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Texans vs. Bengals ... wishful thinking.?.

I really dislike strategies that requires the opposing team to make a lot of mistakes and beat themselves in order for us to win.

If the Bengals are playing us like they have been playing the past 7 weeks, there is no way this 2015 Texans team wins this game. The freakin' Dolphins - THE FREAKIN' DOLPHINS, MAN!! - dropped 41 points on this team in a quarter and a half just a couple of weeks ago. The Texans offense had so many three and outs that I thought they were playing Chinese fire-drill or some other elementary school game.

No Arian and Brian Hoyer as QB. Swiss cheese offensive line and a receiving corps consisting of one good player and a bunch of butterfinger nobodies. A defense that has forgotten pursuit angles and basic tackling fundamentals. A coaching staff that, by their own words, are still trying to figure out how to coach these guys better. Hell, the head coach admits in public that he's not even sure what's wrong with this team. Yeah, that's reassuring...

Prove me wrong, Texans. I don't just think you suck, YOU ACTUALLY SUCK.
 
No doubt that the Bengals should obliterate the Texans. But we all know that's not how sports work all the time. No, you don't have a game plan hoping the other team shoots themselves in the foot, but things happen in sports that no one can explain. The Texans crushing the Steelers 24-6 with 47 yards of total offense to the Steelers 400+. **** happens and can again next Monday.

The Bengals are likely not going 16-0. They likely aren't going 14-2. They are going to lose 2, 3, maybe 4 games this season. Good teams are always dropping one to a bad team, bad teams are always pulling off the upset.

If the Texans beat the Bengals, it doesn't mean anything other than the Texans probably got the ball to bounce their way in a game for a change. It doesn't mean the Texans have all of a sudden become Super Bowl contenders because they upset the Bengals.

Though with a Colts loss to Denver, it would give the Texans a full game lead in the division.:kitten:
 
It seems that wins mean NOTHING and losses mean EVERYTHING. Doesn't that describe a pessimist more than a realist?

There is often a fine line between pragmatism/realism and pessimism, just like there is often a fine line between delusionalism and optimism.

When analyzing the Texans 3 wins over bad teams, and then compared to the 5 losses - two of them obliterated blowouts before halftimes by barely mediocre teams - you might start to see those fine lines depending on where you choose to place your perspective.

This is a bad football team. It is not pessimistic to admit reality.
 
Y'all are all wrong, I think this Saturday at 2:30 Houston will definitely beat Cincinnati .

The Texans might beat them ..... to the stadium.


The Bengals are easily the best team the Texans have played up to this point .... What Atlanta & Miami did to them .... The Bengals can do .... better.
 
I don't see how this defense stops the Bengals. AJ Green, Sanu, Jones, Eifert, Bernard, Hill and not to mention Ol Red is playing good. The 3 WR's are averaging almost 14 yards per catch. The TE, almost 12. The way our CBs play 8-12 yards off the WR, these averages will surely go up this game. Bernard is averaging over 5 yds per carry. No bueno for Wilfork, Cushing, etc. IF the defense shows up with the same intensity as last Sunday, then maybe there is a shot at keeping it close, maybe.

The offense might put up 14-17 points but I don't see the defense holding the Bengals under 28/31. I don't ever feel optimistic about Primetime games, so it's really tough to find the silver lining in this matchup.
 
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After the heartbreak Houston has given Cincy in the playoffs in recent memory I wouldn't be surprised if the Katy Rocket doesn't come home and run it up on us.
 
After the heartbreak Houston has given Cincy in the playoffs in recent memory I wouldn't be surprised if the Katy Rocket doesn't come home and run it up on us.

True...

Technically we could root for Andy Dalton & be rooting for the Texan.
 
I've watched a small bit of Bengals football this year and just from what I see we aren't in the same realm. We are not nearly as crisp or talented.

I don't think that we could beat many teams left on our schedule other than the Jags and Titans.

I would not be surprised if this team won only one or two more games this season.
 
