The Houston Texans’ division lead is rapidly slipping away, so desperate times call for desperate measures. They made a switch at quarterback, going with Tom Savage over Brock Osweiler. Savage will make his first NFL start against the Cincinnati Bengals on Christmas Eve.
Bengals vs. Texans 2016 live stream: How to watch NFL Christmas Eve football online
The Texans are turning to Tom Savage as they try to save their season.
The game is an NFL Network exclusive, so streaming options are limited. Only qualified Sunday Ticket subscribers can watch the game online, while Verizon customers can access it on mobile devices.
Osweiler is quickly shaping up as one of the biggest free agent busts in NFL history, and his limitations meant Houston was in real danger of missing the playoffs. The Texans found themselves in crisis mode last week, trailing the lowly Jacksonville Jaguars, 13-0, in the second quarter. After Osweiler threw two interceptions on two straight plays, Bill O’Brien finally saw enough and benched him for Savage.
The 2014 fourth-round pick wasn’t exactly a world-beater, but Savage gave the Houston offense a much-needed pulse and rallied the team to a 21-20 win, improving the Texans to 8-6. He finished the game with 260 yards on 23-of-36 passing — more importantly, he got DeAndre Hopkins involved. The would-be star receiver had eight catches for 87 yards, which is the first time he’s cleared 80 yards since since Week 2. One of Osweiler’s biggest failings was not getting the ball to Hopkins, who had a Pro Bowl performance last year with the likes of Brian Hoyer, Ryan Mallett, and Brandon Weeden.
The Texans still hold first place in the AFC South, but the Tennessee Titans are right there with them at the same record. They have their rematch in Week 17, which could end up deciding the division. But first, Houston has to contend with the Bengals, who are out of playoff contention but still playing hard. Cincy is surely eager to play spoiler with the Texans and Baltimore Ravens left on its schedule.
This will be a year to forget for the Bengals and their fans. They dropped to 5-8-1 after blowing a 20-6 lead against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Cincy appeared to have the game well in hand after a Jeremy Hill touchdown run put his team up, 17-3, but Hill tempted fate by trying to rip up a Terrrible Towel. The Steelers went on to outscore the Bengals, 21-3, and the Bengals slim playoff hopes officially evaporated.
If there’s one bright spot for Cincy, it’s that A.J. Green could be set to return. Green missed the past three games after suffering a hamstring injury in Week 11, but he’s back in practice this week and said that he expects to be on the field Saturday. It probably doesn’t make a lot of sense to rush back their elite receiver in a lost season, but the Bengals still have a chance to alter their opponents’ playoff chances, and head coach Marvin Lewis could be fighting for his job down the stretch.
This is a battle between a Texans team that leads their division but still looking for an offensive identity, against a Bengals team that’s out of the chase but still playing for pride. How will Savage hold up in his first start? Will Green be able to make a comeback? Is there anything Cincy can do to slow down Jadeveon Clowney? There is plenty of intrigue in this Christmas Eve matchup.
How to watch
Time: 8:25 p.m. ET
Place: NRG Stadium, Houston
TV: NFL Network
Announcers: Kevin Harlan, Rich Gannon, Stacey Dales
Online: Sunday Ticket, Verizon Mobile
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