The Texans head into Week 2 with a few obvious pressure points, and the first one is sitting right in the wide receiver room. Nico Collins tweaked his hamstring during Wednesday’s practice and was limited, with ESPN’s Adam Schefter reporting that the team “don’t believe it’s serious,” but Collins’ status for Sunday against the Bengals is still in jeopardy.
If that turns into a missed game, Houston’s pass-catching group gets thin fast. Collins would be out alongside Jayden Higgins and Tank Dell, leaving the Texans to sort through a shorter receiver rotation than they’d like in their second home game of the season.
That puts a spotlight on the names still standing. Kayshon Boutte, Xavier Hutchinson, Jaylin Noel, and Jared Wayne are the four receivers currently on the Texans’ 53-man roster, and all four should have a role in some capacity against Cincinnati. A practice squad elevation is also a possibility in the days ahead.
The other major concern is on the defensive side, where Houston has to answer for what happened in Week 1. The Texans’ performance against Buffalo was the kind of outing that stood out for all the wrong reasons: the Bills rolled up more than 400 yards and scored 36 points, something a DeMeco Ryans-led defense hasn’t allowed since 2023.
Now comes another demanding test. Joe Burrow opened the year hot in a win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Cincinnati still brings the Ja’Marr Chase-Tee Higgins tandem with him. On top of that, the Bengals are working behind a much better offensive line than the one the Texans saw from Burrow in 2023.
So this isn’t a soft landing spot for Houston’s defense to bounce back. The Texans need to show they can get back to the level they’ve established, but Week 2 brings another offense capable of stressing them in plenty of ways.
Then there’s David Montgomery, who gave Houston exactly what it wanted in his debut even in a loss. He handled the bulk of the carries against Buffalo, rushing 20 times for 60 yards and scoring three touchdowns. That made him the first running back to score three times in a game since Joe Mixon in 2024.
The efficiency wasn’t perfect, but the workload and production told the bigger story. Houston brought Montgomery in to be the bellcow, and after a season in which the Texans struggled badly on the ground, that role matters.
Last year’s rushing issues were a big reason the offense never fully settled in, and the goal this season is clear: lean more on the run game and make life easier for everyone else on that side of the ball. Montgomery has already started doing his part, and if Collins is limited or unavailable, his importance only grows.
A strong Week 2 showing from Montgomery would go a long way toward helping Houston sustain drives and keep the offense on schedule.
In Other News...
Bengals May Have Found A Rookie Defensive Spark Already
For a defense that spent much of the offseason under scrutiny, the Bengals got an immediate jolt from a pair of rookies in their Week 1 win over Tampa Bay. Barrett Carter and Demetrius Knight Jr. both played with the kind of urgency Cincinnati was hoping to see early, and their presence showed up in the kind of moments that can change a game, with the defense helping create four turnovers while holding the Buccaneers to 282 yards.
Zac Taylor was quick to note how confidently the two linebackers handled themselves and how much command they showed in the middle of the defense. For a team trying to stabilize that side of the ball, rookie contributions are one thing, but rookie contributions that translate into takeaways are another, and Cincinnati will be watching closely to see whether this opening-week spark can become something more lasting. [Read more 🡒]
Bengals Just Caught A Break Before A Tough Trip To Houston
Houston will be missing some of the familiar names that usually make it a difficult place to play, which gives Cincinnati a little extra breathing room heading into a road game that already carried plenty of weight. The Texans have ruled out wide receiver Nico Collins, defensive end Jadeveon Clowney and starting guard Ed Ingram because of injuries, thinning out both sides of the ball as the Bengals prepare for another test away from home.
For Cincinnati, the timing matters because Joe Burrow was limited in practice with back tightness but is expected to play, keeping the offense on track for a trip that now looks a bit less daunting. Houston will have to sort out its lineup with Kayshon Boutte and Dalton Schultz expected to take on bigger roles, and the Bengals will be watching to see whether the absences up front and on the edge create an opening they can press early. [Read more 🡒]
Bengals Rookie Cashius Howell Is Drawing The Kind Of Praise Fans Notice
Cashius Howell has already started to make a quiet impression in Cincinnati, and for a rookie trying to carve out a role on the defensive line, that matters. The Bengals edge rusher recently talked about how the jump from Bowling Green to Texas A&M was a major adjustment, which makes the move to the NFL feel like one more demanding step in a career built on climbing levels the hard way.
What stands out now is the early feedback from inside the locker room. Amarius Mims and Shemar Stewart have both offered favorable takes on Howells ability and work habits, the kind of praise that tends to travel quickly around a team and stick with fans who are watching for signs of which young players can help soon. For a Bengals defense looking to add more dependable pieces up front, Howells early reception is worth keeping an eye on. [Read more 🡒]