I'm pretty sure last year hoyer beat cincy on the road just saying so yeah we have a chance
 
There is often a fine line between pragmatism/realism and pessimism, just like there is often a fine line between delusionalism and optimism.

When analyzing the Texans 3 wins over bad teams, and then compared to the 5 losses - two of them obliterated blowouts before halftimes by barely mediocre teams - you might start to see those fine lines depending on where you choose to place your perspective.

This is a bad football team. It is not pessimistic to admit reality.
But a realist would also recall only a 7 point loss to the UNDEFEATED Panthers and conclude they aren't THAT bad. I'm not saying Great (Delusional) or even Good (Optimistic). Just not HORRIBLE (Pessimistic).
 
Sorry, but all you sad sacks will have to be depressed on your own. Although I will not be wasting my time watching the game live. I think the Bengals are ripe for an upset of epic proportions. They are already at their franchise record so they are in uncharted territory, over confident, and who wouldn't look passed the Texans at this point? While it may seem unlikely, it is possible they lose to our sorry ass team. Come on O'Brien... go multiple on their ass baby! Put the fear of god in them and start TJ Yates!
:kitten:
 
Sorry, but all you sad sacks will have to be depressed on your own. Although I will not be wasting my time watching the game live. I think the Bengals are ripe for an upset of epic proportions. They are already at their franchise record so they are in uncharted territory, over confident, and who wouldn't look passed the Texans at this point? While it may seem unlikely, it is possible they lose to our sorry ass team. Come on O'Brien... go multiple on their ass baby! Put the fear of god in them and start TJ Yates!
:kitten:
Could happen....I don't see Hoyer having a great game against the Bengals....I predict 2 interceptions
 
Texans now in a position where they must beat the Bungles or see nothing but tail lights from the Dolts the rest of the way. But if the Texans win out, they have a chance.
 
The Colts have it all but sewn up, imo. Their remaining schedule has a combined record of 24-34. Ours is 37-29. The Colts have already gone through their toughest part of the season. We're just now entering ours with the Bengals, Jets, Saints, Bills and Pats. The Saints and Bills only have 4 wins, but I consider them better teams than the Texans
 
What's up everyone ?? Glad to see everyone so optimistic heading into this one.
If you recall, my 9 year old is a Texans fan, so we've been keeping up with the crappy season to this point.

I agree with some of the thoughts about a team always dropping one they shouldn't and I'm hoping my Bengals don't overlook the Texans.
That being said, if they stay focused as they have to this point, the Texans are in for a long Monday night.
The Bengals are pretty healthy heading into this game and the offense is stacked. The defense gives up yards, but are very solid.
Dalton has been lights out this year and has back to back primetime wins he would have lost in the past.
I see a 14 point win by my Bengals as long as they maintain their focus.

My friends are coming up from Houston for the game and we are all headed to the stadium.
While I want my Bengals to win, a loss would prove to be very fun for them and my son.
It should be a good time any way around.

Good luck !!!
 
What's up everyone ?? Glad to see everyone so optimistic heading into this one.
If you recall, my 9 year old is a Texans fan, so we've been keeping up with the crappy season to this point.

I agree with some of the thoughts about a team always dropping one they shouldn't and I'm hoping my Bengals don't overlook the Texans.
That being said, if they stay focused as they have to this point, the Texans are in for a long Monday night.
The Bengals are pretty healthy heading into this game and the offense is stacked. The defense gives up yards, but are very solid.
Dalton has been lights out this year and has back to back primetime wins he would have lost in the past.
I see a 14 point win by my Bengals as long as they maintain their focus.

My friends are coming up from Houston for the game and we are all headed to the stadium.
While I want my Bengals to win, a loss would prove to be very fun for them and my son.
It should be a good time any way around.

Good luck !!!

Most Texans fans laugh at your 14-point win prediction.

Mainly because that point differential is way too low...
 
But a realist would also recall only a 7 point loss to the UNDEFEATED Panthers and conclude they aren't THAT bad. I'm not saying Great (Delusional) or even Good (Optimistic). Just not HORRIBLE (Pessimistic).

