Texans vs. Bengals Prediction and Analysis

Ben Nance's Texans/Bengals Game Prediction and Analysis-

Texans @ Bengals- This is one of the more interesting matchups of Week 6. Besides the Broncos, what other team has had a more surprising start than the Cincinnati Bengals? Now, the question comes into play- are the Stripes ligit? Lets break it down-


Pro- Cedric Benson. Seriously who saw this coming? The Texans tried to sign the lowly touted free agent last offseason, to no avail. If I would of told you that going into Week 6, one running back (out of Slaton and Benson) would have 487 yards, a 4.4 YPR average and 3 rushing TD's- who would you have taken? I bet 100% said Slaton. Shocking is the only word I can think of to describe Benson's 196 yards and 2 TD's combined against the RAVENS and STEELERS. Wow.

Pro- Carson Palmer. 4-1 as a Starting QB this year. On one hand, he has 7 TD's and SIX INT's aka he is not playing up to his full potential. His QB Rating (which I realize is indicative of his INT's) is a measly 76.9 which is 4 spots above Byron Leftwich! On the other hand, does any of that matter since they are the in first in the AFC North? Look at CP9's clutch numbers- on final drives of the game since Week 2, Palmer has been 26-41 for 275 yards and 3 TD's, 0 INT's. Wowzers.

Pro- Overall Defense. While only ranked 20th in Overall D, these stats are somewhat misleading. Odom, Rivers and Maualuga seemed to have changed the pychological mentality of this team. They've matched the Steelers and Ravens physicality by finally showing a rugged Marvin Lewis-esque D we've been waiting for. Odom alone has been a manchild, registering 8 sacks (5 in one game) already. (Mario Williams, report to Bengals film room.) Look for safety Chinedum Ndukwe to have an impact game.

Overall- This team seems to have turned the corner by beating two division rivals and showing an impressive amount of equality on offense. Remember, the Bengals are one tipped pass away from a 5-0 start.

Now from the Texans perspective, this could be a nightmare matchup. Everyone pointed to Arizona's lackluster pass defense last week and forgot to show that Houston gives up more long TD plays than anyone in the league. If there is a weak point on Cinnci's team, you would have to point to their pass defense also. These matters all seem trivial to Texans fan though, for the real cause of their mediocre play is inconsistency. How can a team that ranked 12th in rushing last year fall all the way to 30th?! The answer is simple- The offense line's zone blocking scheme is an outdated gameplan. Kris Jenkins looked like Godzilla terrorizing the simpleton's of Japan (aka Houston's O-Line). The Texans have been placed in two potentially game tying situation in the red zone this year, both warranting the EXACT same result. Zone blocking isn't known as a power scheme but one would assume a professional football team would be able to gain one positive yard of offense (especially when you factor in the stakes that were on the line). Lets break it down-

Con- Watching every play of their season so far, I feel justified in saying the problem with the Texans boils down to two simple concepts- 1. Bad schemes and 2. Lack of mental confidence

Con- I think #2 is the most important problem with the Texans, starting from Day 1. They have NEVER had a "swagger" or even a defensive personality at all. Ask any player or personnel around the league what "kind" of team Houston is and they all give you the same answer- inconsistent. Inconsistency roots from two causes- lack of prepartion or lack of confidence. I do believe this team puts in the hours and does have a desire to succeed. Their mentality seems to correlate to that of a Freshman ball player being moved up to Varsity. For 7 years, the Texans have seemed overwhelmed, their execution week in and week out is evidence of it.

Con- The coaching staff HAS made its share of bad offensive and defensive calls but more importantly they have left Texans' fan feeling like they support a team without a backbone. This might be the unforgivable sin in professional football. The playmaking positions are there, the talent is there and the personnel is there- the only thing lacking is the arrogant mindset. I say arrogant because the best players and teams carry that mentality. Maybe not publically, but trust me, Michael Jordan walked onto the court thinking he was the best player ever born- EVERY game. Something must change for a team's outlook to change. Players can be plugged in but there must be some sort of fire to be sparked in the team. The Houston Rockets won 22 straight games in the NBA with a team that had young, inexperienced players ridden throughout their lineup. The mental aspect of the game is often overlooked by verticle leap, arm strength and 40 times. Maybe we should rethink our recruiting process.

RESULT- This game is hard to predict because you never know which Texans team will show up. The first half against the Cardinals was two of the worst quarters Houston has ever played, practically giving up 28 first half points. The second half showed the Jeckyl and Hyde-esque mentality this team truly has. By playing ball only in extremes, the Texans can play really bad (see first quarter season stats) but if Houston plays like they did in the second half, ANYONE would have a hard time beating them. Even though Benson is finally having a season worthy of a Heisman candidate, I think this is the week he gets shut down. Crazy, I know, but the Texans run defense has been much improved of late, with the addition of Pollard and GQ becoming a formidable run defender. Look for CBenson to stay under a benji for the week.

Score- Bengals 28, Texans 24