Houston @ Arizona preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 14, 2010 ) Houston 16, Arizona 19

Things were beginning to look up for the Houston Texans on Sunday before head coach Gary Kubiak suffered a transient ischemic attack and collapsed on the field, and the team blew an 18-point lead in a loss to Indianapolis. Kubiak will be away from the team when they visit the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday. Kubiak is expected to make a full recovery from the mini-stroke but it is not known when he will resume his coaching duties.

Defensive coordinator and veteran of three different head-coaching stints Wade Phillips will take over as interim head coach for the Texans. Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians, who served as interim coach in Indianapolis last season when Chuck Pagano underwent treatment for leukemia, is in a unique position to understand Phillips’ situation. Arians performed so well as the interim that he was given the head job with the Cardinals in the offseason and is starting to have some success in Arizona with wins in three of the last five games.

TV: 4:25 p.m. ET, CBS. LINE: Cardinals -1. O/U: 41.5.

ABOUT THE TEXANS (2-6): Houston was enduring a disappointing season on the field before it began to worry about its head coach, and squandering a 24-6 lead with 4:25 left in the third quarter represented a new low point. The Texans rank first in the NFL in passing defense, surrendering an average of 158 yards, but allowed three passing touchdowns in the final 15:05 to watch its lead evaporate. On the other side of the ball, quarterback Case Keenum has thrown for 621 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions in two games but could again be without running back Arian Foster due to a back injury.

ABOUT THE CARDINALS (4-4): Arizona went into its bye week on a high note with a 27-13 victory over the Atlanta Falcons in Week 8. The Cardinals were most effective against the Falcons in the secondary, intercepting Matt Ryan four times, and got a strong October from rookie safety Tyrann Mathieu, who was named the NFC’s defensive Rookie of the Month. Mathieu and Rashad Johnson combined for three picks from the free safety position against Atlanta and will get plenty of work Sunday along with cornerback Patrick Peterson against Texans wide receiver Andre Johnson.

EXTRA POINTS

1. The Cardinals released rookie TE D.C. Jefferson on Monday after an arrest for DUI.

2. The Texans tried out kickers this week but will reportedly stick with Randy Bullock, who missed three field goal attempts in the loss to Indianapolis.

3. Arizona LB John Abraham has three sacks and two forced fumbles in the last two games.

PREDICTION: Cardinals 24, Texans 21