A conclusion that they aren't that bad based on the final score is indicative of either someone that did not watch the game or someone that is intentionally being intellectually dishonest.

The Texans QB in that game is not even on the roster now. One of the recaps from that particular game: "Ryan Mallett went 0-of-14 with an interception when under duress Sunday, the most attempts without a completion when pressured in the last 5 seasons."

There is nothing pessimistic about accepting reality.
 
A conclusion that they aren't that bad based on the final score is indicative of either someone that did not watch the game or someone that is intentionally being intellectually dishonest.

The Texans QB in that game is not even on the roster now. One of the recaps from that particular game: "Ryan Mallett went 0-of-14 with an interception when under duress Sunday, the most attempts without a completion when pressured in the last 5 seasons."

There is nothing pessimistic about accepting reality.
If you must be a pessimist, then be a great one.
 
If you must be a pessimist, then be a great one.

OK, I'll give it a shot.

The Texans season (like many seasons before) is over after playing just half their games. We have **** for a QB, crap for an O-line, our RBs would do well to be someone else's 3rd string or practice squad. We do have a good receiver though. I didn't mention the TE's for a reason.

Our defense is like the weather, you can't predict it. Which added to our offense means the Texans are a crappy, shitty, unwatchable snake abortion. And I should apologize to all snake abortions out there for that, but I'm on a roll. This ungodly craptastic piece of ultimate failure is now giving us ANOTHER year of horribleness.

But we continue to watch because train wrecks and dumpster fires can be entertaining.
 
OK, I'll give it a shot.

The Texans season (like many seasons before) is over after playing just half their games. We have **** for a QB, crap for an O-line, our RBs would do well to be someone else's 3rd string or practice squad. We do have a good receiver though. I didn't mention the TE's for a reason.

Our defense is like the weather, you can't predict it. Which added to our offense means the Texans are a crappy, shitty, unwatchable snake abortion. And I should apologize to all snake abortions out there for that, but I'm on a roll. This ungodly craptastic piece of ultimate failure is now giving us ANOTHER year of horribleness.

But we continue to watch because train wrecks and dumpster fires can be entertaining.
BRAVO good pessimist.
 
Could be worse.
You could have been a Bengals fan through the 90's.
A time when driving nails into your scrotum would have been less painful than watching those teams.
Yeah, let that sink in for a moment.
 
Could be worse.
You could have been a Bengals fan through the 90's.
A time when driving nails into your scrotum would have been less painful than watching those teams.
Yeah, let that sink in for a moment.

Yeah well he had the Oilers of the 60's, 70's and 80's and now this clusterfk of a team... digest that one
 
If you must be a pessimist, then be a great one.

The wisdom of Mark Twain: "The man who is a pessimist before 48 knows too much; if he is an optimist after it, he knows too little."

main-qimg-5f86baf96f6e13459e19d91624cdb4b2



Could be worse.
You could have been a Bengals fan through the 90's.
A time when driving nails into your scrotum would have been less painful than watching those teams.
Yeah, let that sink in for a moment.

At least your city has been to a couple of Super Bowls. The closest we have been is 1978 and 1979 when the Luv Ya Blue Oilers made it to the AFC Championship games, only to be defeated by the juggernaut that was the Steelers dynasty.
 
Yeah well he had the Oilers of the 60's, 70's and 80's and now this clusterfk of a team... digest that one
Then there's that.
Maybe that's another reason I follow the Texans along with my Bengals.
Something about misery and company.

I'm glad my Bengals have gotten beyond those times.
Hoping the Texans can do the same thing.
 
Then there's that.
Maybe that's another reason I follow the Texans along with my Bengals.
Something about misery and company.

I'm glad my Bengals have gotten beyond those times.
Hoping the Texans can do the same thing.

This is Houston sports, where there is a time warp and we are stuck in the pit falls of sports suckage.....
 
