After Chris Rainey returned the opening kickoff to Pittsburgh's 40-yard line, the Steelers offense begins the game with consecutive bubble screens to Mike Wallace and Antonio Brown, picking up a combined 11 yards and the first down.
With over 14 minutes remaining in the first quarter, Vontaze Burfict breaks through the line of scrimmage, dropping Wallace for a six-yard loss on an end-around setting up a second-and-16.
Yet the Steelers, with their insane league-leading third down conversion rate, recovers.
Jonathan Dwyer picked up seven yards behind a massive push from the Steelers offensive line, setting up a third and nine from Cincinnati's 48-yard line. Despite bringing at least six during the run, Roethlisberger slings a fast ball down the left hashmarks on an in-route for 23 yards to Antonio Brown with Adam Jones covering.
Eventually the Steelers opening possession stalls, following a limited one-yard gain stuffed by Domata Peko, and consecutive incomplete passes to Mike Wallace, Shaun Suisham converts the 42-yard field goal to give Pittsburgh a 3-0 lead.