Houston Texans – Blog

Texans-Bengals game blog

I’ll be posting updates after every score in the Texans’ Wild Card playoff game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Reliant Stadium. Scroll to the bottom of the post for the most recent updates.

The Bengals won the coin toss and deferred to the second half. The Texans received the opening kickoff.

First quarter

7:34: Bengals 7 — Texans 0

Bengals running back Cedric Benson runs for a one-yard touchdown on first-and-goal.

Drive summary: 5 plays, 74 yards, 2:23

Key plays: Texans safety Glover Quin was penalized 52 yards for pass interference on the second play of the drive on a deep pass from Andy Dalton to A.J. Green over the middle. On third-and-seven from the Houston 17, Dalton completed a 16-yard screen pass to Brian Leonard. Benson scored on the next play.

4:57: Texans 7 — Bengals 7

Texans running back Arian Foster runs for an eight-yard touchdown on first-and-goal.

Drive summary: 6 plays, 80 yards, 2:37

Key plays: On the second play of the drive, Foster made a 20-yard cutback run to the left side to the Houston 44. Texans quarterback T.J. Yates hit tight end Owen Daniels over the middle for 21 yards on the next play. Bengals safety Reggie Nelson was flagged 15 yards for unnecessary roughness to move the ball to the Cincinnati 20. Foster ran for eight yards, then four yards, then scored and punctuated the touchdown with a “Dream Shake” celebration in homage to Houston Rockets legend Hakeem Olajuwon.

Second quarter

7:09: Bengals 10 — Texans 7

Bengals kicker Mike Nugent makes a 37-yard field goal.

Drive summary: 8 plays, 61 yards, 4:15

Key plays: On third-and-one from the Cincinnati 29, Dalton ran up the middle for two yards and a first down. On the next play, he hit tight end Donald Lee for a 36-yard pass. Lee appeared to fumble after the play, and defensive end Antonio Smith was flagged 15 yards for a personal foul in the ensuing scramble. That moved the ball to the Houston 18-yard line.

1:48: Texans 10 — Bengals 10

Texans kicker Neil Rackers makes a 39-yard field goal.

Drive summary: 13 plays, 59 yards, 5:21

Key plays: Yates hit wide receiver Kevin Walter for 11 yards on the second play of the drive. Three plays later on third-and-four from the Houston 37, Yates completed an eight-yard pass to Daniels. Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis challenged the catch, but the ruling was upheld. Because Lewis lost a challenge earlier in the quarter, that left the Bengals without of challenges for the rest of the game.

0:52: Texans 17 — Bengals 10

Texans defensive end J.J. Watt scores on a 29-yard interception return.

Drive summary: N/A

Key plays: Watt jumped up and snatched Dalton’s pass behind the line of scrimmage, then dashed all the way to the north end zone.  He became the sixth defensive lineman in NFL history and first rookie defensive lineman to return an interception for a touchdown in the playoffs, not including the Super Bowl.

Third quarter

1:08: Texans 24 — Bengals 10

Texans wide receiver Andre Johnson catches a 40-yard touchdown pass on second-and-eight.

Drive summary: 9 plays, 83 yards, 4:37

Key plays: On the second play of the drive, Foster picked up 15 yards on a screen pass. Yates hit Foster for a 12-yard pass up the middle two plays later.  On third-and-six from the Houston 49, Johnson made a bobbling nine-yard catch for a first down. He caught his first-career playoff touchdown two plays later on a streak down the left sideline.

Fourth quarter

5:15: Texans 31 — Bengals 10

Foster runs for a 42-yard touchdown on third-and-seven.

Drive summary: 3 plays, 45 yards, 1:46

Key plays: Free safety Danieal Manning gave the Texans a short field with a leaping interception of Dalton on pass intended for Green. Foster scored three plays later, tiptoeing down the right sideline behind a nice downfield block by Jacoby Jones and shoving off a would-be tackler on his way to the end zone.