Former Clemson star Dexter Lawrence put on a clinic in Week 2 of the NFL season with a dominant defensive performance in the Cincinnati Bengals’ 20-6 victory over the Houston Texans last Sunday.

While the standard box score doesn’t do justice to the defensive tackle’s true impact on the game as a game-wrecker, Lawrence still posted impactful numbers with three tackles (two solo), one tackle for loss and a quarterback hit.

According to Pro Football Focus (PFF), Lawrence earned a team-high 91.5 grade for the contest. He racked up five quarterback pressures and three defensive stops across 52 snaps.

His biggest individual play came midway through the second quarter with the game scoreless. On fourth-and-inches at the Cincinnati 18-yard line, Lawrence burst through the line to tackle Texans running back David Montgomery for a 1-yard loss, forcing a turnover on downs.

After requesting a trade following a contract impasse with the New York Giants, Lawrence was dealt from New York to Cincinnati in April in exchange for the No. 10 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. The three-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro signed a one-year, $28 million contract extension, keeping him with the Bengals through the 2028 season.

Lawrence was wired for sound during his standout Week 2 performance against Houston. Check out the following video of Lawrence mic’d up: