Good luck guys. I am proud of the way the city has rallied around the team, despite all the injuries. I will be rooting for the Texans this wknd and will be at the game as well. I expect it to be loud.
SHUT UP TROLL!!!!!!111!1!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Spoiler It's the natural response to your posts in a Texans thread so I figured I'd keep the status quo. :grin:
i think it has more to do with Matt Schaub being lost for the season. Texans never took their foot off the gas. TJ Yates' foot just isn't as heavy as Schaub's. why do you think the offense is only scoring 16 points/game since Schaub got hurt? if we lose Saturday, it has nothing to do with momentum. Attribute it to an offense going 3 and out on multiple drives. The defense has been what has kept us in the games.
bad choice of word..foot. in related news, a source close to me (radio) said, mike brisiel practiced today. It's a miracle! and one less sack for yates. =)
That is awesome news. He is a big part of their running game as well. Hopefully he will be ready to go come Saturday.
Welp, I said in the game thread for Texans-Bengals I that I hoped to see the Texans again this year...and here we are! I'm expecting a game similar to the first one: physical, with the defenses really getting it in. For whatever reason, the Bengals have played better on the road than at home (except for @ Pittsburgh), so I hope that trend continues. I don't expect Dalton to get rattled by the Texans crowd; he's got a calm presence and has played in hostile environments before. The key for Cincinnati (both teams really) is putting together enough drives that end in TDs and not have to settle for FGs so often -- that's what doomed Cincinnati in the first game (a couple of silly things notwithstanding). The Bengals should be at relatively full strength, with Dunlap (top pash rusher) and Clements (starting CB) close to or at 100%. We're getting a little thin at WR with Andre Caldwell out, but Andrew Hawkins has stepped in nicely at WR3. Cincinnati absolutely cannot get away from the run. As much grief as he gets, Benson turned in another solid season (1000+ yards) and can carry the load when called upon. I think if the Bengals execute (no drops, no dumb penalties, etc) and the defense limits big plays (which they didn't last week against Baltimore/Ray Rice), they will win. Fugg it, Bengals: 23 Texans: 20 Bengals win on a last second Mike Nugent FG.
There's a litany of things to feel good about going into this game: -Beat them outdoors on the road without AJ, now we face them with a geeked out crowd ready to make ears bleed...and hopefully a 99% Andre. -They slugged it out against a physical Baltimore team, while our main cogs had a preseason game against the Titans. -Cedric Benson has had a weak finish to his year, averaging 65 a game the final 5 weeks and failing to get 100 yards in any. Likewise, Dalton has averaged only 178 ypg in that span with yesterday being the only time he got over 200. -AJ Green accounts for a third of their receiving yards, while Jonathon Joseph gets a double advantage covering him - learning tendencies in their first matchup and the benefit of Kubiak giving him a bye week. -Our offense has left a lot to be desired, post-Schaub. Thankfully, this is a matchup in which 24 points seems to be the number needed to secure a win. The Bengals have averaged 18.6 in the second half of the year, notching 24 points once (loss). Bad news is, we've averaged 17.8 without Schaub, with 22 as the high water mark (loss). Let's pray that this really was Kubiak choking the engine and not a true measure of our ability. Cincy's still a tough defense, #7 in yards allowed and #9 in points allowed. But they've finished the year with a bunch of injuries and issues at CB. Football Outsiders looks at them now as #17 defense, and us as #8 Howard and Maualuga are the main characters at LB, but they're not Pro Bowl level (this year). Nelson should be providing help over the top on AJ most of the game, as neither of their remaining CBs are up for the challenge 1-on-1. No rush specialists, but Atkins can be trouble at DT. Peko is solid in the middle. For the first time since Atlanta, we should be able to put the passing and rushing attack poison pill together. Andre opens everything up - can't creep forward against the run or the boot will kill you deep. Can't play back because Foster and Tate will chew up 5 ypc. Lean on the run, but keep them scared of 30+ yard strikes to Johnson. Defense....do your thing. Especially since Schaub's foot is half metal now.
I'm assuming Yates will be starting, but in the time that we saw Delhomme, I'm not sure.. especially if Yates is still injured. If he makes more than a few mistakes, would you rather have Delhomme?
Words can't describe what im feeling... I'm nervous but excited. I'm confident but scared. I'm proud but want more. I haven't felt like this since game 7 against the lakers a couple of years ago. I'm hoping the texans pull it out, a playoff win for this city would be amazing. Hopefully our glorious season doesn't stop here.
That is hard to say.. IF Yates is indeed hurt then we have no choice but Delhomme does not have near mobility that Yates has. Yates is far from bad for a Rookie. I mean look at some of the other rookies (Gabbert - F***INK SUCKS). But Delhomme has lead a team to the super bowl. It is probably a very difficult decision for the coaches. I would personally hate to have to make that decision
I see very little chance for CIN to win this game. We are stronger now and Yates is better than when we beat them before. AND it's at home.
No. Yates is better in our system and Delhomme is a has-been. Also, Yates' injury is to his non-throwing shoulder, and is just a bruise. He'll be fine.
I'd feel more confident about this game if one of our starters wasn't Kareem Jackson. I hope to god they don't target him all game but why wouldn't they?
It's been a measure of how important two Pro Bowlers are to your offense, emjohn; not an indictment of Kubiak. TJ Yates is not (currently) a very good QB and Walter+Jones does not, and never will, equal Andre Johnson. Any evaluation of this team in its current state that doesn't begin there (or, worse, begins with Kubiak being the problem) is wildly off the mark. The running game has actually *improved* since Schaub went down; it's been a beast these past six weeks (158 carries; 779 yards; 4.9 YPC); very nearly unstoppable - and that's with teams stacking 8 in the box to stop it. And that's because Kubiak and Dennison have made tiny but hugely important adjustments. The problem (beyond turnovers and penalities) has been the red zone. They're not scoring TDs; understandable given that two of their three best offensive players have been in street clothes. That's tough to overcome. I'll grant competition - but playing 3rd and 4th string QBs these past two weeks, they handed the 2nd best defense in football a lead with 1:59 left and Dan Orlovsky under center and would have sent Sunday's game into OT had it meant anything. I think that's pretty doggone impressive, given the circumstances. That Kubiak managed a 3-3 record under these conditions is very nearly unfathomable and he should be commended. I can't find fault in what he's done here. I dread the impending witch hunt, especially if they lose Saturday........
May be a stupid question, but will this game be national everywhere? I'm going to be in Dallas during the game and want to make sure I'll be able to watch from a television that does not have satellite / cable. Yes, I tried googling it but to no avail.
