How Houston Texans can conquer daunting task of taming streaking Bengals

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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!

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Astros defeat the Royals, 2-1. Photo by Jack Gorman/Getty Images.

Isaac Paredes hit a tiebreaking solo homer in the ninth inning to lift the Houston Astros to a 2-1 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Tuesday night.

The game was tied at 1 after a home run by Jeremy Peña in the sixth inning when Paredes led off the bottom of the ninth against John Schreiber (1-2). He sent his second pitch to left-center field for his fifth homer this season, giving Houston the win after Kansas City took the series opener Monday.

Both teams got strong outings from their starters. Houston’s Framber Valdez allowed six hits and a run with seven strikeouts in eight innings. Kris Bubic yielded six hits and a run and tied a career high with nine strikeouts in 6 1/3 innings.

Bryan Abreu (1-1) struck out one in a scoreless ninth for the win.

Hunter Renfroe doubled off the wall in left-center field with one out in the eighth. Valdez plunked Jonathan India on the foot with two outs, but he induced a groundout by Bobby Witt Jr. to end his night.

Maikel Garcia walked to open the fifth before a single by Vinnie Pasquantino sent him to third. The Royals took a 1-0 lead when Freddy Fermin singled on a ground ball to right field that scored Garcia.

Peña’s home run to left field tied it with no outs in the sixth.

Jose Altuve followed with a double on a grounder down the third base line, but Bubic retired the next three batters, with two strikeouts, to leave him stranded.

Jake Meyers singled to start Houston’s seventh, but was out at second when Cam Smith grounded into a force out. Bubic was replaced by Lucas Erceg and he picked off Smith at first before striking out Brendan Rodgers to end the inning.

Key moment

The home run by Paredes.

Key stat

Peña has three homers, four doubles, 24 hits and 13 RBIs in 15 games since moving to the leadoff spot.

Up next

Kansas City RHP Michael Lorenzen (3-3, 3.57 ERA) opposes LHP Colton Gordon in the series finale Wednesday night. Gordon will be recalled from Triple-A Sugar Land to make his major league debut.

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