Bengals vs Texans Odds, Picks & +EV For Week 2: Burrow & Stroud Showdown in Houston
Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals battle CJ Stroud and the Houston Texans on Sunday, September 20th. The Texans are 2.5-point home favorites after dropping a close decision to the Bills last week, with the total sitting at 45.5 points.
Be sure to keep a close eye on our odds screen ahead of kickoff, as these lines are subject to change in the buildup to Week 2.
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Bengals vs Texans Odds Week 2
| Team | Moneyline | Spread | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati Bengals | +135 (4cx) | +2.5 (+104 4cx) | O45.5 (-100 NoVig) |
| Houston Texans | -136 (FanDuel) | -2.5 (-105 FanDuel) | U45.5 (-103 Caesars) |
Odds as of Thursday September 17th at 6pm ET
Bengals vs Texans Analysis
With CJ Stroud’s return to form, we suddenly have a thrilling Bengals vs Texans Week 2 matchup.
After their Week 1 loss to Buffalo, the Texans will be desperate for a win. Houston came up short, but Stroud gave Texans fans plenty of reasons to be optmistic. The former Ohio State man finished with 274 passing yards and two touchdowns while confidently navigating the pocket and finding the open receiver.
Unfortunately, Texans star receiver Nico Collins suffered a Grade 1 hamstring strain in Week 1, so it remains to be seen if he’ll play on Sunday. On top of that,fellow receiver Jayden Higgins is already out for the season with a torn ACL. If Collins can’t go, new arrival Kayshon Boutte and tight end Dalton Schultz will see more opportunities.
Cincinnati opened the year with a 33-27 win over Tampa Bay that doesn’t truly tell the full story. The Bengals led by two scores late in the first half and let the Bucs back in the game in the second.
Having said that, the returns from the Bengals rebuilt defense are promising, as Cincinnati’s defense forced four fumbles including a scoop and score by Demetrius Knight. However, relying on the defense to create four turnovers every week isn’t exactly a sustainable gameplan.
On the flip side, Houston’s defense has a few things to clean up as well. The Texans let Josh Allen throw for 323 yards after surrendering just 183.5 passing yards per game last season. Concerningly, Buffalo produced an explosive play on over 21% of snaps, the largest mark allowed in the DeMeco Ryans era.
Houston has one of the best pass-rushing duos in the NFL in Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson Jr. But their ballyhooed secondary was exploited last week, as corner Kamari Lassiter allowed 95 yards and a touchdown. That’s not what you want to see with Burrow, Chase and Higgins coming to town.
The Texans will be desperate to avoid an 0-2 start, but laying the points against Burrow, especially without Nico Collins in the lineup isn’t something I want to do. Houston’s pass-rush will disrupt Burrow, but the Bengals have the weapons to attack the Texans secondary. I’m betting on the underdog in this one, but the best value may be on the prop side. I particularly like the idea of targeting Tee Higgins OVER 55.5 receiving yards at -114 over at FanDuel, as he’s likely to draw the Lassiter matchup.
Bengals vs Texans +EV Opportunities Week 2
While it’s not the largest +EV opportunity, David Montgomery OVER 1.5 receptions at -137 over at BetRivers offers us a value play in Bengals vs Texans. He’s not usually known as a receiving back, but Montgomery hauled in all three targets against the Bills in Week 1, and looks have to full control as the lead back in Houston.
The former Lion actually played one less snap than Woody Marks, but was much more involved. In fact, Montgomery more than doubled Mark’s carries 20-9, and tripled his receiving targets 3 to 1.
The potential absence of Collins also boosts this play. If the Texans are without two of their top receivers, those targets will be forced elsewhere. Tight end Dalton Schultz should also see an increase in targets, but Montgomery offers Stroud a reliable checkdown option when Cincinnati brings pressure, or takes away deep routes.