Houston Texans (9-3) vs Cincinnati Bengals (7-5) NFL Betting Preview
Houston entered this season looking to prove that they could be a consistent winner and get to the playoffs.
The Texans are well on their way to that goal, but the key injuries they have sustained at the quarterback position are extremely concerning for the team.
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Texans vs. Bengals
Time/Date: 1:00 PM EST, December 11, 2011
Venue: Paul Brown Stadium
Broadcast: CBS
Texans vs. Bengals Gambling Odds from JustBet
Spread: Bengals -3
Moneyline: Bengals (-150) Texans (+130)
Over/Under: 38
Cincinnati has been one of the biggest surprises of the season, but they have lost two straight. If the Bengals are going to have a chance of making the playoffs, they really can’t afford to lose a third straight game.
Matt Schaub and Matt Leinart are both out for the season after suffering serious injuries. The Texans are now starting T.J. Yates. Yates is a rookie out of North Carolina. Yates started off his NFL career with an impressive performance last week against the Atlanta Falcons. He threw for 258 yards and a touchdown, and he didn’t turn the ball over. The strength of this offense is really its running game. Arian Foster and Ben Tate may be the best tailback tandem in the NFL right now. Foster has racked up 916 rushing yards and Tate has 753 yards on the ground. Andre Johnson suffered another minor injury last week, and he is listed as doubtful for this game.
Houston’s secondary was the worst in the NFL last year, but that is definitely not the case this season. Johnathan Joseph was a huge pickup for this group. Joseph has 13 pass deflections and four interceptions in 2011. The secondary that finished dead last in the NFL in pass defense last year is currently third best in the NFL this year. Brian Cushing and DeMeco Ryans give the Texans two terrific inside linebackers that can cover a lot of ground. [soliloquy id=”82219″]
Cincinnati was thumped last weekend in Pittsburgh, but they must find a way to bounce back this weekend. Andy Dalton is a legitimate rookie of the year candidate because of the terrific job he has done as the team’s starting quarterback. Dalton stepped into a tough situation, and he has been great. He has 17 touchdowns and 12 interceptions, and he has shown poise in the pocket all year long. A.J. Green gives the Bengals a spectacular young wide receiver. Green leads the team with 50 catches and seven touchdowns. The Bengals offense is at its best when Cedric Benson is running the ball effectively.
The Bengals defense was best in the NFL through the first few weeks, but they have been pretty bad over the last few weeks. To be fair, the Bengals have sustained some key injuries that have hurt them badly. Leon Hall is the team’s best cover corner, and he is out for the season. Nate Clements, the team’s second cornerback, missed last week and is listed as questionable for this one. Keith Rivers was a key part of the linebackers for this unit, and he is out for the season as well. The front seven continues to play quite well, but the secondary has been struggling of late.
Cincinnati is better than just about anyone expected them to be, but I don’t think they are good enough to overcome the key injuries they have right now. I think this one goes down to the wire, so I’ll take the points.
Free NFL Pick: Texans +3
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