(Photo: Fanatics Sportsbook)
AFC Game Of The Week
Cincinnati Bengals at Houston Texans
Bengals (1-0):
I was happy with what I was seeing from them until I wasn’t. In the first half of their win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, I noticed an increase in effort from their defense—more than I had seen in the previous two seasons combined—and I loved every second of what I was seeing. They were swarming to the ball as a unit, finishing tackles, and forcing turnovers, which is all you could ask for from a defense. Then came the second half, and that effort I just praised wasn’t there. They let the Bucs climb back into the game. Throughout the offseason and up to this point, I’ve said that their defense has upgraded with the acquisition of Dexter Lawrence compared to when they had Trey Hendrickson. It’s not a knock on Trey, but he could only rush the passer and struggled to stop the run. Dexter, on the other hand, can do both, along with doing the dirty work on the interior, which allows the others to roam around and naturally make plays on the ball. The Bengals were my sleeper team this year, especially if Joe Burrow can stay healthy and all the other pieces can remain consistent. I could see them winning the AFC North if everything falls into place for them. Believe it or not, they won that game Sunday without Tee Higgins, and Ja’Marr Chase didn’t have a big game, which is saying something. Mike Gesicki was their leading receiver on the day. This Sunday, the Bengals make their way to Houston for a Week 2 showdown.
Texans (0-1):
That game didn’t disappoint on Sunday, and it was hands down the best game of the Week 1 slate. Over the years, this team has had its way with the Buffalo Bills, but that wasn’t the case in Week 1, and the Bills finally got one over on them. Throughout last year, I kept saying their defense was among the best in the league, right alongside the Seattle Seahawks, and they have one of the best defensive-minded coaches in DeMeco Ryans. I even felt they could’ve made the AFC Championship Game—that’s how good they were. Defense truly travels, especially around that time of the year in the playoffs. What exactly went wrong for the Texans on Sunday? I’m glad you asked! The defense didn’t play anywhere near the level of expectation. They struggled to contain Josh Allen’s explosive plays, struggled to keep up with Dalton Kincaid, the secondary missed several opportunities, and the biggest takeaway of them all: the pass rush was neutralized, which is their strength. I can say it was good to see Nico Collins back on the field, and when he’s healthy, they’re a much better offense because of him. He gives C.J. Stroud a true No. 1 receiver, and I can’t wait to see what David Montgomery does within this offense. Even the greatest defenses have an off day, and that’s what it was for them against the Bills last Sunday. The Texans will look to avoid consecutive 0-2 starts this Sunday in a showdown against the Bengals.
Bengals X-Factor: Chase Brown
Not only do I feel he’s the X-factor for the Bengals in this game, but I think he’s a key for their entire season. Chase had a productive game against Tampa in Week 1, and I want to see what he does against a much more formidable defense in the Texans. If he can run effectively, the Texans’ pass rush will be slowed down, it creates play-action opportunities for Burrow, and it will force the thin spot of the Houston linebackers group to tackle in space.
Texans X-Factor: Danielle Hunter
I need to see the Texans’ pass rush bounce back in a big way this weekend, and it will start with Danielle. The Bills limited the impact of both Hunter and Will Anderson Jr. I’m not implying that he needs to have a massive game where he records over three sacks. He needs to apply pressure, hit Burrow a few times, and throw him off his timing. If Danielle can get home, it throws off the Cincinnati passing game.
Final Thoughts:
I remember when these two last met. It was during the 2023 season, and the Texans actually came back to win the game against the Bengals in Cincinnati. These two meet again, this time in Houston. The Bengals are looking to keep this momentum going, while the Texans are hoping to get into the win column for the first time this season. The key matchup to watch in this game is Burrow against this Texans pass rush. The Bengals’ offensive line must keep Burrow clean and upright on his feet, exploit the Texans’ secondary, and, on defense, the Bengals must win those early downs and avoid putting the Texans in easy third-down situations. Lastly, the final key is to get Ja’Marr Chase going early. He only had two receptions in Week 1, and Joe specifically stated that getting him more touches will be key. Can the Texans get David Montgomery going early and often? Forcing the Bengals to respect the run will open up the passing game for Stroud. They also need to attack the Cincinnati secondary and exploit that offensive line with Anderson and Hunter. Allowing them to be in favorable pass-rushing situations will be the Texans’ biggest defensive priority.
