Bengals vs. Texans Preview NFL Week 2 + Injury Report & Keys To Victory

The Cincinnati Bengals head to Houston for a huge Week 2 matchup against the Houston Texans after opening the 2026 NFL season with a win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Texans enter Week 2 at 0-1 after losing to Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills, setting up an intriguing matchup between Joe Burrow and C.J. Stroud.

Deposit and place $25 in trades with Kalshi and receive $25 back! Make your deposit today at kalshi.com/r/CBOX

Today's video is presented by Richter & Phillips! Head to richterphillips.com/pages/chatterbox-sports

Today's video is presented by Sharefax Credit Union! Become a member today and visit sharefax.org

Today's video is presented by 78 Cigars! Get your box today: anthonymunoz.com/anthony-munoz-78-cigars

The latest Bengals injury news is a major storyline heading into Sunday. Joe Burrow remains listed as a limited participant with back tightness, but he increased his throwing on Thursday and is expected to play. B.J. Hill also appeared on the injury report with an Achilles designation, while Jonathan Allen received a veteran rest day. Samaje Perine missed Thursday's practice with an illness, creating questions about the Bengals' running back depth behind Chase Brown.

Another major storyline is the expected season debut of rookie defensive lineman Shemar Stewart. After being a full participant throughout the week, Stewart could finally see his first NFL snaps and add another talented piece to a Bengals defensive line that looked much improved against Tampa Bay.

For Houston, Nico Collins is questionable with a hamstring issue, while Jadeveon Clowney has missed practice all week. The Texans are also dealing with injuries at linebacker, potentially creating opportunities for Cincinnati to attack that area of the defense.

The video breaks down the biggest matchups, including Ja'Marr Chase vs. Derek Stingley Jr., Mike Gesicki against Houston's linebackers and Reed Blankenship, and the Bengals defensive front against C.J. Stroud. Cincinnati's three keys to victory are also discussed: keep Joe Burrow upright, get Ja'Marr Chase involved early, and create pressure on C.J. Stroud.

With Cincinnati looking to improve to 2-0, this Week 2 Bengals vs. Texans matchup could provide an early test for the Bengals on both sides of the football.