The Cincinnati Bengals will continue their push for a fifth straight playoff berth when they take on the Houston Texans in Week 12. The 6-3-1 Bengals are coming off a 27-10 win over the New Orleans Saints.
Bengals vs. Texans 2014: Playoff contenders do battle in Houston
The Texans and Bengals are both in the hunt for a playoff spot. Sunday’s game could go a long way in determining which of these teams makes it to the postseason.
As for the 5-5 Texans, they beat the Browns at Cleveland in Week 11, 23-7, in Ryan Mallett's first NFL start. The win gives Houston an opportunity to climb above the .500 mark for the first time since Week 5 if it can win this week. After beginning the year 3-1, Houston lost four of its next five games to (seemingly) fall out of playoff contention.
That is, until the Texans bounced back with a big road win last week to put themselves right back in the playoff picture. The Texans are also just one game behind the 6-4 Colts for first place in the AFC South. The Bengals hold a slim lead over the 7-4 Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC North, and a loss at Houston could knock Cincinnati out of first place.
Digits
Cincinnati has lost five straight to the Texans, including two losses in the playoffs. In fact, those two postseason defeats are the last two games between the two teams.
In the first playoff matchup in Houston in 2012, the Texans defeated the Bengals by a 31-10 margin. Houston then escaped with a 19-13 home win the following year. In both games, the Texans harassed Dalton, who completed just 41 of 72 passes for 384 yards and four interceptions.
While Dalton has struggled against the Texans in years past, this is a different Houston defense that is lacking in coverage. They currently rank 30th in pass defense, so this could be the chance Dalton needs to finally get a win at Houston and simultaneously keep Cincinnati firmly in the playoff picture.
Who to Watch
Jeremy Hill - The rookie running back leads all NFL rookies with 556 yards rushing and five touchdowns. He has two of the top 10 rushing performances by any player in the NFL this season. During Cincinnati's Week 11 win over the Saints, Hill rushed for 152 yards on 27 carries. He has become the workhorse back for the Bengals. Shutting him down could cripple Cincinnati's offense.
Ryan Mallet - During his first career NFL start, Mallet looked like a seasoned veteran against the Browns, completing 20 of 30 passes for 211 yards and 2 touchdowns. He will go against a Bengals pass defense that can be stingy. Cincinnati allows just 6.5 yards per pass attempts, which is the sixth-fewest in football. If Mallett can play as well as he did against Cleveland, it is hard to imagine the Texans losing at home.
The venue
NRG Stadium in Houston was the NFL’s first retractable roof facility when it opened in 2002. The 69,000-seat stadium is know as one of the top multi-purpose arenas in the country. Houston has already seen one Super Bowl (XXXVIII in 2004) played there, and will get a chance again as the host of Super Bowl LI in 2017.
How to Watch
Where: NRG Stadium
When: 1 p.m. ET
TV: CBS
Announcers: Ian Eagle, Dan Fouts, Jenny Dell
Online streaming: Verizon NFL Mobile | NFL Sunday Ticket
Odds
Houston is a 1-point home favorite with an over/under of 43.5 points, according to OddsShark.
Further Reading
For more on the Bengals, head over to Cincy Jungle.
To keep up on the Texans, check out Battle Red Blog.
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