Brandon Allen outduels Deshaun Watson as Bengals beat Texans

The Cincinnati Bengals defeated the Houston Texans behind a stellar performance from backup quarterback Brandon Allen.

After years of disappointment, the Cincinnati Bengals franchise may just be rounding the corner. Zac Taylor’s squad secured their second straight victory, defeating the Houston Texans in week 16 and moving the club to 4-10-1 on the year.

Several members of the orange and black paved the way to success with big-time performances, but nobody shined brighter than backup quarterback Brandon Allen. The 28-year-old signal-caller was dealing all day, completing 29 of his 37 passing attempts (78.4% completion) for 371 yards and two touchdowns.

In all, the career day for Allen gave him an astounding 136.8 QBR. After such an impressive outing, there should be no doubt that he can serve as the team’s primary backup in 2021 and beyond.

Outside of Allen, WhoDey nation was witness to outstanding performances from running back Giovani Bernard, wide receiver Tee Higgins, and defensive end Sam Hubbard. Bernard racked up 131 yards from scrimmage, Higgins reeled in six passes for 99 yards, and Hubbard, of course, sealed the victory with a strip-sack in the closing minutes of the fourth quarter.

How a week 16 win impacts the Bengals’ draft standing

With another victory, Cincinnati will slide down the draft order, at least a few slots. Both the Falcons and the Texans will jump the Bengals. Fans will have to keep a close eye on the contest involving the Carolina Panthers this afternoon to see if the organization will drop another slot.

At this point, long-time fan favorite Penei Sewell seems like he will be out of reach. The front office and those residing within the Queen City will have to re-examine the prospect pool to find a new target.

As the Bengals gear up to play their final game of the season, the draft order will become crystalized and a long offseason full of evaluation will set in.