Cincinnati Bengals @ Houston Texans. 1/5. 3:30. **Official Wildcard GameDay Thread**

[ThaShark316]

The Run, Part I of IV

The Houston Texans are hosting the Cincinnati Bengals on Saturday to begin the NFL playoffs for the second straight year.

This time, Matt Schaub will be in the spotlight.

Schaub will make his first postseason start as the stumbling Texans try to eliminate Cincinnati in the wild-card round, a year after they did so with a third-string quarterback.

Houston's first playoff game in franchise history was a 31-10 victory over Cincinnati last year to open wild-card weekend. T.J. Yates was the Texans' quarterback since Schaub was lost for the season after 10 games due to a foot injury and former backup Matt Leinart also was sidelined.

"It is exciting," Schaub said. "It's an exciting time of year to be a part of this to get ready to play in a playoff game, especially here at home in front of our home fans."

How excited the third-seeded Texans (12-4) truly are for Saturday is debatable. Houston lost its final two regular-season games when a victory in either would have given it a first-round bye and home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs.

"We didn't handle the end of the season the way we wanted to handle it, but that doesn't mean that we can't handle these playoffs the way we want to handle it," coach Gary Kubiak said. "We understand how we have to play."

Schaub had 21 touchdown passes to nine interceptions during the Texans' 11-1 start, but had one TD and three picks over their 1-3 finish.

"I've just got to play a little more consistent," said Schaub, who has not thrown a pass in a playoff game in nine NFL seasons. "I definitely know when things aren't going well to look at myself first because I'm the one that's putting everyone in position and trying to make the plays."

Andy Dalton, meanwhile, has guided Cincinnati (10-6) to its first consecutive playoff berths since 1981-82. He's looking to make amends after he threw three interceptions and was sacked four times while finishing with the second-worst passer rating of his career at 51.4 in last year's defeat.

MORE PICKS: http://www.nfl.com/playoffs/story/0a...nd-of-playoffs

What I want to see:

Let's get some toss plays going with Arian and Tate

I think Cincy's front is badass. That said, I want to see the Texans get their front seven moving around. They might be a little susceptible to play action, so making them move around with the RUN might do more good for the offense.

Better safety play, especially on deep balls

Between Manning, GQ and Demps; the Texans have been getting burned at times on deep balls. With one of the best deep ball receivers coming to town, that needs to be fixed. You, me, and everyone else knows that Dalton will go up top. It's up to the Texans to cover well so Dalton has to go underneath or take sacks.

Schaub and OL...get it together

Matt cannot get beat up in this one. I can't stress enough how he also needs to remain confident, don't make silly mistakes, and also, don't make any "gotta get rid of it" throws when he has time. Gotta have the OL on their best behavior.

Limit the penalties

Something that has plagued us for weeks now. Too many penalties, especially on offense. That said, Barwin...BE STILL, sir.

Bonus: BE LOUD!

Let's get hyped for this one! It's the playoffs. I know some folks aren't hyped at all, but let's get that way if you aren't. Where ever you are watching the game, be LOUD!!!

IT'S PLAYOFF TIME!!!!!!!!! Let's get this **** going, fam. What happened in the Regular Season, good or bad, is over and done with. There isn't a thing you can do about spilled milk. Saturday is a day where we start to right this ship and get back to Texans football. Nothing, of course, has changed: 1-0 is the goal and battle cry this week. This is our building, so it's time to the rattle the cages of the Bengals, send them home for the Winter, and move on to the next round. We're in the dance, folks...so let's put our dancing shoes on! LET'S MUTHA****IN' GO, TEXANS!!!!

[qqert]

I'm bitter when it comes to losses, and I criticize a lot.
But when it comes to GAME DAY,

this texans fan gets behind the HOUSTON TEXANS!

[Big Lou]

Been down all week, very strange not be pumped all week. However its Wild Card Eve, the excitement is creeping in. The regular season has faded the last two days.

Now it's the Playoffs!!!!! A chance for a new beginning. Lets put our anger away for now, or channel it against the Bungles.

So lets go fans, let's cheer our boys on!!!! Those lucky enough to get to Reliant cheer only, hold the jeers.

Let's go Texans, kick some Bengal ass!!!!!!!

[houstonhurricane]

We've got this. Let's Go Texans!

[MEGA SWATT]

Let's do this. Beat them in consecutvie playoffs.

[JCTexan]

Originally Posted by MEGA SWATT

Let's do this. Beat them on the road, beat them at home in consecutvie playoffs.

Last years win against the Bengals was a home game...

[TexanExile]

Yep, it's been a rotten month. But it all starts new again, now, and at home. Let's see a September-style flashback to domination!

[Bulls on Parade]

Originally Posted by TexanExile

Yep, it's been a rotten month. But it all starts new again, now, and at home. Let's see a September-style flashback to domination!

Agreed. It all starts brand new today!

Time to prove the doubters wrong. Most of the experts are predicting the Bengals to win today but the Texans are going to make their Super Bowl run.

Time to win and move on to Foxboro next weekend.

[dream_team]

Teams have looked bad heading into the post season and ended up winning it all. It has happened before and it can happen again!

[mattieuk]

I know it has been an awful fortnight of following the Texans.

However - the any given Sunday rule applies to the weakest of the weak-and the Texans have enough talent to ride this roster all the way to the Superbowl - whether the players and the coaches can get themselves together for it is the question.

Personally we waited long enough to get a chance for the New Year to matter to the Texans - and I'll be damned if the run-in to the season is going to temper my excitement for a Texans playoff game.

Only 11 hours to go! Wooooooooo!!!!

[SAMURAITEXAN]

Let's go Texans!!!

[TheMatrix31]

Let's ****ing go, baby!

[TFL]

Can't wait for this game... I'm just glad I'm going to be off in time for it!!!!

[mariowillshine15]

Go Texans!

[Goodwrench3]

Another era,another moment today! Playoffs! GO TEXANS!

#PrideofTexas

[Thorn]

Playoffs, second year in a row. That's nice. It fact it's great! I just wish I was as exicited as I was last year.

[Cerberus]

Hoping for the best, fearing the worst.

[EllisUnit]

I sure an seeing a lot of "excitment" people. Come on i thought we werent gonna get pumped.

[mussop]

"I've just got to play a little more consistent," said Schaub,

Talk about understating the case. This doesn't instill a lot of confidence in me. It
's going to take a lot of and if we are going to win this game.

[76Texan]

Time to lay it all out; let's go boys!