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The Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow faces a major test against the Houston Texans, after leading his team to a 33-27 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 1. Burrow completed 25 of 35 passes for 254 yards, one touchdown and one interception, helping Cincinnati survive despite the pick-six. Ahead of Week 2, he expressed immense respect for Houston’s defense.
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Burrow praised Houston’s edge rushers, secondary and overall ball skills during a media availability on Wednesday. He specifically warned that the Texans can punish quarterbacks who are careless with 50-50 throws.
“They’re two edge rushers, probably creating the biggest plays for them. Their secondary tackles really well and covers really well,” Burrow said.
Safety Jalen Pitre earned high praise from Burrow as well.
“They use him very similarly. He’s a really good blitzer, a great tackler, a good coverage player, I’ve had a lot of respect for him, really, since he came into the league. He’s been a force for them, and so it’s been fun to watch them figure out a way to have him impact the game in a lot of different ways,” Burrow added.
Pitre backed that reputation with a strong Week 1 performance despite the Texans allowing 36 points. He earned a 76.0 PFF grade, including an 82.3 coverage grade, with four solo tackles and one pass breakup.
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Houston Must Turn Week 1 Lessons Into a Better Defensive Performance
Buffalo’s offense exposed Houston’s coverage vulnerabilities, especially against Dalton Kincaid and DJ Moore. Cincinnati now brings another potent passing attack led by Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase. Houston cannot afford repeated communication mistakes or open receivers in the middle of the field. The Bengals’ official scouting report noted that Houston allowed 323 passing yards and two 90-plus-yard drives against Buffalo.
Pitre will likely play a pivotal role once again. The Texans’ injury situation adds another layer of difficulty. Houston is already dealing with Henry To’oTo’o’s shoulder injury, which landed him on injured reserve and leaves the linebacker group thinner. The Texans responded by signing former first-round pick Kenneth Murray to the practice squad. Murray brings 497 career tackles and 83 starts. Additionally, Nico Collins also appeared on the injury report with a hamstring issue, while Jadeveon Clowney was dealing with a knee issue.
The Bengals’ defense forced four fumbles against Tampa Bay, while Burrow managed the offense despite his early interception. Houston, meanwhile, scored 31 points against Buffalo. Running Back David Montgomery scored three touchdowns, and Stroud threw for 274 yards and two touchdowns.
So, the problem is not simply the offense. Consequently, Houston’s primary challenge is not on offense. The Texans need cleaner quarterback ball security and, above all, a defense that returns to its dominant, disruptive identity.
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This story was originally published September 17, 2026 at 4:50 AM.