The Texans stunned the previously 8-0 Bengals on Monday, in a game that few believed the Texans could win.
But win they did, and after the game Houston defensive end J.J. Watt gave his slowly-percolating throng of critics more ammunition for making him into a heel in all cities except Houston.
“Just talkin’ to my teammates about how everybody told us we couldn’t do this,” Watt told ESPN’s Lisa Salters after the game. “Everybody said there ain’t no -- you’re 3-5, there’s no way you’re gonna go in their building and win. Well, how you all doin’?”
Watt then trotted out some rehearsed material that possibly went over better when he practiced it in the mirror.
“Our goal was to come out here and make the Red Rifle look like a Red Ryder BB Gun,” Watt said, in reference to Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton.
Watt needs to perhaps tread lightly, given that the Texans very well could face the Bengals again, in the postseason.
Then again, it may not matter. The Texans are now 6-1 in their last seven games against the Bengals, with half of those wins coming in Cincinnati.