My name Is Kevin Snyder. I am from Dayton, Ohio and I am 23 yaers old. As a youth I have played football, baseball, basketball, hockey, and am currently involved in auto racing. I do not have a degree in writing, but I can assure you that my passion for writing and sports are not limited by my achievements. I have grown to love all aspects of everything athletic growing up playing sports. My hobbies include writing and sports, hence my passion to become a sports writer. The Cincinnati Bengals beat the Houston Texans in week four to improve to 4-0 for the first time since 1988.
What many Cincinnati fans thought would be a pushover in week four against a sub-par team like the Houston Texans, really turned out to be none other than a nail biting, "edge of your seat" type battle.
The Houston Texans came into Cincinnati staring their first 0-3 start in franchise history in the face. After firing their offensive coordinator Chris Palmer and replacing him with Joe Pendry, the Texans' former offensive line coach, they were more than determined to keep their dignity in tacked and to save all unwanted records.
The Texans were the first to receive and started the first quarter with impressive enthusiasm. After starting on their own 34-yard line, they quickly marched down the field to the Bengals' 30, before committing a five-yard penalty and being sacked for a loss of 10 yards resulting in a punt.
On Cincinnati's first possession it was business as usual for Carson Palmer and the Bengals, as they steadily racked up 81 of their 371 total yards, resulting in a field goal. Palmer threw for 57 of his 276 total yards passing on the day.
It would be a close and intense game from that point on, as the Texans responded with a field goal of their own on the ensuing drive.
After two consecutive punts, the Bengals mounted another impressive drive with 5:07 left to go in the first half. As if it were an omen, Palmer threw for another 57 yards with the help of a pass interference call in the end zone intended for rookie Chris Henry, giving Cincinnati the ball on the one yard line. Palmer connected with Jeremi Johnson on first and goal for what would be the only touchdown of the game and a 10-3 lead going into the half.
Cincinnati, with their 371 total yards, secured third spot in overall offense jumping to an average of 384.8 yards per game through four weeks. With Rudi Johnson having 19 rushes for 88 yards, the Bengals are 10th in the league in rushing yards per game with an average of 124, while their 260.8 average passing yards per game is good enough for seventh.
What's more impressive is that the Bengals are fifth overall in points scored with 104, at the same time only giving up 38 on defense, being ranked second through just four weeks.
The Bengals defense racked in a team high of seven sacks on the year and held the Texans to under 254 yards total offense. Kevin Kaesviharn, Robert Geathers, Brian Simmons, Justin Smith, Anthony Mitchell, and rookies Odell Thurman and David Pollack all took advantage of the Texans' worst record for sacks allowed, being credited with one each.
The Bengals allowed just 128 yards passing, and 126 yards rushing, while creating what would be an NFL league leading 17th turnover forced on the Texans' last possession of the game to seal a 16-10 victory.
Next week the Bengals face a mediocre Jacksonville team with an always hurt quarterback. If the Jaguars expect to fend off these aggressive Bengal Tigers in week five, they're going to have to bring more than just ice packs and bandages. These striped cats specialize in smelling out weaknesses, and by the look of Byron Leftwich's limp, the Jaguars better start running now.