The wisdom of Mark Twain: "The man who is a pessimist before 48 knows too much; if he is an optimist after it, he knows too little."

main-qimg-5f86baf96f6e13459e19d91624cdb4b2





At least your city has been to a couple of Super Bowls. The closest we have been is 1978 and 1979 when the Luv Ya Blue Oilers made it to the AFC Championship games, only to be defeated by the juggernaut that was the Steelers dynasty.
How quickly we forget the AFL Championships before the Superbowls.

HOUSTON OILERS
1960 Oilers 24, Los Angeles Chargers 16 (Game played January 1, 1961)
1961 Oilers 10, San Diego Chargers 3

Also appeared in 1962, but lost to the Dallas Texans (later to become the Kansas City Chiefs.)
 
How quickly we forget the AFL Championships before the Superbowls.

HOUSTON OILERS
1960 Oilers 24, Los Angeles Chargers 16 (Game played January 1, 1961)
1961 Oilers 10, San Diego Chargers 3

Also appeared in 1962, but lost to the Dallas Texans (later to become the Kansas City Chiefs.)


Thats like me saying i used to hit home runs before they put the fence up.........:choke:
 
How quickly we forget the AFL Championships before the Superbowls.

HOUSTON OILERS
1960 Oilers 24, Los Angeles Chargers 16 (Game played January 1, 1961)
1961 Oilers 10, San Diego Chargers 3

Also appeared in 1962, but lost to the Dallas Texans (later to become the Kansas City Chiefs.)

Well, it was before my time, and those were not NFL championships, much less Super Bowls. Besides, the AFL was a start up league that had some NFL-caliber players, but certainly most of the players were not. AFL champions are not the same as NFL championships.
 
How quickly we forget the AFL Championships before the Superbowls.

HOUSTON OILERS
1960 Oilers 24, Los Angeles Chargers 16 (Game played January 1, 1961)
1961 Oilers 10, San Diego Chargers 3

Also appeared in 1962, but lost to the Dallas Texans (later to become the Kansas City Chiefs.)

How quickly we forget? That was 54 years ago. Live in the past much?
 
What I want for the Texans is to kick ass, go to the Super Bowl and win it. What I get is the same ole crap every year since the late 60s when I started following the Oilers. I keep hoping something will change, but it never does. And apparently I don't change either because I keep watching the train wrecks every year.
 
What I want for the Texans is to kick ass, go to the Super Bowl and win it. What I get is the same ole crap every year since the late 60s when I started following the Oilers. I keep hoping something will change, but it never does. And apparently I don't change either because I keep watching the train wrecks every year.

A good friend of mine gave me a copy of a book - The Road Less Traveled - many years ago. The book starts of with a simple premise: life is difficult. Here is the exact quote:

“Life is difficult. This is a great truth, one of the greatest truths. It is a great truth because once we truly see this truth, we transcend it. Once we truly know that life is difficult-once we truly understand and accept it-then life is no longer difficult. Because once it is accepted, the fact that life is difficult no longer matters.”

I use this philosophy about being a Houston pro football fan. I have accepted that I will never see a Houston football team in the Super Bowl. That's just the way it is. So once I accepted that, I found my ability to enjoy Houston football games to be much easier. When I have low-to-no expectations, I cannot be disappointed.

Just trying to be be the best pessimistic realist that I can be. :cowboy1:
 
A good friend of mine gave me a copy of a book - The Road Less Traveled - many years ago. The book starts of with a simple premise: life is difficult. Here is the exact quote:

“Life is difficult. This is a great truth, one of the greatest truths. It is a great truth because once we truly see this truth, we transcend it. Once we truly know that life is difficult-once we truly understand and accept it-then life is no longer difficult. Because once it is accepted, the fact that life is difficult no longer matters.”

I use this philosophy about being a Houston pro football fan. I have accepted that I will never see a Houston football team in the Super Bowl. That's just the way it is. So once I accepted that, I found my ability to enjoy Houston football games to be much easier. When I have low-to-no expectations, I cannot be disappointed.

Just trying to be be the best pessimistic realist that I can be. :cowboy1:
So let me get this straight. You've made peace with your hopelessness?
 
