Monday Night Football Week 10: TV Schedule, Live Stream for Texans vs. Bengals

The Cincinnati Bengals have been in the process of changing expectations around the NFL throughout the 2015 season.

They bring an unbeaten 8-0 record into their Monday night game against the Houston Texans, and while they won't be able to convince skeptics that they are legitimate championship contenders until they prove themselves in the playoffs, they have looked exceptional in the first half of the season.

That has never been the case in the past. The Bengals were known for poor play against top rivals like Pittsburgh and Baltimore or blowing games in the final minutes of the fourth quarter. 

It's as if quarterback Andy Dalton and head coach Marvin Lewis said, "No more."

Analysts like former Baltimore Ravens head coach Brian Billick have taken notice of Dalton's performance this season.

"

It could be argued that Andy Dalton is the 2nd best QB in the #NFL this season.

— Brian Billick (@CoachBillick) November 15, 2015"

Great teams find a way to keep winning streaks alive and beat good opponents in the final minutes. That's just what the Bengals are doing.

How to Watch 

Date: Monday, Nov. 16, 2015

Time: 8:30 p.m. ET

Location: Paul Brown Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio

Tickets: ScoreBig.com

TV Info: ESPN

Live Stream: Watch ESPN

Thomas B. Shea/Getty Images

The Houston Texans are another story. When you look at their roster, there's every reason to believe they should be a first-place team in the AFC South. They have dynamic, game-changing players on defense led by 2014 NFL Defensive Player of the Year J.J. Watt, and Watt has top-level players around him like linebacker Brian Cushing and former No. 1 draft pick Jadeveon Clowney.

Many teams would be excited to have one player at the level of those three superstars, while the Texans have three.

Big-name talent doesn't always translate into production. The Texans rank 17th in overall defense and are a shocking 27th against the run.

Run defense is often a matter of will and positioning. The Texans are not getting the job done, and defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel has not been able to figure out any answers. 

"

Romeo Crennel hope Texans defense performs at high level on Monday Night Football #sports

— Houston Online (@OnlineHouston) November 12, 2015"

The Texans have already given up 44 points or more twice this season, and now they take on the sixth-ranked Cincinnati offense that has so many weapons.

If the Bengals want to win the game with their running attack, they have Jeremy Hill (344 yards), who can pound the ball between the tackles, and Giovanni Bernard (511 yards, 5.6 yards per carry), who can get outside and make big plays.

The receiving crew is led by big-play specialist A.J. Green (50 catches for 702 yards and four touchdowns), and he is complemented by Marvin Jones (49-411-3) and Mohamed Sanu (31-295-0). Tight end Tyler Eifert has been magnificent in the red zone with nine TD catches.

The Texans started to come undone in Week 1, when head coach Bill O'Brien pulled starting quarterback Brian Hoyer in favor of Ryan Mallett. While Hoyer reclaimed the starting job, playing musical quarterbacks proved to be a mistake for the 3-5 Texans. 

Hoyer has a 13-3 TD-interception ratio, but he is not the confident quarterback he would have been had he not been pulled by his head coach so early in the season. 

Wideout DeAndre Hopkins is a legitimate star who has caught 66-870-6 in a half-season, but the Texans don't have enough weapons to trade points with the Bengals.

The Bengals want to keep pace with the undefeated New England Patriots and Carolina Panthers, so look for them to come out with a sensational effort in front of the Monday Night national TV audience on ESPN.