The Cincinnati Bengals are 2-0 to start the 2026 season. They’re alone atop the AFC North, with the Steelers, Ravens and Browns all sitting at 1-1.
All good news!
It’s hard not to be excited about what we saw from the Bengals in Week 2. Winning on the road in the NFL is difficult, especially against a good team—and the Texans are a good team, regardless of their 0-2 start.
What should be most exciting, though, is how the Bengals won.
The offense sputtered, especially in the first half. At this point,
I guess that’s just something we should expect from Joe Burrow and the offense early in the season. Had the 2025 Bengals defense played this game, Cincinnati probably loses 30-20.
But this isn’t the 2025 defense.
Dexter Lawrence showed everyone why he was worth the No. 10 overall selection, and the rebuilt defense kept the Texans out of the end zone for the entire game—in their own stadium. Houston’s only points came on field goals from 37 and 45 yards. When the Texans managed to move the ball into Bengals territory, the defense either forced a turnover on downs or Houston shot itself in the foot.
Here are some observations from the game:
- Lawrence was incredible against the Texans. In the second quarter, Houston opted to go for it on fourth-and-inches in the red zone. The game was still scoreless, and the Texans passed up the easy points in hopes of picking up a fresh set of downs, getting the crowd into the game and building some momentum before halftime. Lawrence wasn’t having it. He split a double team and tracked down David Montgomery in the backfield, forcing a turnover on downs and giving the ball back to Cincinnati. On the following drive, Burrow found Ja’Marr Chase in the end zone to give the Bengals a 7-0 lead. Behold:
- And that touchdown catch Chase made? Not only did Burrow place the ball where no one other than Chase could make a play on it, but Chase somehow contorted his body, made the catch and kept his feet in bounds. It should absolutely be in the conversation for catch of the year when the season comes to an end. Behold again:
- Orlando Brown Jr. was outmatched on Sunday. He struggled badly protecting Burrow’s blind side, allowing three sacks and committing two penalties. A big reason the offense got off to such a slow start was because Burrow was constantly under pressure, often from behind.
- Again, the Bengals made a point of putting Burrow under center. The running game looked great when Burrow took the snap directly from Ted Karras with Chase Brown in the backfield. Brown averaged four yards per carry, and as a result, the offense looks much more balanced in 2026 than it did in 2025.
- While the Bengals’ running game worked when called upon—for the most part—the Texans were absolutely stuffed all day. Running backs David Montgomery and Woody Marks combined for just 18 yards on 14 carries. Making any offense one-dimensional is huge, and the Bengals did exactly that.
- If the Bengals defense had a weakness on Sunday, it was covering the tight end. Dalton Schultz caught 12 passes for 140 yards.
- The Bengals’ offensive line was also flagged several times. That’s something they’ll need to clean up.
- In 2025, the Bengals defense sacked the quarterback three times over the first two weeks of the season. In 2026, they have nine sacks through two games. That puts them on pace for 76 sacks over a 17-game season.
- Once again, there were waves of pass rushers, and everybody got in on the action. Cedric Johnson had two sacks, while Shemar Stewart and Jonathan Allen each had one. Lawrence didn’t record a sack, but he led the team with an 83.9 pass-rushing grade, per PFF, while adding four hurries. Boye Mafe had eight hurries, and Cashius Howell added five. This isn’t one guy carrying the pass rush. It’s coming from everywhere.
- Goosebumps…
The Bengals hit the road again in Week 3 as they open AFC North play against the Steelers in Pittsburgh. The Steelers are 1-1 and coming off a loss to the Patriots in Foxborough after defeating the Falcons 20-13 in Week 1.
Pittsburgh, led by Aaron Rodgers, has struggled offensively so far. The Steelers rank 30th in the league in both total offensive yards and points scored. But, in typical Steelers fashion, their defense has been solid. They’ve allowed the 10th-fewest yards and are tied for the eighth-fewest points allowed.
So, we could be looking at a battle of defenses in Week 3.
At the same time, if I have to choose which offense I trust in a defensive slugfest, I’ll almost always choose the one led by Burrow and Chase.
The Bengals opened as 3.5-point favorites in Pittsburgh, and with a win, they would become the 10th team in franchise history to start a season 3-0. The last time it happened was way back in 2015, when we were chanting “MVP” for Andy Dalton before his season was derailed by a broken thumb.
As always, it’s one week at a time, but it’s hard not to be excited about what we’re seeing.
For years, we’ve said things like, “If they could just get off to a hot start, they wouldn’t have to spend the second half of the season trying to dig themselves out of a hole.” Or, “If they could just have a mediocre defense, this offense could take them all the way.”
Well, they’ve gotten off to the hot start.
And they don’t have a mediocre defense.
They have a good one.
Once the offense really gets firing—and we all know it will—watch out.
Now they just need to stay healthy.
Who Dey!
Relative Song Lyrics:
And I’ve been takin’ care of business
Every day
Takin’ care of business
Every way
I’ve been takin’ care of business
It’s all mine
Takin’ care of business
And working overtime
