Bengals vs. Texans: The 2026 Game Time, Location, and Viewing Options

The official answer: Cincinnati at Houston

The 2026 schedule identifies the matchup as Cincinnati Bengals at Houston Texans in Week 2. Cincinnati’s official schedule lists it for Sunday, September 20, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. ET, with Houston as the road destination. The Texans’ schedule lists the same game as a home matchup in Houston at noon CT.

That difference is a time-zone label, not two separate kickoff times. For an Eastern Time reader, the relevant listing is 1:00 p.m. ET. Checking both the opponent and the date prevents the clock from being read out of context.

What the U.S. viewing information actually says

The Bengals’ official viewing guide lists CBS as the television network. It also lists Paramount+ and NFL+ for in-market viewing, and NFL Sunday Ticket for out-of-market viewing. Those are separate conditions, so a streaming option should not be treated as universally available without checking whether the viewer is in or out of market.

What comes after the Texans listing

The NFL’s official Bengals schedule places Cincinnati’s Week 3 game at the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, September 27, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. ET, also on CBS. That is the schedule entry to check when the Houston date is no longer the relevant game.

The useful takeaway is simple: read the matchup, date, venue, and time-zone label together. The official Bengals and Texans pages agree on the event; they simply present the kickoff in their respective regional time conventions.