Bengals 20, Texans 6: drive chart, EPA and box score

Week 2 · Sun, Sep 20 · Reliant StadiumFinal

Final

	1	2	3	4	T
CIN	0	7	10	3	20
HOU	0	3	3	0	6

Home · 3-5HoustonTexans6

At a glanceUpdated Nov 10, 2026, 4:04 PM ET

The Cincinnati Bengals beat the Houston Texans 20-6 on Sun, Sep 20 at Reliant Stadium in Houston, TX (Week 2, 2026 season). Records after the game: Bengals 6-2, Texans 3-5. D.Schultz (HOU) led all players with +7.5 EPA on 14 targets.

Who won Bengals vs Texans?

The Cincinnati Bengals won 20-6. By quarter: CIN 0-7-10-3, HOU 0-3-3-0.

Who was the best player in Bengals vs Texans?

By expected points added: D.Schultz (HOU, +7.5 EPA on 14 targets), T.Higgins (CIN, +5.5 EPA on 10 targets) and J.Chase (CIN, +3.9 EPA on 9 targets).

What was the turning point of Bengals vs Texans?

The biggest swing in win probability (11 points toward the Bengals) came in Q2 at 3:29: (Shotgun) J.Burrow pass deep right to J.Chase for 32 yards, TOUCHDOWN. E.McPherson extra point is GOOD, Center-W.Wagner, Holder-R.Rehkow.

Cite this page

Pigskin Nightly, “Bengals 20, Texans 6: Week 2 recap”, https://pigskinnightly.com/games/2026-09-20-cin-at-hou (updated 2026-11-10).

How we calculate Plain-text version Report an error

The Verdict

Week 2 issue →

Week 2EarnedGame file →

Bengals31% success · −0.09 EPA/play

206

Texans33% success · −0.24 EPA/play

CIN 95% deserveddeserved 5% HOU

Bengals earned it: the snaps said Bengals by 9.0, a deserved win probability of 95%.

Deserved marginCIN by 9.0

Real marginCIN by 14

Luck pts CIN−0.8

Luck pts HOU−0.2

The swingQ2 4:21 · CIN · +10 pts of win probability. (Shotgun) 9-J.Burrow pass short middle to 5-T.Higgins to HOU 32 for 23 yards (0-A.Al-Shaair). ** Injury Update: CIN-71-A.Mims has returned to the game.

Flags that moved this game

1Defensive HoldingCIN → helped HOU · Wk 2 Q2 1:53 · (Shotgun) 7-C.Stroud pass incomplete short right to 14-K.Boutte. PENALTY on CIN-23-D.Hill, Defensive Holding, 5 yards, enforced…+4.0 WP
2Lowering the Head to Make Forcible ContactHOU → helped CIN · Wk 2 Q3 14:40 · 38-K.Kroeger punts 35 yards to CIN 29, Center-40-A.Brinkman. 81-D.Meyers pushed ob at CIN 44 for 15 yards (87-F.Moreau). PENALTY…+3.6 WP

Fourth downs our model disagreed with

1HOU · 4th & 1DeMeco Ryans chose Field goal at opp 40, Wk 2 Q3 7:33, down 7. Model: Go for it (clear call). Result: missed.−1.31 EP
2CIN · 4th & 4Zac Taylor chose Punt at own 47, Wk 2 Q1 14:04, tied. Model: Go for it (lean). Result: punted.−0.42 EP
3HOU · 4th & 4DeMeco Ryans chose Go for it at opp 16, Wk 2 Q2 13:28, tied. Model: Field goal (lean). Result: stopped.−0.34 EP

Deserved win probability from the snaps, fumble bounces evened out. How we judge

From the Lab

This game, re-drawn

All Lab tools →

Game DNA165 plays, one strand0 lead changes · 11 explosive plays · downloadable poster →

Officiating crewAdrian Hill21 accepted flags in this game · 16.9 a game this season (one of the busiest crews)Market vs SnapsLine: HOU by 3 · Snaps: CIN by 9.0Bengals covered; the snaps agree

20@6

Week 2

If the 51-yard kick had missed

Texans after the play29%what really happened

Q3 12:32 2-E.McPherson 51 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-46-W.Wagner, Holder-8-R.Rehkow.

Every game's sliding door →

Home win probability, play by play

The river

100%

Hover, tap or drag along the river to read any play. Arrow keys work too. Click to jump to its drive.

