2 reasons why Bengals' defense should thrive against Texans in Week 2

The Cincinnati Bengals are not viewed as the best defense in the NFL, but after their Week 1 performance, it might finally be time to view them as above-average.

After years of the defense being one of the main reasons why the Bengals fell apart, it's looking like the defense might actually be strong. Heading into Week 2 against the Houston Texans, there is plenty of reason for optimism.

For one, they might avoid Texans' No. 1 wide receiver, Nico Collins. But the other big reason why the Bengals defense might thrive in Week 2 is that, as ESPN research notes, the Bengals pass rush looks like it's finally turned things around.

Why Bengals' defense should thrive in Week 2 vs. Texans

"The Bengals posted a 54% pass rush win rate in Week 1, the team's highest since November 2024," ESPN research shared. "They had the worst pass rush win rate in the NFL last season (28.8%)."

While the absence of Collins is obviously going to help the Bengals in a big way, as the Texans' No. 1 target is likely to miss this game, the most important thing overall is this metric shared by ESPN.

It's one thing to have an easier matchup against this Texans' questionable offensive line and a quarterback in C.J. Stroud who's prone to making mistakes. It's another when the defense can actually make those mistakes happen.

A 54% pass rush win rate is a huge statistic for the Bengals defense. If they can have close to that kind of pass rush upside, Dexter Lawrence II, Shemar Stewart, Myles Murphy, Jonathan Allen, Cashius Howell, and Boye Mafe could be in for a big day.

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After years of a struggling defense, it seems the Bengals finally have a strong defensive line. It seems like the Bengals can actually win in the trenches this year, which is obviously a huge piece of a successful defense.

But when it comes to facing the Texans and their shaky offensive line, this strong defensive front for Cincinnati, which registered a 54% pass rush win rate in Week 1, which was their best since the 2024 season, is poised for success.

Between this impressive pass rush win rate from Week 1 and the Texans being without their best WR, this matchup appears to be an advantage for the Cincinnati defense. They should thrive in Week 2. If they don't, there will be serious questions about this unit.

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