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- Smith challenges Warner to go big in India
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Bengals vs. Texans: Score and Twitter Reaction for Saturday Night Football
- Updated: December 25, 2016
The Houston Texans received an early Christmas gift from their former kicker, Randy Bullock, on Saturday.
The Texans beat the Cincinnati Bengals on Saturday, 12-10, to clinch the AFC South title, but Bullock could have won the game for the Bengals with a 43-yard field goal. However, he pushed it to the right and ended the defensive battle in disappointing fashion for the visitors.
Houston reacted to the division crown that was possible because the Jacksonville Jaguars beat the Tennessee Titans on Saturday:
#WeAreTexans pic.twitter.com/G3RycQCgiu
— Houston Texans (@HoustonTexans) December 25, 2016
The Texans moved to 9-6 and an impressive 7-1 at home, while Cincinnati’s disastrous season continued, as it fell to 5-9-1.
Each team managed just one touchdown, but Alfred Blue’s fourth-quarter score proved to be the difference. Blue was playing because the Texans announced running back Lamar Miller was inactive.
On the other side, the Bengals announced wide receiver A.J. Green, tight end Tyler Eifert and linebacker Vontaze Burfict were among the inactives, which led to 14 targets for wide receiver Cody Core.
Tom Savage threw for 176 yards and zero touchdowns for Houston, but he also avoided a critical turnover. Blue ran for 73 yards and the score, while DeAndre Hopkins led his team with 43 receiving yards.
Andy Dalton threw for 268 yards, one touchdown and one interception, and Brandon LaFell hauled in 130 receiving yards and an 86-yard score. Cincinnati ran for a mere 50 yards on 19 carries (2.6 per attempt) and didn’t support the passing attack against Houston’s stingy front seven.
The Texans sacked Dalton three times, while Cincinnati sacked Savage four times, per ESPN.com.
It was nothing but defense from the early going, as the two teams traded punts on six first-quarter possessions. Cincinnati’s front seven dominated Houston’s offensive line, and neither team consistently moved the ball with so many playmakers missing.
Paul Dehner Jr. of the Cincinnati Enquirer questioned the holiday plans of those who tuned in:
You have …