HOU ▲CIN ▼

Q1Q2Q3Q4

The five biggest swings

+11%Q2 3:29 · for CIN(Shotgun) J.Burrow pass deep right to J.Chase for 32 yards, TOUCHDOWN. E.McPherson extra point is GOOD, Center-W.Wagner, Holder-R.Rehkow.
+9%Q3 3:03 · for CIN(Shotgun) J.Burrow pass deep right to J.Chase for 18 yards, TOUCHDOWN. E.McPherson extra point is GOOD, Center-W.Wagner, Holder-R.Rehkow.
+8%Q3 8:19 · for CINW.Marks right guard to CIN 40 for no gain (T.Slaton).
+7%Q3 14:40 · for CINK.Kroeger punts 35 yards to CIN 29, Center-A.Brinkman. D.Meyers pushed ob at CIN 44 for 15 yards (F.Moreau).PENALTY on HST-F.Moreau, Lowering the Head to Make Forcible Contact, 15 yards, enforced at CIN 44.
+7%Q3 15:00 · for HOUE.McPherson kicks 60 yards from CIN 35 to HST 5. J.Noel to HST 36 for 31 yards (T.Davis; P.Jules).

Every drive, on the field

HOU attacks →← CIN attacks

Q1 15:00PUNT3p · 6y · 1:05
Q1 13:55PUNT3p · 2y · 0:43
Q1 13:12PUNT5p · 3y · 3:04
Q1 10:08PUNT3p · 5y · 1:32
Q1 8:36PUNT5p · 15y · 3:56
Q1 4:40DOWNS12p · 76y · 6:20
Q2 13:20PUNT5p · 11y · 3:12
Q2 10:08DOWNS7p · 48y · 3:15
Q2 6:53TD7p · 81y · 3:24
Q2 3:29FG9p · 54y · 2:12
Q2 1:17PUNT5p · 10y · 0:56
Q2 0:21HALF3p · 23y · 0:21
Q3 15:00PUNT3p · 0y · 0:30
Q3 14:30FG4p · 8y · 2:02
Q3 12:28MISS8p · 33y · 4:59
Q3 7:29TD8p · 52y · 4:26
Q3 3:03FG7p · 42y · 2:28
Q3 0:35FG7p · 33y · 3:19
Q4 12:16PUNT4p · 17y · 1:34
Q4 10:42PUNT3p · 5y · 0:48
Q4 9:54PUNT3p · -1y · 1:30
Q4 8:24PUNT5p · 7y · 3:20
Q4 5:04DOWNS6p · 20y · 1:49
Q4 3:15PUNT3p · 2y · 1:05
Q4 2:10DOWNS13p · 50y · 1:58
Q4 0:12END1p · -1y · 0:12

Bengals12 drives4scoring drives (2 TD)33%drives ending in pointsOWN 34avg starting field position3three-and-outs0turnovers incl. downs

Texans12 drives2scoring drives (0 TD)17%drives ending in pointsOWN 23avg starting field position4three-and-outs4turnovers incl. downs

Scoring summary

Q2
3:29Touchdown(Shotgun) J.Burrow pass deep right to J.Chase for 32 yards, TOUCHDOWN. E.McPherson extra point is GOOD, Center-W.Wagner, Holder-R.Rehkow.7–0
Q2
1:17Field goalK.Fairbairn 37 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-A.Brinkman, Holder-K.Kroeger.7–3
Q3
12:28Field goalE.McPherson 51 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-W.Wagner, Holder-R.Rehkow.10–3
Q3
3:03Touchdown(Shotgun) J.Burrow pass deep right to J.Chase for 18 yards, TOUCHDOWN. E.McPherson extra point is GOOD, Center-W.Wagner, Holder-R.Rehkow.17–3
Q3
0:35Field goalK.Fairbairn 45 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-A.Brinkman, Holder-K.Kroeger.PENALTY on HST-K.Rutledge, Unnecessary Roughness, 15 yards, enforced between downs.17–6
Q4
12:16Field goal E.McPherson 57 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-W.Wagner, Holder-R.Rehkow.20–6

Team stats

CINvsHOU

267Total yards374

182Passing yards314

85Rushing yards60

4.5Yards per play4.8

12First downs22

5-15 · 33%Third down5-17 · 29%

0-0Fourth down0-4

1-1Red zone TDs0-4

20/31Comp / att30/56

3.7Yards per carry3.3

0Turnovers0

5 (−25 yds)Sacks allowed4 (−39 yds)

