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Prediction: Bengals will beat the Texans


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Prediction: Bengals will beat the Texans
November, 21, 2014
Nov 21
1:00
PM ET
By Coley Harvey | ESPN.com
 
"Balance" is the key word for the Cincinnati Bengals this week.

They had it offensively last week at New Orleans when they passed 22 times and ran 36 times (11 of those runs came in the final seven minutes when the Bengals were trying to run out the clock and end the 17-point blowout).

By going to the run early and by getting the type of production they received from rookie Jeremy Hill, who rushed 27 times for 152 yards, they were able to open up the play-action passing game for the first time in weeks, and got A.J. Green going, too. After the Saints' defense started creeping up and playing with eight men in the box to stop the run, by the fourth quarter, the Bengals got the passing looks they wanted. Green was regularly single-covered outside.

So on one seven-play, fourth-quarter drive, they attempted four passes in Green's direction. He caught three for 80 yards and a touchdown. That's the definition of using the run to set up the pass; something the Bengals didn't do in their three losses this season.

The goal is to make Texans defensive end J.J. Watt and cornerback and former Bengal Johnathan Joseph non-factors. With that in mind, let's predict the Bengals, in their quest to confuse and confound the two, will be balanced again this week. If they can do just that, a second straight win will come.

Bengals 27, Texans 23
 
 
Prediction: Texans will beat Bengals
November, 21, 2014
Nov 21
1:00
PM ET
By Tania Ganguli | ESPN.com
 
Somewhere between his horrific performance against the Cleveland Browns two weeks ago and his stellar performance against the New Orleans Saints last week lies the real Andy Dalton. He's had single-digit QBR ratings twice this season and several in the 50 to 75 range.

Last weekend in the Bengals win over New Orleans, Dalton's Total QBR was the best in the league at 97.8. The Bengals have a good offense in a lot of ways. But I still like the Texans' chances defensively.

Houston's defense is as healthy as it's been all season, and just as Dalton is coming off his best game of the season, the Texans' defense is coming off its best game of the season. No. 1 overall pick Jadeveon Clowney is feeling more and more like himself and so is inside linebacker Brian Cushing, who is the soul of this defense. Safety Danieal Manning is another veteran presence that's emerged, and third-year outside linebacker Whitney Mercilus is playing every bit like the first-round pick that he is.

Oh, and there's one other guy of whom Dalton has no good memories: J.J. Watt, whose pick-six against Dalton was the start of his legend back in 2011.

Defensively, Cincinnati struggles to stop the run, giving up 136.2 yards per game, which is the fourth-most in the league. If the Texans defense keeps the Bengals offense in check, their offense will do enough to win. I think it will.

Prediction: Texans 24, Bengals 20
 
 

 

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