In Brief
Bengals RB Cedric Benson is currently the NFL's leading rusher.
(Joe Robbins / NFL.com)
Last meeting:
Matt Schaub had one of the best games of his career, completing 24 of 28 passes for 280 yards and three touchdowns as the Texans blew out the Bengals, 35-6, in Week 8 last season.
Streaks:
The Bengals had a 3-0 series lead, until losing last season. They now have a 3-1 edge.
Last week:
For the fifth consecutive week, Cincinnati played a game that was decided in the final minute. This time, the Bengals used a late TD catch from Andre Caldwell to defeat the Ravens, 17-14, and improve to 4-1. ... Houston was stuffed four times at the goal line in the final minute at Arizona and lost, 28-21.
Keep your eye on ...
The Cardiac Cats: It seemed unlikely that the Bengals would be able to continue their trend of last-minute victories at Baltimore, but they managed to come up with another late drive and another dramatic win. Four straight narrow victories have given Cincinnati the confidence it can always come back, but the next step is to win a game convincingly and skip the last-minute excitement.
Cedric Benson's consistency: The Bengals running back is in the midst of his best season and he has done his best against some of the premier rush defenses in the NFL. In games against three of the top six run-stopping units in the league (Pittsburgh, Baltimore and Denver), he has averaged 91 yards and a touchdown. Now he gets to play the Texans' 26th-ranked run defense.
Even-week magic for the Texans: Houston has alternated wins and losses this season. Having lost last Sunday in Week 5, the Texans are due for a win this week. For the trend to continue, they must play like they have in their two wins when they have a plus-3 turnover ratio. They have a minus-2 turnover ratio in their three losses.
Did you know?
Texans WR Andre Johnson has tallied 100 yards receiving in two straight games. ... When Schaub has a 100-plus passer rating, Houston is 8-3. ... Bengals WR Chad Ochocinco ranks second with 8,928 receiving yards since 2002. ... Cincinnati's Johnathan Joseph has an interception in three consecutive games.
