The Texans didn't savor Sunday's 23-7 win at Cleveland for long. Bill O'Brien channeled his inner Bill Belichick in order to avoid any unnecessary and lingering discussion of the previous week.
"We have a big, big challenge here," O'Brien said Wednesday. "The Cleveland game is over. Like, that game is over. We are on to Cincinnati and our guys need to understand that. We need to go out there and practice like we understand; we have a big, big challenge coming in on Sunday."
In fact, quarterback Ryan Mallett was over it before he arrived back in Houston Sunday night. Mallett, almost immediately after his first NFL win, was already watching game film on the Texans upcoming opponent.
"Definitely," Mallett said. "As soon as that game is over, you've got to move on. That was just one game so now we're preparing for Cincinnati. They got a good team. They are playing well, played well at New Orleans so we have to go to work."
With one NFL game on film, teams will now have more opportunities to game plan for Mallett. O'Brien, who changes game strategy based on opponents, will be making adjustments this week.
"There will be a different strategy because it's a different defense," O'Brien said. "We have a totally different game plan. Some of the things will be the same. We have some things that are what we call bread and butter type plays that we'll always have in every game. But from week to week, especially like from Cleveland to Cincinnati, you're talking about two totally different teams, so the game plan will be a lot different."
Mallett, who waited nearly four years for his first NFL start, will play in front of a home crowd at NRG Stadium for the first time on Sunday.
But he's not focused on that right now.
"This game is very humbling," Mallett said. "Once you think you've arrived, you find out different. My thought process is be the best I can every day at whatever it is."
The (5-5) Texans will host the (6-3-1) Cincinnati Bengals in their Week 12 matchup on Sunday. Kickoff is scheduled for 12 p.m. on CBS KHOU-11 and SportsRadio 610.
