th
- EPA per dropback+0.09715th
- Completion %68.4%15th
- CPOE+3.215th
- Yards per attempt7.218th
- TD–INT2–0
- Sack rate7.1%20th
Primary passer = most dropbacks over each team's last four games. Season to date; ranks among 32 qualified quarterbacks (at least 14 dropbacks per team game). Success rate = share of dropbacks and designed runs that gain expected points.
Players to watch
Tee Higgins leads the Bengals wide receivers with 59 receiving yards (27th of 82 qualified wide receivers) with a target share of 17.6%. Chase Brown has 56 rushing yards on 16 carries (20th of 47 qualified running backs). Nico Collins leads the Texans wide receivers with 75 receiving yards (14th of 82 qualified wide receivers) with a target share of 27.0%. David Montgomery has 60 rushing yards on 20 carries (17th of 47 qualified running backs).
- Carries16
- Rush yards5620th
- Yards per carry3.535th
- EPA per rush−0.06627th
- Rush success rate31.2%35th
- Targets / catches6 / 3
- Receiving yards5927th
- Target share17.6%50th
- Yards per target9.829th
- EPA per target+0.38940th
- Targets / catches7 / 5
- Receiving yards783rd
- Target share20.6%9th
- Yards per target11.17th
- EPA per target+0.9807th
- Carries20
- Rush yards6017th
- Yards per carry3.042nd
- EPA per rush−0.01521st
- Rush success rate40.0%28th
- Targets / catches10 / 7
- Receiving yards7514th
- Target share27.0%14th
- Yards per target7.541st
- EPA per target+0.49136th
- Targets / catches8 / 4
- Receiving yards3516th
- Target share21.6%7th
- Yards per target4.428th
- EPA per target−0.31531st
Lead back = most carries and lead receivers = most targets over each team's last four games. Season to date; ranks among qualified players at the position (6.25 carries, 3 targets for wide receivers or 2.5 for tight ends per team game).
Success by situation
| Situation | Bengals | Texans |
|---|---|---|
| Early-down success rateBengals offense vs Texans defense | 43.8%17th | 41.5%10th |
| Early-down success rateTexans offense vs Bengals defense | 46.3%21st | 45.5%14th |
| Early-down EPA per playBengals offense vs Texans defense | +0.08012th | +0.24228th |
| Early-down EPA per playTexans offense vs Bengals defense | −0.11310th | +0.08911th |
| 3rd-down conversion rateBengals offense vs Texans defense | 57.1%5th | 33.3%13th |
| 3rd-down conversion rateTexans offense vs Bengals defense | 50.0%24th | 43.8%13th |
| 3rd-down EPA per playBengals offense vs Texans defense | −0.28120th | +0.80029th |
| 3rd-down EPA per playTexans offense vs Bengals defense | −0.4829th | −0.23219th |
| Red-zone TD rateBengals offense vs Texans defense | 40.0%25th | 33.3%4th |
| Red-zone TD rateTexans offense vs Bengals defense | 50.0%8th | 80.0%9th |
| Red-zone success rateBengals offense vs Texans defense | 46.7%14th | 12.5%1st |
| Red-zone success rateTexans offense vs Bengals defense | 44.4%14th | 45.5%16th |
On early downs the Bengals succeed on 43.8% of plays (17th) against a Texans defense that allows 41.5% (10th); on 3rd down they convert 57.1% (5th) against a defense allowing 33.3% (13th). On early downs the Texans succeed on 45.5% of plays (14th) against a Bengals defense that allows 46.3% (21st); on 3rd down they convert 43.8% (13th) against a defense allowing 50.0% (24th). The Bengals score touchdowns on 40.0% of red-zone trips (25th). The Texans score touchdowns on 80.0% of red-zone trips (9th).
Each row pairs one offense with the defense it faces; for a defense the rank is how stingy it is (1st = allows the least). Ranks out of 32 teams, season to date before kickoff.
Coaching and tendencies
| Staff | Bengals | Texans |
|---|---|---|
| Head coach | Zac Taylor | DeMeco Ryans |
| Offensive coordinator | Dan Pitcher | Nick Caley |
| Defensive coordinator | Al Golden | Matt Burke |
| Offense tendencies | Bengals | Texans |
|---|---|---|
| Pass rate over expecteddropbacks above what down, distance and score suggest · league −2.6% | 5.0%2nd-highest | −7.1%27th-highest |
| Dropback rateshare of plays that are dropbacks · league 59.9% | 59.7%16th-highest | 57.5%17th-highest |
| Early-down dropback rate1st and 2nd down · league 54.6% | 54.2%14th-highest | 58.2%13th-highest |
| Shotgun rateshare of snaps · league 58.6% | 71.0%8th-highest | 68.5%11th-highest |
| No-huddle rateshare of snaps · league 6.8% | 4.8%18th-highest | 8.2%10th-highest |
| Seconds per snapneutral situations; lower is faster · league 32.7 | 26.731st-slowest | 34.89th-slowest |
| Explosive passes (15+ yards)share of pass plays · league 14.9% | 19.4%6th | 20.5%5th |
| Explosive passes (20+ yards)share of pass plays · league 8.0% | 8.3%15th | 10.3%14th |
| Explosive runs (10+ yards)share of designed runs · league 10.6% | 16.0%5th | 9.7%15th |
| Sack ratesacks per dropback · league 6.3% | 2.7%9th | 7.1%19th |
| Turnovers per playinterceptions and lost fumbles · league 2.20% | 1.61%14th | 2.74%19th |
| Plays per gameoffensive snaps · league 59.6 | 62.013th-most | 73.02nd-most |
| 4th-and-short go ratewent for it on 4th-and-2 or shorter beyond their own 30 · league 45.7% | 0 of 1 | 2 of 3 |
| Defense | Bengals | Texans |
|---|---|---|
| Sack rate generatedleague 6.3% | 11.1%5th | 6.1%16th |
| Explosive passes (15+ yards) allowedleague 14.9% | 12.5%13th | 36.7%32nd |
| Explosive passes (20+ yards) allowedleague 8.0% | 6.2%12th | 20.0%32nd |
| Explosive runs (10+ yards) allowedleague 10.6% | 6.7%8th | 11.1%21st |
| Takeaways per playleague 2.20% | 7.84%1st | 0.00%25th |
| QB hits generatedper dropback · league 15.8% | 16.7%11th | 9.4%26th |
| QB hits allowedper dropback · league 15.8% | 16.2%20th | 21.4%26th |
The Bengals pass more often than down, distance and score would suggest (5.0% pass rate over expected, 2nd-highest), while the Texans sit at −7.1% (27th-highest). In neutral situations the Bengals take 26.7 seconds between snaps and the Texans 34.8, so the Bengals play faster. On 4th-and-2 or shorter beyond their own 30, the Bengals have gone for it 0 of 1 times and the Texans 2 of 3.
