Houston Texans vs Cincinnati Bengals Match Player Stats On Dec 11, 2011

SportsDirect Inc. staff
Dec 11, 2011

T.J. Yates threw a 6-yard touchdown pass to Kevin Walter with two seconds left as the visiting Houston Texans clinched their first playoff berth in franchise history with a 20-19 victory over the stunned Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday.

Houston got the ball at its own 20 with 2:33 left before Yates and the Texans unleashed a 13-play drive to complete a comeback from a 16-3 halftime deficit and add to their franchise record with their seventh straight victory.

Yates finished 26 of 44 for 300 yards and two touchdowns for the Texans (10-3), who won the AFC South when Tennessee lost to New Orleans 22-17 moments later.

Rookie Andy Dalton threw a touchdown pass and Mike Nugent kicked a season-high four field goals for the Bengals (7-6), who have lost three of their last four and were dealt a serious blow to their AFC wild card hopes.

The Texans were poised to take the lead early in the second quarter, but Ben Tate fumbled at the Cincinnati 3. Fifteen plays and 97 yards later, Dalton found Jerome Simpson over the middle with a 17-yard touchdown pass to stretch the Bengals’ lead to 13-3.

After Houston’s Neil Rackers missed a 47-yard field goal with 30 seconds left in the half, Cincinnati moved 32 yards and Nugent kicked a 49-yarder 24 seconds later for a 16-3 halftime advantage.

The Texans closed to within 16-10 early in the third quarter when Yates threw a 6-yard touchdown to Joel Dreessen for the tight end’s 100th career reception.

The score came four plays after Connor Barwin sacked Dalton and forced a fumble, which was recovered by Brooks Reed at the Cincinnati 17.