Texans vs. Bengals Week 2 Dunkel NFL Picks, Predictions and Odds
15 September 2026

The Houston Texans (0-1) are considered favorites (-2.5) according to the point spread ahead of their game versus the Cincinnati Bengals (1-0) on September 20, 2026, starting at 1 p.m. ET, airing on CBS. The expected point total for the matchup is 45.5.
On defense, the Texans were a top-five unit last season, ranking second-best by surrendering only 17.4 points per game. They ranked 13th on offense (23.8 points per game). The Bengals owned the 17th-ranked offense last year (329.2 yards per game), and they were less effective on defense, ranking second-worst with 380.9 yards allowed per game.
Texans vs. Bengals Odds and Game Time
- Date: Sunday, September 20, 2026
- Time: 1 p.m. ET
- City: Houston, Texas
- Venue: NRG Stadium
- Total: 45.5 points
- Spread: Texans -2.5
- Moneyline: Texans (-135), Bengals (+114)
How to watch Texans vs. Bengals
- TV Channel: CBS
Betting the Over/Under: Texans vs. Bengals
- In five games last season, the Texans and their opponents scored more than 45.5 combined points.
- Texans games went over the point total six out of 17 times last season.
- The Bengals played 12 games last season that had more than 45.5 combined points scored.
- Cincinnati and its opponent combined to hit the over nine out of 17 times last year.
- These two teams scored a combined 48.2 points per game last season, 2.7 more points than this matchup's total.
- Combined, these teams surrendered 46.3 points per contest last year, 0.8 more points than the over/under for this game.
Betting the Spread: Texans vs. Bengals
- Houston went 9-8-0 ATS last season.
- Houston was 4-4 ATS last season when playing as at least 2.5-point favorites.
- The Bengals covered eight times in 17 chances against the spread last year.
- Cincinnati was an underdog by 2.5 points or more 10 times last season, and covered the spread in five of those games.
- The Texans were 7-2 overall, and 5-4 against the spread, at home last season.
- At home last season, as 2.5-point favorites or more, Houston was 3-3 ATS.
- The Bengals were 3-5 overall, and 4-4 against the spread, in away games last season.
- Last season Cincinnati went 3-3 ATS as 2.5-point underdogs or more on the road.
Betting the Moneyline: Texans vs. Bengals
- Houston finished with a 7-2 record in games it was favored on the moneyline last season (winning 77.8% of those games).
- Last season, the Bengals won two out of the 11 games, or 18.2%, in which they were the underdog.
- When playing as a moneyline favorite with odds of -135 or shorter, Houston had a 7-1 record (winning 87.5% of its games).
- Cincinnati had a record of 2-9 in games where sportsbooks had them as underdogs of at least +114 on the moneyline.
- The implied moneyline probability in this matchup gives the Texans a 57.4% chance to win.
Dunkel Prediction for Texans vs. Bengals
| ATS | Over/Under | Score Prediction |
|---|---|---|
| Texans (-2.5) | Under (45.5) | Texans 25 - Bengals 18 |
For more expert NFL picks, visit our Dunkel Index NFL Picks and Predictions.