12 for 78Penalties9 for 83

30:49Possession29:11

Expected points added · nflverse model

The game in EPA

EPA per play-0.092-0.247

Dropback EPA-0.015-0.113

Rush EPA-0.217-0.795

Success rate31%33%

Explosive plays68

Plays5876

Who moved the needle

D.SchultzTargets: 14+7.5

T.HigginsTargets: 10+5.5

J.ChaseTargets: 9+3.9

K.BoutteTargets: 5+0.4

W.MarksTargets: 6-0.1

J.NoelTargets: 5-0.2

Cost their side the most

W.MarksCarries: 8-6.7

D.MontgomeryCarries: 6-6.4

J.WayneTargets: 7-4.5

Box score

Cincinnati Bengals

Passing	C/ATT	YDS	AVG	TD	INT	SACKS	QBR	RTG
Joe BurrowQB	20/31	207	6.7	2	0	5-25	53.8	105.2

Rushing	CAR	YDS	AVG	LONG
Chase BrownRB	20	80	4.0	11
Samaje PerineRB	2	6	3.0	4
Joe BurrowQB	1	-1	-1.0	-1

Receiving	REC	TGTS	YDS	AVG	TD	LONG
Tee HigginsWR	5	10	95	19.0	0	23
Ja'Marr ChaseWR	7	9	75	10.7	2	32
Samaje PerineRB	1	1	16	16.0	0	16
Andrei IosivasWR	1	1	7	7.0	0	7
Colbie YoungWR	1	1	7	7.0	0	7
Erick All Jr.TE	2	3	5	2.5	0	5
Chase BrownRB	3	5	2	0.7	0	6
Dohnte MeyersWR	0	1	0	0.0	0	0

Defense	TOT	SOLO	SACKS	TFL	PD	QB HTS
Demetrius Knight Jr.LB	12	4	0	0	0	1
Dax HillCB	10	4	0	0	4	0
Jordan BattleS	8	4	0	0	1	0
DJ Turner IICB	5	4	0	0	2	0
Barrett CarterLB	5	2	0	1	0	0
Cedric JohnsonDE	4	3	2	2	0	2
Bryan CookS	4	3	0	0	0	0
Jonathan AllenDT	3	3	1	3	0	1
Jalen DavisCB	3	2	0	0	1	0
Dexter Lawrence IIDT	3	2	0	1	0	1

Kicking	FG	PCT	LONG	XP	PTS
Evan McPhersonPK	2/2	100.0	57	2/2	8

Houston Texans

Passing	C/ATT	YDS	AVG	TD	INT	SACKS	QBR	RTG
C.J. StroudQB	30/55	353	6.4	0	0	4-39	47.8	74.3
Kai KroegerP	0/1	0	0.0	0	0	0-0	--	39.6

Rushing	CAR	YDS	AVG	LONG
C.J. StroudQB	3	29	9.7	14
Jaylin NoelWR	1	13	13.0	13
David MontgomeryRB	6	10	1.7	4
Woody MarksRB	8	8	1.0	3

Receiving	REC	TGTS	YDS	AVG	LONG
Dalton SchultzTE	12	14	140	11.7	35
Kayshon BoutteWR	3	5	37	12.3	21
Xavier HutchinsonWR	3	9	37	12.3	18
Foster MoreauTE	2	2	34	17.0	25
Jared WayneWR	2	7	33	16.5	18
Jaylin NoelWR	1	5	31	31.0	31
Woody MarksRB	5	6	27	5.4	12
David MontgomeryRB	2	2	14	7.0	8

Defense	TOT	SOLO	SACKS	TFL	PD	QB HTS
Azeez Al-ShaairLB	12	6	0	0	0	0
Will Anderson Jr.DE	8	4	1	3	1	2
Tommy TogiaiDT	6	1	0	0	0	0
Kamari LassiterCB	5	4	0	1	0	0
Reed BlankenshipS	5	3	0	0	0	0
Jake HansenLB	5	2	0	0	0	0
Jalen PitreS	4	3	0	0	0	0
Mario Edwards Jr.DT	4	0	0.5	0	0	1
Sheldon RankinsDT	3	2	1	2	0	2
Logan HallDE	3	2	1	1	0	2

Kicking	FG	PCT	LONG	XP	PTS
Ka'imi FairbairnPK	2/3	66.7	45	0/0	6

Starters, confirmed

ConfirmedEvery game →

Confirmed from the official snap counts: at every position group the starters are the snap leaders. Expected lineup = today's depth chart, adjusted for the injury report.

Expected, did not start

Dohnte MeyersWR→ Andrei Iosivas

Mike GesickiTE→ Drew Sample

Oren BurksSLB→ Cashius Howell

Tacario DavisLCB→ Jalen Davis

Nico CollinsWR→ Kayshon Boutte

Marvin Harrison Jr.WR→ Jaylin Noel

Ed IngramRG→ Wyatt Teller

Henry To'oTo'oWLB→ Logan Hall

AwayBengals4 changes