The faltering Bengals left the field, heads slumped. The resourceful Houston Texans left the field with arms raised in celebration after rookie T.J. Yates threw a 6-yard touchdown pass with 2 seconds left for a 20-19 victory Sunday that very likely could have scuttled Cincinnati’s chances of postseason play.

 

At 7-6, the Bengals fell behind in the chase for the final AFC wild card berth. They’ve lost four of their last five, turning what started as a promising season into something that’s starting to look like another disappointment. The Bengals have reached the playoffs only twice in the last 20 years.

 

A fifth-round draft pick, Yates got his chance when Matt Schaub and Matt Leinart suffered season-ending injuries in consecutive weeks. Making only his second start, Yates led the Texans on their biggest comeback of the season. With everything on the line for both teams, the Bengals couldn’t stop him.

 

Yates scrambled 17 yards on third-and-15 to keep the drive going. A pass interference penalty on Adam “Pacman” Jones put the ball at the 6-yard line with 12 seconds left. After an incompletion, Kevin Walter lined up wide right, cut to the middle of the field and was uncovered at the goal line.

 

Only 41,202 fans — the second-smallest crowd in Paul Brown Stadium history — showed up to watch the Bengals turn themselves into a long shot for the playoffs. They’d lost three of their last four, including a 35-7 drubbing in Pittsburgh last week that essentially eliminated them from the AFC North race. Now, they’re going to need help getting the final wild card berth.

 

The Texans have kept winning while losing quarterbacks. They took the final step into the playoffs without leading receiver Andre Johnson, who was inactive Sunday because of a strained left hamstring. Yates and a solid defense pulled them through as the rookie went 26 of 44 for 300 yards with two touchdowns, one interception and five sacks.

 

Houston’s defense was the stingiest in the AFC, and came through after the Texans fell behind 16-3 at halftime. Andy Dalton was sacked and fumbled, setting up Yates’ 6-yard touchdown pass that got the Texans some momentum early in the third quarter.

 

It was a costly loss in more ways than one. Bengals OL/guard Bobbie Williams will miss the rest of the season after breaking his right ankle. The Bengals put Williams on the injured reserve yesterday. The team promoted guard Otis Hudson from the practice squad. Hudson was a fifth-round pick last year. Williams’ injury leaves the Bengals without two starters on the right side of their offensive line. Right tackle Andre Smith missed the game against the Texans with an injured left ankle.