Game: Houston Texans (2-3) at Cincinnati Bengals (4-1)
Series Leader: Cincinnati Bengals: 3-1
Streak: Texans won last game
Coaches vs. Opponent: Lewis: 2-1. Kubiak: 1-0
Broadcast: CBS (1:00 PM ET): Don Criqui, Randy Cross. SIRIUS: 154 (Hou.), 121 (Cin.). XM: 107 (Cin.).
SB Nation: Battle Red Blog
NFL.com: Game Center
Weather: Sunny with a high of 54 degrees [Weather.com]
Uniform: Orange
Television Coverage: If the Bengals sellout, then southwest Ohio and parts of Northern Kentucky and most of the state of Texas and parts of the surrounding states. [506] Note: If the Bengals aren't shown locally because of the blackout, then the most likely game that replaces it is the Ravens at Vikings (not a bad replacement).
Quick Notes:
Last time both teams met: October 26, 2008. Bengals 6 at Texans 35. Houston WR Andre Johnson has 11 catches for 143 yards and WR Kevin Walter catches 2 TDs (7, 39) as Texans win 3rd straight game.
Last game between teams in Cincinnati: October 2, 2005. Bengals 16, Texans 10. Cincinnati QB Carson Palmer passes for 276 yards and a TD. Shayne Graham kicks 3 FGs and RB Rudi Johnson adds 88 rushing yards.
Final note before we go into a bunch more notes: The Houston Texans were the first of two teams to lose to Cincinnati during the epic 2-14 season in 2002.
Cincinnati Bengals
- Dating back to December 14, 2008, the Bengals have won seven of their past eight games .
- Cincinnati looks to go 5-1 for the first since 2005.
- When playing the Texans at home, Cincinnati is 2-0.
- In the last two minutes of the past three games, Carson Palmer has completed 16 of 28 passes for 153 yards passing, two game-winning touchdowns and a passer rating of 96.3.
- With 254 yards passing, Palmer will reach 17,000 career yards passing.
- Dating back to December 21, 2008, Cedric Benson leads the NFL with 769 yards rushing on 147 carries (4.4 yards-per-rush).
- Benson is averaging 97.7 yards rushing in games that he's recorded 20 carries or more -- his teams are 9-1-1.
- Since 2002, Chad Ochocinco ranks second in the NFL with 8,928 yards receiving -- second to Torry Holt's 9,180.
- Andre Caldwell has two game-winning touchdowns this season.
- Antwan Odom needs .5 sacks to surpass his career high eight in 2007.
- If Johnathan Joseph records an interception Sunday, it'll be his fourth interception in four straight games. He'll be the first to achieve that since Deltha O'Neal had four in a row in 2005.
Houston Texans
- Texans aim for second consecutive wins over the Bengals.
- In his past four games, quarterback Matt Schaub has passed for 300 yards or more three times with 10 touchdowns and three interceptions for a 107.4 passer rating.
- The last time Schaub faced the Bengals, he completed 24 of 28 passes for 280 yards passing, three touchdowns and a passer rating of 144.0.
- When Schaub records a passer rating of 100 or better, his club is 8-3.
- Running back Chris Brown recorded his first rushing touchdown of the year last week.
- Andre Johnson looks to record 100 yards receiving in three straight games on the road (149, 101).
- Kevin Walter spend three seasons with Cincinnati (2003-2005).
- Tight End Owen Daniels recorded season highs with eight receptions and 94 yards receiving.
- The last time Mario Williams played the Bengals, he recorded a sack and forced fumble.
- Rookie linebacker Brian Cushing leads the team with 39 tackles; second among NFL rookies.
TEAM RANKINGS
Offense | Bengals | Texans |
Total | 335.4 (18th) | 349.0 (11th) |
Scoring | 20.2 (t-20th) | 23.0 (12th) |
Passing | 208.8 (20th) | 273.6 (5th) |
Passing TDs | 7 (t-12th) | 10 (t-2nd) |
Rushing | 126.6 (9th) | 75.4 (30th) |
Rushing TDs | 4 (t-12th) | 2 (t-24th) |
Defense | Bengals | Texans |
Total | 327.6 (17th) | 363.0 (t-23rd) |
Scoring | 18.0 (t-9th) | 24.0 (22nd) |
Passing | 228.8 (23rd) | 222.2 (16th) |
Passing TDs | 5 (t-8th) | 5 (t-8th) |
Rushing | 98.8 (12th) | 140.8 (26th) |
Rushing TDs | 3 (t-9th) | 9 (32nd) |
Sacks | 14 (t-4th) | 6 (t-27th) |
QB Rating | 82.0 (12th) | 83.7 (16th) |
20-Yard Passes Allowed | 20 (32nd) | 14 (t-17th) |
Interceptions | 4 (t-9th) | 2 (t-25th) |
Special Teams | Bengals | Texans |
Kickoff Return | 21.1 (24th) | 25.7 (5th) |
Punt Return | 13.1 (4th) | 12.5 (t-6th) |
Punting (Net) | 36.4 (28th) | 39.3 (t-14th) |
Punts Inside the 20 | 11 (t-4th) | 7 (t-15th) |
2009 STATISTICAL INDIVIDUAL RANKINGS
Carson Palmer | Stat | Ranking |
Quarterback Rating | 76.9 | 24th |
Yards Passing | 1,116 | 12th |
Touchdowns | 7 | t-9th |
First Downs | 56 | 10th |
Average Yards/Att | 6.6 | 21st |
Completions | 97 | 12th |
Interceptions | 6 | t-32nd |
Times Sacked | 10 | t-22nd |
Cedric Benson | Stat | Ranking |
Yards Rushing | 487 | 1st |
Attempts / Game | 22.2 | t-1st |
Touchdowns | 3 | t-7th |
First Downs | 20 | t-3rd |
Chad Ochocinco | Stat | Ranking |
Receptions | 24 | t-17th |
Yards Receiving | 352 | 10th |
20-yard receptions | 7 | t-2nd |
First Downs | 19 | t-7th |
Sacks | Ranking | |
Antwan Odom | 8.0 | t-1st |
CAREER AGAINST HOUSTON
Carson Palmer
Date | Result | Comp | Att | Yards | TDs | INTs |
10.2.2005 | W, 16-10 | 25 | 34 | 276 | 1 | 0 |
Chad Johnson
Date | Rec | Yards | TDs |
10.26.2008 | 5 | 44 | 0 |
10.2.2005 | 7 | 67 | 0 |
11.9.2003 | 9 | 89 | 0 |
11.3.2002 | 3 | 41 | 1 |
19 | 197 | 1 |
Cedric Benson
Date | Rec | Yards | TDs |
10.26.2008 | 13 | 49 | 0 |