Wild Card Primer: Cincinnati Bengals (9-7) At Houston Texans (10-6)

by Josh Kirkendall on Jan 4, 2012 12:00 PM EST in Primer

Game: Cincinnati Bengals (9-7) At Houston Texans (10-6)
Series Leader: Series tied at three
Streak: Texans have won three straight
Coaches vs. Opponent: Lewis: 2-3. Kubiak: 3-0
Coaches in the Playoffs: Lewis: 0-2. Kubiak: 0-0
Broadcast: NBC (4:30 PM ET): Tom Hammond, Mike Mayock, Alex Flanagan (Field reporter). Westwood One Radio: Howard David, Tony Boselli, Mark Malone (Field reporter). SIRIUS: 88 (WW1), 92 (Cin.), 86 (Hou.). XM: 88 (WW1), 225 (Cin.), 226 (Hou.).
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Weather: Partly cloudy with a high of 38 degrees [Weather Underground]
Uniform: White

CINCINNATI BENGALS

The Cincinnati Bengals have reached the playoffs for the third time during Marvin Lewis' tenure ('05, '09, '11).
Bengals are looking to record their first postseason win since January 6, 1991 against the Houston Oilers (Wild Card).
Andy Dalton (20) tied Hall of Fame quarterback for fourth-most touchdowns thrown by a rookie (Peyton Manning, 26 in 1998; Charlie Conerly, 22 in 1948; Cam Newton, 21 in 2011).
Dalton (3,398) registered the fifth-most passing yards by a rookie in NFL history.
In his only meeting against the Houston Texans, Dalton posted a passer rating of 89.7.
Cedric Benson (1,067) has rushed for 1,000 yards or more for a third consecutive season.
Benson generated 169 yards rushing in his last playoff game on January 9, 2010 against the New York Jets.
In his last game against the Texans, Benson posted 91 yards rushing.
A.J. Green led all NFL rookies in receptions (65) and fell two receptions short of Cris Collinsworth's franchise record of 67 by a rookie.
Green's 1,057 yards receiving is the most by a rookie in franchise history.
In seven road games this year, Green is averaging 86.1 yards receiving per game with five touchdown receptions.
Dalton and Green are the first rookie combination in NFL history with 3,000 yards passing and 1,000 yards receiving.
Green is the first Bengals rookie to be selected to the Pro Bowl since Collinsworth in 1981.
Jerome Simpson has a touchdown reception in his only meeting against the Houston Texans.
Jermaine Gresham posted a career-high in receptions (56), yards receiving (596) and touchdown receptions (6).
Defense tied a season-best five quarterback sacks against the Houston Texans earlier this year.
Bengals ranked second in the AFC with 45 quarterback sacks (Baltimore, 48).
Defensive end Jonathan Fanene tied a career-high with six quarterback sacks.
Defensive end Carlos Dunlap has generated 14 quarterback sacks in two season with the Bengals.
Defensive tackle Geno Atkins posted a career-high eight quarterback sacks this season.
Linebacker Thomas Howard led the team with 94 tackles.
Safety Reggie Nelson generated an interception in previous meeting against Houston.
Adam Jones has two career punt returns for touchdown against the Texans.

HOUSTON TEXANS

Texans earned their first division title and playoff berth in franchise history this year.
Rookie quarterback T.J. Yates had a career-best 300 yards passing and two touchdowns during Houston's week 14 win over the Bengals.
Houston ranks second in the NFL with 153 yards rushing per game this season.
Running back Arian Foster averaged an NFL-best 141.6 yards from scrimmage in 2011.
Foster tied NFL-best seven 100-yard games in 2011 (Willis McGahee).
Foster averaged 113.2 yards rushing per game in six home games this season.
Foster and Ben Tate are the only running backs on the same team with over 900 yards rushing apiece in the same season.
Foster registered over 1,200 yards rushing and ten rushing touchdowns in consecutive seasons.
Ben Tate averaged 8.4 yards per carry in his only meeting against the Bengals.
Tate is averaging 100.4 yards rushing per game when posting 15 rushing attempts or more.
During his previous two games against the Cincinnati Bengals, wide receiver Andre Johnson has posted 19 receptions for 278 yards receiving.
Since coming into the league in 2003, Johnson ranks second during the regular season with 9,656 yards receiving.
Tight end Owen Daniels posted seven receptions for 100 yards receiving in his previous game against the Bengals.
Daniels has 299 regular season receptions, second-most in franchise history.
Tight end Joel Dreessen posted a career-best six touchdown receptions in 2011.
Texans defense allowed 285.7 yards per game in 2011, second fewest in the NFL.
Texans registered team record 44 quarterback sacks this season.
Linebacker Connor Barwin posted 11.5 quarterback sacks this season, third most in franchise history.
Linebacker Brian Cushing tied a career-best four sacks in 2011 and led the team with 114 tackles.

TEAM RANKINGS (FINAL REGULAR SEASON)

Offense	Bengals	Texans
Total	319.9 (20th)	372.1 (13th)
Scoring	21.5 (18th)	23.8 (10th)
Third Downs	36% (18th)	42% (8th)
Rushing	111.1 (19th)	153.0 (2nd)
Rushing TDs	10 (t-21st)	18 (t-3rd)
20-Yard Runs	6 (30th)	13 (t-11th)
Passing	208.8 (20th)	219.1 (19th)
Passing TDs	20 (t-18th)	21 (t-13th)
Sacks Allowed	25 (t-4th)	33 (t-12th)
20-yard Passes	51 (t-17th)	55 (t-15th)

Defense	Bengals	Texans
Total	316.2 (7th)	285.7 (2nd)
Scoring	20.2 (9th)	17.4 (4th)
3rd Downs Allowed	36% (12th)	36% (14th)
Rushing	104.7 (10th)	96.0 (4th)
Rushing TDs	14 (t-20th)	8 (t-3rd)
20-Yard Runs	10 (t-10th)	10 (t-10th)
Passing	211.6 (9th)	189.7 (3rd)
Passing TDs	21 (t-9th)	18 (t-6th)
Sacks	45 (5th)	44 (6th)
QB Rating	85.0 (17th)	69.0 (2nd)
20-Yard Passes Allowed	47 (11th)	45 (t-6th)
Interceptions	10 (t-26th)	17 (t-13th)

Special Teams	Bengals	Texans
Kickoff Return	22.8 (24th)	25.2 (7th)
Punt Return	11.5 (7th)	10.4 (t-14th)
Punting (Net)	39.2 (t-13th)	37.7 (24th)
Punts Inside the 20	24 (t-16th)	19 (t-27th)