Bengals vs. Texans: Questions Cincinnati Must Answer Against Houston

Despite an overwhelming desire to avoid even mentioning the debacle that occurred in Pittsburgh, as always there are a number of things that can be gleamed from the Cincinnati Bengals' performance, if you can even call it a performance.

With the Bengals level with a number of their AFC counterparts in the race for the final wild-card spot, now is crunch time for Cincy. While for many, the Pittsburgh game was the defining moment for a 2011 Bengals team that "isn't ready yet," for the players and Bengals fans, it is being viewed as a setback but not the final word on this young side in 2011.

So with the impending visit of the injury-riddled Houston Texans becoming a vital clash in terms of the Bengals' playoff hopes, there are a number of questions that need to be answered if they want to get back on track.

Can Cedric Benson Be the Focal Point of This Offense Once Again?

Cedric Benson was effective against the Steelers in the early going on Sunday, averaging four yards per carry for the day, but when the score got out of hand, Lewis and Gruden abandoned the run. Benson will get another chance to make an impact on Sunday as the prowess of the Texans secondary will mean Cincy will likely come into this one with a run-heavy game plan. 

Benson has been distinctly average this year, with off-the-field issues hampering Jay Gruden from relying on him and as a result stopping him from reassuming his 2009 success. Benson will be looking for a new team or a new contract in 2012, and he has yet to prove deserving of either.

He needs to step up and produce down the stretch, or we could see him become obsolete and ultimately replaced in the offseason. With Bernard Scott seeing increased carries and increased production, Benson is looking less and less valuable. Whether or not you think 2009 was a fluke, it proved that Benson does have it in him; he needs to find it again in Houston.

Can the Offensive Line Protect Andy Dalton?

Andrew Whitworth and the offensive line flat-out stunk in Pittsburgh. Andre Smith went down injured after an uninspiring performance while his teammates gave up sack after sack, with a handful of penalties thrown in for good measure. On too many occasions on Sunday, Andy Dalton was flushed out of the pocket, on the run or on the floor, and towards the end of the game, it was painful to watch.

With the offensive line patchy at best and Andre Smith's health in question, it will be up to Andrew Whitworth to be the leader he is often referred to as in this one. Whitworth was personally responsible for two sacks on Dalton in Pittsburgh and has struggled at times this year.

Andy will need all the time he can get against the league's No.1 defense if he is going to connect with A.J. Green, and the offensive line needs to really prove that they can hold their own with playoff-caliber defenses if the Bengals are going to win out in December.

Can the Banged-Up Secondary Find Its Feet?

With safety Chris Crocker and corner Nate Clements battling injuries, and Leon Hall on injured reserve, the Bengals secondary is more banged up than it has been in quite some time. Adam Jones provides tenacity in the backfield but is arguably still in the process of working off game rust, as is Kelly Jennings, whose contribution still continues to be erratic. 

Big Ben spread the ball between seven different receivers on Sunday, capitalising on the Bengals' secondary issues. With Andre Johnson likely out on Sunday and T.J. Yates under center, the Bengals secondary has the opportunity to bounce back with a big performance. While it may not be key to winning this one, some interceptions would certainly build confidence in an area of the field where it is distinctly lacking right now.

Can the Run Defense Return to Form?

Arian Foster will see a lot of work on Sunday and Houston's offense will likely live and die by his ability to run the ball on the Cincy defense. In the first eight games of the season, the Bengals were a run-stopping monster, shutting out the likes of Frank Gore, Fred Jackson, Marshawn Lynch and CJ2K, and only allowing 100-plus in one of their first eight games (Broncos).

However, since the loss to Pittsburgh in Cincinnati, the Bengals have given up 100-plus in every game, which is a horrifying prospect considering one of the league's best rushers is headed to town. If they want to win this one they need to shut him down and early, forcing T.J. Yates to air it out. There's no doubt Mike Zimmer will be focusing on the now-struggling run defense in practice this week; let's hope the players heed his advice.