Good perspective. But I choose to always have hope, even if not a reasonable expectation of winning.

And there's nothing wrong with that perspective, too.

I start every new season with renewed hope. Anything can happen in the NFL. My excitement level in a given season is directly related to what we see on the field. And this season, I feel like we are seeing a collection of individual players, not a team. And there has never been much success for the former in this league.
 
And there's nothing wrong with that perspective, too.

I start every new season with renewed hope. Anything can happen in the NFL. My excitement level in a given season is directly related to what we see on the field. And this season, I feel like we are seeing a collection of individual players, not a team. And there has never been much success for the former in this league.

That's why I'm so against the naysayers before the first kickoff . It's like an arranged marriage and I hope to get a Scarlett Johansson look alike even tho I've seen the bride to bes sisters .
 
Good perspective. But I choose to always have hope, even if not a reasonable expectation of winning.

I like your attitude. I always hope for a win myself, even without a reasonable expectation of winning. The Bengals will kick our sorry asses, but that doesn't mean I'm not wishing for the Texans to do the ass kicking. Every dog has his day and all that sort of thing.
 
A good friend of mine gave me a copy of a book - The Road Less Traveled - many years ago. The book starts of with a simple premise: life is difficult. Here is the exact quote:

“Life is difficult. This is a great truth, one of the greatest truths. It is a great truth because once we truly see this truth, we transcend it. Once we truly know that life is difficult-once we truly understand and accept it-then life is no longer difficult. Because once it is accepted, the fact that life is difficult no longer matters.”

I use this philosophy about being a Houston pro football fan. I have accepted that I will never see a Houston football team in the Super Bowl. That's just the way it is. So once I accepted that, I found my ability to enjoy Houston football games to be much easier. When I have low-to-no expectations, I cannot be disappointed.

Just trying to be be the best pessimistic realist that I can be. :cowboy1:

I have read that book. Good read.

After growing up in Boston and watching the Red Sox loose the 7th game of the World Series 3 times, I too thought I would never see them win. 1967, 1975 and 1986. After 1986, I just accepted that I would probably never see them win one. Took them till 2004 to break the curse. 86 years between Worlds Series wins. I am just glad that my Dad who took me to my first baseball game was alive to see it.

I also never get too emotional over the Texans. I do enjoy watching them and rooting for them. But I do not get bent our of shape when they loose. Even the 2-14 season, I watched all the games. But after that year, I have lowered my expectations of what they will do. Sort of like Missouri - show me first, them I may start to get a little more excited.

Sooner or later we will make it to the Super Bowl. I just hope it is in my lifetime.
 


Texans QB Brian Hoyer on Bengals D: 'You don't see them ever screw up'
By Tania Ganguli ESPN
Thursday, November 12, 2015


HOUSTON -- In all the film he's watched on the Cincinnati Bengals, Houston Texans quarterback Brian Hoyer has an idea about why their defense has played so well this year.

"You look around and it’s guys that have been in the system for a very long time," Hoyer said. "The system, obviously [Mike] Zimmer was there, but [Bengals defensive coordinator Paul] Guenther has kept it pretty familiar for those guys and you don’t see them ever screw up anything, really. I think, after watching the film, I’ve seen one play where they might have messed that one up, but everything else, they are very sound, they have a lot of great players and they are going to make you earn every yard."

Hoyer started two games against the Bengals while playing for the Cleveland Browns. He won both starts and had a passer rating of 99.6 and a Total QBR of 74.4, completing 65.6 percent of his passes and throwing two touchdowns with no interceptions.

But that success against Cincinnati in the past means little to him now.

"It's not really relevant. It was a different team that I was on. Different team for them [too]. I've talked about how stable they are. They've had a lot of the same guys, but there's a few other players they had."

It helped with his preparation, though. He didn't have to read the Bengals scouting report this week. He knew the players well enough. He just needed to confirm their defense hadn't changed, and did.

