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Houston Texans vs. Cincinnati Bengals: PFM Team Comparison

PFM rates the Houston Texans higher than the Cincinnati Bengals overall, with a clear advantage. The main reasons are the stronger defense and the stronger coaching operation.

Current PFM Team Scores

Clear edgeHOU

Houston Texans

82.7PFM Team Score#13 NFL
CIN

Cincinnati Bengals

79.9PFM Team Score#16 NFL
WEEK 2 MATCHUP Sunday, Sep. 20 1:00 PM ET
View on NFL Schedule
PFM CALL Locks September 20th at 1:00 PM EDT

Who wins Cincinnati Bengals vs. Houston Texans?

Week 2 matchup
AwayCIN1-0
HomeHOU0-1

Pick the winner.

Choose your Call
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PFM JUDGMENT

Why PFM Rates the Houston Texans Higher

The Houston Texans own the stronger defense. More dependable stops give the offense better field position and keep one bad drive from controlling the day. Cincinnati's strongest counterargument is QB Stability. Quarterback is the clearest separator. Joe Burrow gives Cincinnati more certainty than the Houston Texans have at the position.

Houston also brings the stronger coaching operation. Houston adds the clearer long-term football direction. PFM still has the Houston Texans in front.

TEAM DNA COMPARISON

Houston vs. Cincinnati Across the Core Pillars

The farther a team reaches, the stronger the rating. Each category also calls out which team has the edge and the exact gap. Hover on desktop or tap on mobile to isolate one team.

HOUHouston Texans
CINCincinnati Bengals
Houston Texans vs. Cincinnati Bengals Team DNA comparisonPFM category scores on a 0 to 100 scale. QB Stability: Houston Texans 82.2, Cincinnati Bengals 88.0, edge CIN +5.8; Offense: Houston Texans 79.5, Cincinnati Bengals 85.1, edge CIN +5.6; Defense: Houston Texans 83.7, Cincinnati Bengals 74.9, edge HOU +8.8; Coaching Direction: Houston Texans 81.0, Cincinnati Bengals 73.8, edge HOU +7.2; Roster Depth: Houston Texans 78.7, Cincinnati Bengals 80.3, edge CIN +1.6. Hover on desktop or tap on mobile to isolate one team at a time.
Hover or tap a team to focus that profile. Use Show Both to bring the overlay back.
THE COUNTERARGUMENT

Cincinnati Bengals’ Best Argument

Joe Burrow gives the Cincinnati Bengals the steadier quarterback room. That lets the offense stay on schedule without asking the rest of the team to cover constant uncertainty. That is why the overall gap is smaller than the score first suggests. Houston still answers with the stronger defense and the stronger coaching operation, which keeps the overall judgment in place.

COMPLETE COMPARISON

Where Each Team Has the Edge

PFM Team Score

HOU82.7
Houston Texans 82.7
CIN79.9
Cincinnati Bengals 79.9
Clear Houston Texans edge

Overall NFL Rank

HOU#13
Houston Texans #13
CIN#16
Cincinnati Bengals #16
Houston Texans ranks higher

QB Stability

HOU82.2
Houston Texans 82.2
CIN88.0
Cincinnati Bengals 88.0
Clear Cincinnati Bengals edge

Roster Strength

HOU78.7
Houston Texans 78.7
CIN80.3
Cincinnati Bengals 80.3
Slight Cincinnati Bengals edge

Coaching Direction

HOU81.0
Houston Texans 81.0
CIN73.8
Cincinnati Bengals 73.8
Clear Houston Texans edge

Recent Performance

HOU85.6
Houston Texans 85.6
CIN73.3
Cincinnati Bengals 73.3
Major Houston Texans edge

Offense

HOU79.5
Houston Texans 79.5
CIN85.1
Cincinnati Bengals 85.1
Clear Cincinnati Bengals edge

Defense

HOU83.7
Houston Texans 83.7
CIN74.9
Cincinnati Bengals 74.9
Clear Houston Texans edge

Franchise Direction

HOU80.3
Houston Texans 80.3
CIN74.7
Cincinnati Bengals 74.7
Clear Houston Texans edge

Explosiveness

HOU74.5
Houston Texans 74.5
CIN82.3
Cincinnati Bengals 82.3
Clear Cincinnati Bengals edge

Conference Rank

HOU#7
Houston Texans #7
CIN#9
Cincinnati Bengals #9
Houston Texans ranks higher

Division Rank

HOU#2
Houston Texans #2
CIN#2
Cincinnati Bengals #2
Even rank

Outlook

HOUPlayoff ContenderCINIn the Playoff Mix
Stronger outlook: Houston Texans
SCHEDULE CONTEXT

Which Team Has the Tougher Road?

Houston Texans

Remaining schedule rank: #27

Toughest stretch: Jacksonville Jaguars, Philadelphia Eagles, Green Bay Packers

Strongest opponents: Philadelphia Eagles, Jacksonville Jaguars, Los Angeles Chargers

Next five difficulty: 77.4

View Houston Texans Road Ahead

Cincinnati Bengals

Remaining schedule rank: #30

Toughest stretch: Houston Texans, Pittsburgh Steelers, Jacksonville Jaguars

Strongest opponents: Kansas City Chiefs, Jacksonville Jaguars, Houston Texans

Next five difficulty: 80.3

View Cincinnati Bengals Road Ahead

Houston has the tougher Road Ahead at No. 27. The strongest opponents include Philadelphia Eagles, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Los Angeles Chargers. Cincinnati gains one meaningful schedule advantage, while Houston still owns the stronger football advantages elsewhere.

View the complete all-32 Road Ahead

Ratings and Schedule Freshness

PFM ratings updated September 15, 2026. Schedule data updated September 14, 2026.

How to Read This Comparison

PFM Team Score determines the overall order. The Team DNA comparison puts five core pillars on the same 0–100 scale, while the full rows show every current category.

PFM compares overall team strength rather than predicting one matchup. Road Ahead adds schedule context without changing PFM Team Score.

See the complete PFM NFL Team Rankings and methodology.

PFM ratings updated
How PFM grades NFL teams