The Houston Texans had a milestone victory in Week 9 as they came back to sink the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 39-37. C.J. Stroud looked anything but a rookie as the quarterback threw for 470 yards and five touchdowns. It is fair to say the Texans have graduated from being called a rebuild.
The Cincinnati Bengals had a slow start with a 1-3 mark and questions surrounding quarterback Joe Burrow’s calf. The Bengals are back to being in the thick of things in the AFC North with a 5-3 mark. Speaking of which, the Bengals have a Thursday night showdown in Week 11 at the Baltimore Ravens.
If you can’t catch the game any other conventional way, follow along here.
How to watch
Houston Texans at Cincinnati Bengals — Sunday, Nov. 12, 12:00 p.m. CT
TV channel: KHOU-TV
Live stream: FuboTV
Radio: Sports Radio 610 (KILT-AM), Mega 101 (KLOL-FM) (Marc Vandermeer & Andre Ware)
Location: Paycor Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio
Forecast: Sunny, 55 degrees, 7 mph wind
Follow the @TheTexansWire and the crew (@therealmarklane, @BigSargeSportz, @chrisnallsnfl @JohnHCrumpler)
Texans offensive player spotlight
RB Devin Singletary
“Motor” will be the Texans’ lead back for the second straight week as running back Dameon Pierce recovers from an ankle injury. Singletary had 13 carries for 26 yards against the Bucs last week. As the offense will be without receiver Nico Collins, it would be helpful if the Texans had a ground game to take the load off C.J. Stroud.
Texans defensive player spotlight
DE Jonathan Greenard
The former 2020 third-rounder leads the Texans with 6.0 sacks. Greenard was silent on the stat sheet as far as sacks, but managed to generate three quarterback hits last week. Similarly, Greenard will have to maintain a presence in Cincinnati’s backfield and keep Burrow uncomfortable.
Inactives
All of the Texans’ inactives this week are occupied by injured players.
First quarter — HTX 0, CIN 7
15:00 — Former Texans DT D.J. Reader is the only Bengal to go out for the coin toss. Houston calls heads. It’s heads. The Texans defer.
12:23 — On third-and-1 from the Houston 36, the defense stops RB Joe Mixon for a 2-yard loss.
11:38 — The Bengals go for it on fourth-and-3. QB Joe Burrow hits TE Tanner Hudson for a 3-yard gain.
9:48 — Burrow hits WR Trenton Irwin for a 32-yard touchdown down the right sideline, challenging CB Derek Stingley. Evan McPherson extra point is good. 7-0, Bengals
8:06 — On third-and-8 from the Texans’ 46, QB C.J. Stroud can’t connect with TE Dalton Schultz.
4:29 — The Texans stop Burrow for a yard scramble on third-and-8 from the Bengals’ 38.
0:03 — On fourth-and-1 from the 9-yard line, Stroud drops the snap and Reader recovers at the 11-yard line.
Second quarter — HXT 10, CIN 7
14:18 — On third-and-11 from the Bengals’ 10, Burrow hits WR Ja’Marr Chase for an 8-yard gain. The Bengals go three-and-out.
10:38 — Stroud throws a 6-yard touchdown pass to WR Tank Dell. Extra point from K Matt Ammendola is good. 7-7
5:36 — The Bengals strip-sack Stroud and take over at the Cincinnati 28-yard line.
0:14 — Ammendola kicks a 45-yard field goal. 10-7, Texans
HALFTIME
Stats
TEXANS
Stroud: 13/21, 198 yards, TD; 1 carry, 0 yards, 2 fumbles
Singletary: 12 carries, 62 yards
Noah Brown: 4 catches, 96 yards
BENGALS
Burrow: 14/18, 94 yards, TD; 2 carries, 0 yards
Joe Mixon: 6 carries, 21 yards; 2 catches, -1 yard
Irwin: 1 catch, 32 yards, TD
Hudson: 5 catches, 28 yards
Third quarter — HXT 20, CIN 17
13:46 — Stroud hits Brown for a 20-yard pass on second-and-7 from the Houston 40. Brown now at five catches for 116 yards.
9:30 — Ammendola hits a 22-yard field goal. 13-7, Texans
7:59 — What can Dell do for you? Try a 42-yard pass interference. Ball placed at the spot of the foul, a first-and-10 from the Bengals’ 17.
7:12 — Singletary rushes for a 6-yard touchdown. Extra point is good. 20-7, Texans
3:05 — McPherson hits a 50-yard touchdown. 20-10, Texans
0:21 — Burrow throws a 64-yard touchdown pass to Chase. Burrow kept the play alive, and S Jalen Pitre could not stay with Chase. Extra point is good. 20-17, Texans
Fourth quarter — HTX 30, CIN 27
12:52 — Stroud rushes for an 8-yard touchdown. Extra point is good. 27-17, Texans
9:44 — S DeAndre Houston-Carson picks off Burrow on first-and-10 from the Houston 35. Houston-Carson returns it to the 24.
4:00 — CB Shaquill Griffin intercepts Burrow in the end zone. Touchback.
3:41 — Stroud throws his second career interception. However, CB Cam Taylor-Britt returns it to the Texans’ 4-yard line.
3:18 — Mixon rushes for a 1-yard touchdown. Extra point is good. 27-24, Texans
2:04 — Burrow throws a 64-yard pass to WR Tyler Boyd down to the Texans’ 4-yard line. The Bengals did burn all of their timeouts attempting to get the ball back.
1:37 — McPherson hits a 31-yard field goal. 27-27
0:05 — Ammendola hits a 38-yard field goal. 30-27, Texans
0:00 — Houston wins 30-27. The Texans improve to 5-4, the first winning record since they started 1-0 in 2021. Coverage all night at Texans Wire.