Perhaps more relevant is how Hoyer has been playing lately. He threw 12 touchdowns between Weeks 4 and 8, the fourth most of any quarterback in the NFL. He had the second-most touchdowns in the first eight games of a season in Texans history with 13, and might have caught Matt Schaub's 2009 record of 16 had he been more of a full-time starter this season.

His streak of five games with two or more touchdowns is only topped by one quarterback -- his mentor, Tom Brady.

He'll be challenged to keep that up by a tough Bengals defense. They rank fifth in opponent QBR, third in red-zone efficiency against and second in goal-to-go efficiency against. They've allowed 17.8 points per game, which ranks fourth in the NFL.

"They’re 8-0 for a reason," Texans coach Bill O'Brien said. "One of the reasons why is their front is a very strong front, [Carlos] Dunlap, [Michael] Johnson, Geno Atkins, one of the best three-techniques in the league, so it’s a big challenge. Linebackers are athletic, tough, their top four corners are all first-round draft picks, talented guys, got a lot of respect for this defense and our guys are obviously going to have to be up to that challenge. That’s a heck of an opponent on the other side."
 
Texans QB Brian Hoyer on Bengals D: 'You don't see them ever screw up'
By Tania Ganguli ESPN
Thursday, November 12, 2015


HOUSTON -- In all the film he's watched on the Cincinnati Bengals, Houston Texans quarterback Brian Hoyer has an idea about why their defense has played so well this year.

"You look around and it’s guys that have been in the system for a very long time," Hoyer said. "The system, obviously [Mike] Zimmer was there, but [Bengals defensive coordinator Paul] Guenther has kept it pretty familiar for those guys and you don’t see them ever screw up anything, really. I think, after watching the film, I’ve seen one play where they might have messed that one up, but everything else, they are very sound, they have a lot of great players and they are going to make you earn every yard."

Hoyer started two games against the Bengals while playing for the Cleveland Browns. He won both starts and had a passer rating of 99.6 and a Total QBR of 74.4, completing 65.6 percent of his passes and throwing two touchdowns with no interceptions.

But that success against Cincinnati in the past means little to him now.

"It's not really relevant. It was a different team that I was on. Different team for them [too]. I've talked about how stable they are. They've had a lot of the same guys, but there's a few other players they had."

It helped with his preparation, though. He didn't have to read the Bengals scouting report this week. He knew the players well enough. He just needed to confirm their defense hadn't changed, and did.

Perhaps more relevant is how Hoyer has been playing lately. He threw 12 touchdowns between Weeks 4 and 8, the fourth most of any quarterback in the NFL. He had the second-most touchdowns in the first eight games of a season in Texans history with 13, and might have caught Matt Schaub's 2009 record of 16 had he been more of a full-time starter this season.

His streak of five games with two or more touchdowns is only topped by one quarterback -- his mentor, Tom Brady.

He'll be challenged to keep that up by a tough Bengals defense. They rank fifth in opponent QBR, third in red-zone efficiency against and second in goal-to-go efficiency against. They've allowed 17.8 points per game, which ranks fourth in the NFL.

"They’re 8-0 for a reason," Texans coach Bill O'Brien said. "One of the reasons why is their front is a very strong front, [Carlos] Dunlap, [Michael] Johnson, Geno Atkins, one of the best three-techniques in the league, so it’s a big challenge. Linebackers are athletic, tough, their top four corners are all first-round draft picks, talented guys, got a lot of respect for this defense and our guys are obviously going to have to be up to that challenge. That’s a heck of an opponent on the other side."

Good Lord, talk about stat picking to prop up Hoyer.

Between weeks 4 and 8, the Texans averaged 71 yards rushing per game, with 2 rushing TD's in those 5 games. In other words, he had to throw.

Between weeks 4 and 8, the Texans were twice down by 40+ points and collected a lot of garbage time yardage/points. In other words, he had to throw.

Between weeks 4 and 8, the Texans beat two 2-win teams and played 3 defenses ranked 20th or worse against the pass. In other words, he had to throw.

Lipstick on a pig.
 
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