Season to date before kickoff, from play-by-play (regular season). Ranks out of 32 teams; for style stats with no better or worse, rank 1 = highest. Coaching staff: Wikipedia contributors (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Injury report
- Joe Burrow QBQuestionableBack
- Ed Ingram GOutGroin
- Nico Collins WROutHamstring
Starters (and the primary passer) on the game's official injury report, as of the latest report captured before kickoff.
Travel and schedule
The Bengals have 7 days between games and the Texans 7. The Bengals travel about 898 miles, moving their body clock 1 hour back.
Distance is straight-line from each team's home stadium; time-zone change is at kickoff. Rest counts days since each team's previous game.
Recent form and rest
BengalsTexansLast five results this season, oldest to newest. Against-the-spread and over–under records use the consensus closing line.
EPA rank trend
Season-to-date EPA per play rank after each week (offense: 1st = most efficient; defense: 1st = allows the least).
Head-to-head
The teams have met 5 times since 2015: the Bengals won 1 and the Texans 4. In the most recent meeting (November 12, 2023), the Texans won 30-27; the Bengals averaged +0.001 EPA per play; the Texans averaged +0.101 EPA per play.
| Date | Score | Spread | Total | EPA/play |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 12, 2023 | Texans 30, Bengals 27 Texans won | Bengals -5.5 Texans covered | 46 over | Bengals +0.001 · Texans +0.101 |
| Dec 27, 2020 | Bengals 37, Texans 31 Bengals won | Texans -7.5 Bengals covered | 46 over | Bengals +0.350 · Texans +0.244 |
| Sep 14, 2017 | Texans 13, Bengals 9 Texans won | Bengals -5.5 Texans covered | 38 under | Bengals −0.312 · Texans −0.137 |
| Dec 24, 2016 | Bengals 10, Texans 12 Texans won | Texans -3 Bengals covered | 41.5 under | Bengals −0.149 · Texans −0.221 |
| Nov 16, 2015 | Texans 10, Bengals 6 Texans won | Bengals -10 Texans covered | 46.5 under | Bengals −0.176 · Texans −0.104 |
The last five meetings since 2015, most recent first. Spread and total are the nflverse closing lines.
Closing line and line movement
Bengals +2.5 (-104)
Bengals +2.5 (-103)
Texans -144 57%
Texans -150 57%
Consensus of US sportsbooks. Open = first line after both teams' previous games; Close = consensus at kickoff. Percentages are the moneyline's no-vig market-implied chances.
Dig deeper
Teams
Cincinnati Bengals
- Cincinnati Bengals team stats
- Jacksonville Jaguars at Cincinnati Bengals (Oct 4)
- Cincinnati Bengals 27, Pittsburgh Steelers 30 (Sep 27)
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers 27, Cincinnati Bengals 33 (Sep 13)
Houston Texans
- Houston Texans team stats
- Dallas Cowboys at Houston Texans (Oct 4)
- Houston Texans 17, Indianapolis Colts 19 (Sep 27)
- Buffalo Bills 36, Houston Texans 31 (Sep 13)
Gridiron & Wine graded a pick on this game: see the archived pick.
More NFL games on September 20, 2026
- Minnesota Vikings 9, Chicago Bears 3 (Sep 20)
- Pittsburgh Steelers 3, New England Patriots 20 (Sep 20)
- Cleveland Browns 23, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 19 (Sep 20)
- Philadelphia Eagles 24, Tennessee Titans 20 (Sep 20)
- Jacksonville Jaguars 13, Denver Broncos 20 (Sep 20)
- Las Vegas Raiders 26, Los Angeles Chargers 14 (Sep 20)
- Washington Commanders 20, Dallas Cowboys 37 (Sep 20)
- Miami Dolphins 13, San Francisco 49ers 35 (Sep 20)
- Indianapolis Colts 30, Kansas City Chiefs 33 (Sep 20)
Follow the market every day
See every game's current line on the odds board, or check our fully tracked results.
Odds boardTracked results