Bengals Trying to Keep Win Streak Alive
The Cincinnati Bengals defeated the Houston Texans 20-6 last week at Reliant Stadium to win their first two games of the season for the second consecutive time, and just the third time in franchise history. Unfortunately, after winning their first two games last year, they then went on to lose eight of their next nine games.
They are very aware of what happened last year, so that’s all the talk this week. The we’ve been here before energy is very much present.
Running back Chase Brown carried the load on the ground, rushing 20 times for 80 yards and adding three catches for 2 yards on five targets, giving Cincinnati 23 total touches from its lead back. While all the hype tends to go to the passing game, Brown has been their steady rock thus far.
NFL Odds
Chase Brown is one of my favorite future bets for the 2026 season. His total seemed quite low, only 849.5 Regular-Season Rushing Yards (-115). He already has 136 yards in two games and is on pace to smash that total.
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Defensive Upgrade
The Bengals defense held Houston to just 60 rushing yards, forcing the hosts into a pass-heavy attack that didn’t find the end zone. The defense also made five fourth-down stops. Those stops weren’t recorded as takeaways, but they were just as useful in several instances.
“We talked last night about what type of team we’re gonna pack up and take on the road,” Taylor said. “Get off the bus, send a message in hostile territory. Our defense set the tone for that.”
“This is a really quality road win. Definitely feels better than last year’s 2-0,” Karras said. “These are legit team wins against two legit teams, and probably two playoff teams. If we do what we do, hopefully they come to Cincy in January. Just two big wins to start. Now we’ve got a divisional game on the road.”
During the Taylor era, and even in the Bengals’ best seasons under him, slow starts plagued the organization. That criticism dogged the team, but it could fall by the wayside after chants of “Who Dey” bounced around Reliant Stadium.
The Bengals have started 2026 with wins against two teams expected to be playoff contenders in the Texans and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Against Houston, Dexter Lawrence II had a major impact. Chase had the only two touchdowns of the game, and his circus catch for a score late in the first half might have been the best catch of his career.
“I think when you look back on the identity of our team and everything that coach Taylor and his staff have continued to instill in us, to start the season 2-0 was really important,” offensive lineman Orlando Brown Jr. said. “Just the love that we have for one another in this locker room. The love we have for this coaching staff, the city of Cincinnati, and this organization is important to us.
“We’ve got a really big challenge coming up here against Pittsburgh.”
