How Houston Texans can conquer daunting task of taming streaking Bengals
TEXANS ON TAP
07 November 2023
The Houston Texans are coming off their most dramatic win of the season and now must shift their focus to one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL.
Joe Burrow and the Bengals have won 4 straight games, after getting off to a slow start this season. Cincinnati is favored by about a touchdown, depending on which sportsbook you're looking at.
So this will be a tough challenge on the road for a young team that's all of a sudden dealing with a lot of success. There are several things working in the Texans' favor. Bengals superstar receiver Ja'Marr Chase is dealing with a back injury, so even if he plays, he may not be at full strength.
Also, the Bengals may be looking past the Texans, with a huge division game against the Ravens looming the following week. That game will have massive implications in the AFC North, a division with every team chasing Baltimore sharing a 5-3 record.
The Bengals are also one of the few teams that struggle to run the ball (32nd in rushing) more than the Texans, so maybe Houston can take advantage of that and sell out to keep their receivers in check.
For Houston, it's all about the passing game. But CJ Stroud will have to be careful, as the Bengals have the 2nd-most interceptions (11) in the NFL.
For an early preview of Texans-Bengals, watch the video above for the full breakdown!
And subscribe to SportsMapTexans on YouTube for our latest video content.
LaMelo Ball had 34 points and 11 assists in his return from an ankle injury and Grant Williams made a go-ahead 3-pointer with 40 seconds left to give the Charlotte Hornets a 110-105 win over the Houston Rockets on Wednesday night.
Jalen Green scored five quick points to tie it before Williams put the Hornets on top with his step-back 3 to make it 106-103. Ball, who was playing in his first regular-season game since Jan. 26, added two free throws after that to secure the victory.
Green led Houston with 28 points and Alperen Sengun added 25 points and 18 rebounds in his return after missing the last 19 games of last season with a severely sprained ankle.
Takeaways
Hornets: This team has been plagued by injuries in recent years and the problems continued in the opener with young star Brandon Miller sitting out the second half with soreness in his left hip. They’ll need to keep him, Ball and Miles Bridges healthy if they hope to return to the playoffs after an eight-year drought.
Rockets: They need to play more consistently for four quarters after leading by double figures for most of the first three quarters before letting the Hornets get back into it late.
Key moment
The Hornets used a 10-0 run that spanned from late in the third quarter to early in the fourth to close the gap and put themselves in position for the win after trailing for most of the game.
Key stat
Houston shot 36.9% from the field while the Hornets made 44.7% of their shots.
Up next
The Rockets host the Grizzlies on Friday night and the Hornets visit Atlanta.
Most Popular
SportsMap Emails
Are Awesome
Listen Live
