Cincinnati Bengals at Houston Texans - NFL Playoff Preview and Odds
On Saturday, the Cincinnati Bengals and Houston Texans will play the first AFC playoff game of the post-season. This is a very intriguing game for several reasons.
1. Cincinnati and Houston met in this very game last year. Houston won that game 31-10. So the Bengals have had a whole year to think about that game. Do you think they weren't thrilled to get a rematch this season?
2. The Bengals come in red hot, winners of seven of the last eight games. The Texans come in having lost three of the last four. So we will find out if there is anything to the conventional wisdom that teams want to come into the playoffs with momentum.
3. Both teams rely on a great defense. So this game should come down to which team can move the ball on the other. Both teams have standout wide receivers. The Bengals have A. J. Green with 1350 yards and 11 touchdowns while the Texans have Andre Johnson with 1598 yards and four touchdowns. Both have 1000-yard running backs too. Benjarvus Green-Ellis led the Bengals with 1094 yards while Arian Foster had 1424 yards.
Bengals at Texans Odds
So we have two mirror-image teams going at it on Saturday. Let's look at what the oddsmakers have to say:
Bodog has the Bengals +4.5 even and the Texans -4.5 even. Over/under is 43. It is awfully tempting to take the Bengals with the 4.5 points. But here are some of the things we are looking at before we make out pick.
Quarterback play- This is absolutely essential in the NFL, especially in the playoffs, Quarterbacks win playoff games more often than not. SO let's compare them
Houston's Matt Shaub had 4008 yards passing 22 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. Those are not bad numbers, but certainly not eye-popping stats.
Cincinnati's Andy Dalton had 3669 yards, 26 touchdowns and 17 interceptions. So his numbers are not that for off of Shaub's. But the one thing here is the 17 picks compared to 12. So many times it is a crucial turnover that decides playoff games. Dalton is more likely to commit one than Shaub.
Will home field matter in this game? The numbers say no. The Bengals were 6-2 in road games this year while only going 4-4 at home. The Texans were 6-2 at home. So that's a push.
Our Pick
After going back and forth on this game we will take the Bengals and the 4.5 points and the under. Defense rules the day this time of the year. The Texans may well win, but we think it might be 17-14 or 20-17.
